Call for Research Proposals on Regulation, Fiscal Policy, and Economic Opportunities

Deadline: 24-Sep-2026

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is inviting independent researchers and research teams to submit quantitative studies examining how regulation and fiscal policy affect economic opportunities for women and men across Latin America and the Caribbean. The call prioritizes causal research on regulatory simplification, digital government, access to credit, taxation, labor regulation, formalization, employment, income, and other policy outcomes. What Is the IDB Research Call? The Inter-American Development Bank research opportunity aims to generate rigorous, policy-relevant evidence on how government regulations and fiscal policies influence economic participation across Latin America and the Caribbean. A central premise of the call is that a regulation can be formally identical for everyone while still producing different economic outcomes for women and men. Researchers are therefore encouraged to investigate: Whether these differences exist. When they emerge. What mechanisms explain them. Which policy reforms can reduce barriers. How governments can expand economic opportunities more effectively. Main Research Areas The call identifies four broad policy areas. Regulatory Simplification and Digital Government Research may examine how government procedures and digitalization affect people’s ability to participate in formal economic activity. Research should therefore investigate not just whether a reform works overall, but also who benefits, who does not, and why. Geographic Focus Research should contribute to policy knowledge relevant to Latin America and the Caribbean. The call is particularly interested in evidence that can inform governments and policymakers across the region. Studies should therefore demonstrate a clear connection between the research question and the economic, regulatory, or institutional context of the region. Who Is Eligible?

Applications are open to:

Independent researchers. Research teams. Researchers affiliated with universities. Researchers affiliated with research centers. Researchers working with public entities. Researchers working with private entities. All team members must be citizens of one of the 48 IDB member countries and satisfy the other eligibility requirements established by the call. Can IDB Specialists Participate? Yes. IDB Group specialists may participate in collaboration with external research teams. This can allow external researchers to combine academic or empirical expertise with institutional knowledge from IDB specialists. What Makes a Strong Research Proposal? A competitive proposal should clearly connect a policy question, causal methodology, data source, and policy implication.

Strong proposals should demonstrate:

A clearly defined regulation or policy intervention. A significant economic question. A credible causal identification strategy. Access to suitable quantitative data. Clear outcomes to be measured. Analysis of potentially different effects on women and men. Strong relevance to Latin America and the Caribbean. Practical implications for policy design. How to Prepare an Application

Step 1: Select a Policy Area

Choose a research question related to:

Regulatory simplification and digital government. Financial regulation and access to credit. Tax design and economic participation. Labor regulation and formal employment.

Step 2: Define the Policy Question

Identify a specific regulation, reform, programme, or policy change. Rather than asking a broad question such as whether regulation affects women’s employment, define the exact intervention and expected mechanism.

Step 3: Identify the Outcomes

Specify what the project will measure.

These could include:

Employment. Formalization. Credit access. Income. Job quality. Compliance costs. Earnings. Public-service access.

Step 4: Develop the Causal Methodology

Explain how the research design will identify the causal effect of the policy. The application should clearly distinguish the proposed methodology from descriptive or correlational analysis.

Step 5: Address Differences in Outcomes

Explain how the project will examine whether effects differ between women and men and what may explain those differences.

Step 6: Demonstrate Policy Relevance

Describe how findings could inform governments, regulators, or other policymakers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Step 7: Confirm Team Eligibility

Ensure that every member of the research team is a citizen of an eligible IDB member country and meets all other requirements specified by the call. Tips for Applicants

Applicants can strengthen proposals by:

Focusing on a specific policy reform rather than a broad topic. Using data capable of supporting causal analysis. Explaining the identification strategy in clear terms. Demonstrating why gender-differentiated effects may occur. Including outcomes that policymakers can act on. Showing relevance beyond a single academic question. Connecting results to concrete regulatory or fiscal-policy decisions. Demonstrating appropriate quantitative research expertise. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Submitting purely descriptive studies. Using correlations as evidence of causation. Failing to identify a specific regulatory or fiscal intervention. Treating women and men as homogeneous groups without examining underlying mechanisms. Providing weak justification for the proposed causal methodology. Failing to demonstrate relevance to Latin America and the Caribbean. Using outcomes that have little connection to the policy studied. Including research team members who do not meet the IDB citizenship requirements. Frequently Asked Questions What is the purpose of the IDB research call? The call seeks rigorous evidence on how regulation and fiscal policy influence economic opportunities for women and men in Latin America and the Caribbean. What research topics are eligible? Priority areas include regulatory simplification and digital government, financial regulation and c