Economic Opportunities for Women and Men: The Role of Regulation and Fiscal Policy

Deadline: 24-Sep-2026

The GDLab, an initiative of the IDB Group, is inviting researchers to study how regulation and fiscal policy affect economic opportunities, participation, and formalization for women and men. Grants of up to $20,000 for quantitative research and $100,000 for pilot interventions with rigorous impact evaluation are available, with funded projects expected to begin in January 2027.

About the GDLab Research Call

The GDLab has launched the research call “Economic Opportunities for Women and Men: The Role of Regulation and Fiscal Policy” in collaboration with the IDB’s Institutions for Development Sector. The call seeks actionable evidence on how government policies and regulatory reforms influence economic opportunities for women and men differently. Applicants pursuing intersectional research should have appropriate data and a credible strategy for identifying causal effects. Preferred Research Methods The program gives priority to research capable of establishing causal relationships.

Preferred approaches include:

Structural models. Randomized experiments. Quasi-experimental designs. Other rigorous quantitative methodologies. Applicants should explain how their research design will distinguish causal effects from simple correlations. Funding Categories The call offers two funding categories.

Category I: Quantitative Diagnoses

Category I supports quantitative studies designed to establish causal relationships between regulation or fiscal policy and economic outcomes.

Maximum funding: $20,000.

Maximum duration: 12 months.

Expected start: January 2027.

Primary focus: Rigorous quantitative diagnosis and causal analysis.

Category II: Pilot Interventions

Category II supports pilot interventions combined with rigorous impact evaluation.

Maximum funding: $100,000.

Maximum duration: 18 months.

Expected start: January 2027.

Primary focus: Testing interventions and measuring their impacts.

Category II therefore provides substantially larger funding for researchers who are ready to move beyond diagnosis and test a policy intervention. Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

Independent researchers. Research teams. Researchers affiliated with public entities. Researchers affiliated with private entities. University researchers. Research-centre researchers. Applicants must also meet the following requirements: Be a citizen of one of the 48 IDB member countries. Conduct research within the scope of the call. Use grant funding exclusively for eligible research-related activities. Not have an immediate family member employed by the IDB Group. Eligible Research Costs Grant funding must be used for research-related expenses.

Eligible activities can include:

Data collection. Research activities. Impact evaluation. Other necessary research expenses. IRB certification, where applicable. Overhead costs are permitted but are capped at 15% of direct project costs. Research Timeline Funded studies are expected to begin in January 2027. The maximum project period depends on the category:

Category I: Up to 12 months.

Category II: Up to 18 months.

Researchers should therefore ensure that the proposed methodology, data collection, analysis, and reporting can realistically be completed within the applicable timeframe. Publication and Knowledge Dissemination Research supported through the call may receive opportunities for broader dissemination. Researchers should therefore develop projects with clear methodological quality, policy relevance, and potential to generate useful evidence. Why This Research Matters Regulations and fiscal policies can affect women and men differently, even when policies appear gender-neutral. For example, regulatory requirements, tax structures, access to credit, or labour-market rules may create different incentives or barriers for different groups. Evidence generated through this program can help policymakers understand: Which reforms increase economic participation. Which policies encourage formalization. Whether policy benefits are distributed equally between women and men. Why gender differences occur. How reforms can be designed to improve economic inclusion. The emphasis on causal evidence is particularly important because it can help policymakers determine whether a specific reform actually produced a change rather than simply being associated with one. How to Apply Applicants should structure their proposal around a clearly defined policy problem and a rigorous research strategy.

Step 1: Select a Research Question

Choose a question connected to regulation, fiscal policy, economic participation, or formalization. The research question should explicitly incorporate a gender perspective.

Step 2: Define the Policy Mechanism

Explain which regulation, fiscal measure, or policy reform will be studied and why it could affect women and men differently.

Step 3: Choose the Appropriate Methodology

Select a quantitative method capable of answering the research question. Clearly distinguish between Category I and Category II objectives. Proposals should avoid broad research questions that cannot be answered with the proposed data or methodology. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Researchers should avoid:

Treating gender as a minor addition rather than a central analytical dimension. Using descriptive statistics when the proposal requires causal evidence. Failing to explain the identification strategy. Proposing an intervention without a rigorous evaluation plan under Category II. Requesting funding for non-research expenses. Exceeding the overhead limit. Failing to demonstrate access to suitable data. Ignoring the project’s maximum duration. Proposing research with limited relevance to low- and middle-income country policy challenges. Frequently Asked Questions What is the GDLab research call about? The call supports research examining how regulation and fiscal policy affect economic opportunities, participation, and formalization for women and men. How much funding is available?