Call for Proposals: 2027 UP CIDS Policy Research Project Grant
The University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) is officially accepting applications for policy research project grant for the 2027 cycle.
This call invites tenured PhD-holder UP faculty members and Research, Extension, and Professional Staff (REPS) to lead one-year, interdisciplinary policy research projects aimed at addressing critical national and global issues.
Grant Highlights
- Maximum Grant Amount: Up to ₱1,000,000 per funded project.
- Project Implementation Period: One (1) year
Minimum Qualifications for Regular Fellows
To be eligible to apply as a Regular Fellow (Project Leader) for the 2027 cycle, applicants must satisfy all of the following minimum requirements:
- Institutional Status: Must be a tenured faculty member or tenured Research, Extension, and Professional Staff (REPS) within the University of the Philippines System.
- Educational Attainment: Must hold a Ph.D. or an equivalent terminal degree (applicants with MD or JD degrees must also possess a Master’s degree).
- Research and Publication Track Record: Must have a proven research background with a minimum of 10 peer-reviewed research outputs.
- Institutional Group Affiliation: Must be a member of a Research/Creative Work and Innovation Group within their Constituent University (CU) as part of the Collective Mentoring Program.
Mandatory Deliverables & Output Requirements
Proponents must commit to producing a minimum set of research outputs during the grant period:
- At least one (1) article to an indexed academic journal using the data from the CIDS policy research
- At least one (1) non-peer-reviewed policy output from official UP CIDS formats, such as a Policy Brief (1,500–2,500 words), Discussion Paper (6,000–8,000 words), and/or Monograph (40,000–50,000 words).
- At least one (1) partnership outcome such as MOU, MOA, or TOR with a national government agency, local government unit, or civil society organization.
- At least one (1) public facing event as a means for data gathering, or present data findings from the CIDS policy research.
Understanding Policy & Policy Research (The UP CIDS Framework)
Policy is defined as a system of goal-oriented principles, plans, or guidelines adopted by public/governmental or organizational entities. Policy research at UP CIDS must align with key stages of the policy cycle—issue definition, agenda setting, data analysis, policy formulation, consultation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation using the Theory of Change framework to track inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact.
Mandatory Approach for Policy Proposals:
- Empirical & Analytical Rigor: Proposals must rely on clear, empirical data gathering (e.g., interviews, surveys) and explicit theoretical frameworks. Simple policy descriptions or abstract theorizations are strictly discouraged.
- Core Problem Focus: Research must explicitly state whether it addresses a policy failure (ineffective or harmful outcomes), policy stasis (political gridlock or inaction), or a policy gap.
- Actionable Recommendations: Policy recommendations must stem directly from empirical findings and identify actor or agency that will carry out the recommendations.
- Identify the partner institution to which policy recommendations are intended and to work out a partnership outcome as a deliverable.
Sample Topics & Themes:
To engage a broad readership, research should remain accessible across disciplines and may incorporate interdisciplinary or comparative studies (especially within Asia) across themes such as:
- Politics, Governance, and Public Administration
- Economics, Finance, and Budget
- Infrastructure, Public Works, and Transportation
- Flooding, Disasters, and Climate Change
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Natural Resource Management
- Foreign Relations, National Security, and Diplomacy
- Engineering, Design, Urban Planning, Digitalization, and AI/SMART Technology
- Labor, Social Protection, Health Access, and Economic Inclusion and Equity
- Education, Gender, and Human Rights
- Agriculture, Agrarian Issues, and Food Security
- Industrial Policy, Green/Blue Economy
- Cultural Heritage and Humanities in Public Policy
Required Documents & Application Templates
Applicants must complete and submit the official UP CIDS application templates as part of their proposal package:
- UP CIDS Project Proposal Template – to be accomplished via the template form AND Google Form
- Project Overview & Rationale: Summary of the research problem, objectives, and methodological design (including field sites).
- Core Staff Structure: Detailed listing of team members (Project Leader, Co-Project Leader, Collaborators across at least 3 disciplines, Research Assistant/Graduate Student Mentee, and Admin Staff).
- Planned Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement: Institutional mapping classified by sectors (LGU/NGA, SUCs, UP Units, Private/International)
- Activities Schedule: Timeline for field research, FGDs, interviews, and public fora/roundtable discussions.
- Target Deliverables & Output Mapping: Concrete commitments for the journal article and non-peer-reviewed output mapped against relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UP Flagship Programs.
2. Line-Item Budget (LIB) Template – to be accomplished on the template form and attached on the Google Form
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- Detailed breakdown categorized strictly into Personnel Services (PS) and Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).
- MOOE expenses (e.g., honoraria for supplementary staff, transcribers, consultants) must not exceed 25% of the gross grant amount.)
- No capital outlay is included in the budget.
2027 Cycle Submission Timeline & Details
- Call Opens: September 1, 2026
- Deadline for Proposals: October 15, 2026
- Announcement of Results: January 11, 2027
- Project Implementation: February 1, 2027 – January 31, 2028
- Application Package: Submit the completed Project Proposal Template, Line-Item Budget (LIB) Template, Work and Financial Plan (WFP), and home unit endorsement to