SIEF Call for Proposals Now CLOSED
Since 2012, the World Bank¡¯s Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund (SIEF) has funded three open, competitive calls for proposals for impact evaluations in low- and middle-income countries focused on at least one of four issues: early childhood development and nutrition, basic education, health systems, and water and sanitation. The current portfolio has around 60 evaluations spread across 31 countries. Many of these evaluations are led by world-class researchers; many are closely linked to government programs; and many are answering questions that bilateral and multilateral aid organizations find relevant.
SIEF is now announcing its fourth call for proposals. This call will focus on rapid, low-cost evaluations ¨C or nimble evaluations.1 A follow-on call will provide incentives for iterative policy experimentation after results of Call 4 evaluations are submitted. In call 4, SIEF will for the first time seek to match impact evaluation researchers with operational teams in the World Bank and the United Kingdom¡¯s Department for International Development (DFID) to encourage the use of nimble evaluations for better program design and scale-up. Research teams will be able to propose evaluation designs for specific information needs articulated by World Bank and DFID client governments and non-government partners (see appendix of World Bank and DFID projects). In these cases, funds for implementing the interventions being evaluated will be covered by whichever organization is sponsoring the program. It is expected these organizations will also be able to provide easier access to administrative data.
In addition, SIEF will also accept applications from researchers who have identified planned or existing interventions needing evaluation that are neither on the list nor connected with World Bank or DFID projects. However, as in former calls for proposals, evaluation teams in these situations will need to arrange for separate funding for intervention implementation activities.
Applications must be received by May 30, 2018 to be considered.
--------------------