Centre for Economic Policy Research
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Growth Research Platform, which the Centre runs with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office funding, supports economic research on private-sector development, structural change and conflict-affected economies, so a project should address one of those themes to fit.
- Grants go to institutions rather than individuals and are largely spent in target low-income countries, so a small nonprofit should first check that it can apply as an institution and that its work concerns those countries.
- The platform describes its research grants as competitive and asks for policy-relevant research, so a proposal that clearly addresses a stated theme is the sensible approach.
- Applications are accepted only while a call for proposals is open and against fixed deadlines, so check those first; for STEG Institutional Partner Grants, send an Expression of Interest showing that the proposed activities and outputs are suitable, and submit a full proposal only after a positive response.
- Resubmissions happen by invitation only, so do not resubmit unless invited.
Overview
Centre for Economic Policy Research is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 287287).
The Centre for Economic Policy Research is a charity whose mission is to promote world-class economic research and deliver policy-relevant results to decision-makers. Its network comprises almost 2,000 affiliated researchers from over 330 institutions across 30 countries. Its Growth Research Platform brings together the research of PEDL, STEG and ReCIPE with the synthesising and dissemination work of VoxDev, and hosts the Policy Response Window. Through the platform it administers grant initiatives funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with funding largely spent in target low-income countries. Its annual giving is £2,075,294.
What they fund
Priority Areas
Through the Growth Research Platform, CEPR administers grant initiatives funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Grants are awarded to institutions, although funding is largely spent in target low-income countries. The platform offers competitive research grants for projects addressing challenges faced by developing-country economies. Its programmes support research on private-sector development in low-income countries; structural change and productivity growth in low- and middle-income countries; and economic and growth issues in conflict-affected and fragile countries. The initiatives emphasise policy-relevant research and support research related to private enterprises of all sizes.
Themes
- Private-sector development
- Structural change
- Conflict-affected economies
How to apply
For STEG Institutional Partner Grants, institutions submit an Expression of Interest first; after a positive response, they are invited to email a full proposal, budget and the required institutional eligibility documents.
Deadlines: Applications may be submitted only while a call for proposals is open.
What to send:
- ReCIPE CRG and PhD grants, STEG SRG or PhD: Project title, project abstract, contact details and CVs for all investigators, proposal, budget and keywords.
- ReCIPE CRG and PhD grants: Proposal and budget using the templates provided on the website.
- ReCIPE BRG
- Project title, project abstract, contact details and CVs for all investigators, proposal, proposal summary and budget.
- Coordinating institution verification documents: declaration of eligibility form, legal representative form, legal status form and financial identification form, including the most recent bank statement and certified annual accounts.
- STEG LRG: Project title, project abstract, contact details and CVs for all investigators, proposal summary, proposal, budget, coordinating institution verification documentation and keywords.
- STEG IPG: Expression of Interest, full proposal, proposed budget and required institutional eligibility documents.
Applying again: Resubmissions take place via invitation only. If you are invited to resubmit your proposal, revised proposals can be resubmitted in any future round.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- STEG Institutional Partner Grant applicants should show in their Expression of Interest that their proposed activities and outputs are suitable.
Where they fund
Registered area of operation (Charity Commission)
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Centre for Economic Policy Research.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 30 September 2021 | £4,786,892 | £4,331,254 | £1,206,707 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2021 |
| year to 30 September 2022 | £6,591,962 | £6,192,852 | £1,730,246 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2022 |
| year to 30 September 2023 | £7,643,615 | £7,019,621 | £1,805,973 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2023 |
| year to 30 September 2024 | £8,226,934 | £8,662,166 | £2,400,028 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2024 |
| year to 30 September 2025 | £7,485,495 | £7,368,160 | £2,075,294 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 30 September 2021; year to 30 September 2022; year to 30 September 2023; year to 30 September 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 30 September 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- cepr.org
- grp.cepr.org/contact · read on 30 October 2026
- grp.cepr.org/pedl/about · read on 30 October 2026
- grp.cepr.org/steg/funding/how-to-apply-to-steg · read on 30 October 2026
- grp.cepr.org/recipe/funding/how-to-apply · read on 30 October 2026
- cepr.org/about · read on 30 October 2026
- cepr.org/research/research-projects-and-networks · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 30 September 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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Applying to Centre for Economic Policy Research?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required