Citizen Security Research Initiative | Call for Proposals

IPA's Citizen Security Research Initiative (CSRI) supports rigorous impact evaluations, pilot studies, infrastructure and public goods projects, and foundational and contextual research to inform policies and programs on building safer communities and strengthening justice and law enforcement systems. Funding for CSRI comes from the United States Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Supported projects will generate actionable evidence to inform policy and programming in the citizen security and justice sector, with a focus on studies that challenge common beliefs, pioneer innovative interventions, and produce evidence where little currently exists. Priority areas of research include:

• Countering organized crime
• Combating drug trafficking and production
• Preventing crime and violence
• Strengthening law enforcement and criminal justice institutions

CSRI’s first call for proposals is now open. Proposals are due April 15, 2026. Please reach out to justice@poverty-action.org with any questions.
 

Call for Proposals

Soft Skills Research Fund | Curated Portfolio of Research Projects (ongoing)

IPA has announced new funding for research on soft skills for entrepreneurship and workforce development (read the announcement). Through this funding, IPA aims to support research in low- and middle-income countries that examines the relationship between soft skills and employment-related outcomes. Priority will be given to projects that respond to existing evidence gaps, incorporate a common framework for measuring soft skills and economic outcomes, and generate implementation-relevant evidence. For more information on research priorities, the definition of soft skills, outcomes of interest, and sample research questions, see the joint IPA-J-PAL research agenda.

IPA will source research projects through two key approaches: 1) a competitive open call for proposals, which launched in fall 2025 and is now closed; and 2) a curated portfolio of full-scale research projects.

For the curated portfolio, research projects will be selected on an ongoing, rolling basis and leverage IPA’s long-standing work in this area and our strong relationships with implementers and researchers.

These projects will be co-designed with leading implementers and researchers, focusing on:

• Developing research questions
• Collecting and analyzing implementation data
• Thoughtful use of soft-skills measurement

Projects will be selected on a rolling basis by an internal committee, prioritizing:

• Alignment with the research agenda
• Potential for policy impact
• Collaboration with interdisciplinary teams that are flexible, knowledgeable, and strategic in using soft-skills measures

Please contact epsd@poverty-action.org for more information.