Two major initiatives from the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) are set to receive significant financial support after J-PAL and another research center, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), were jointly awarded a multi-million-dollar grant from the UK government.

The two organizations received US$ 16 million from the UK Department for International Development to contribute towards three research programs on effective policies to promote peace and good governance, reduce crime, and support individuals and communities recovering from conflict.

The programs include J-PAL’s new Crime and Violence Initiative, which funds randomized evaluations relating to crime and social and political violence. J-PAL’s Governance Initiative, which among others aims to identify effective approaches to increasing citizen participation and political accountability, will also benefit.

Chris Blattman, co-chair of J-PAL’s Crime and Violence Initiative, said: “This grant sends an important message that investing in rigorous research is critical to finding solutions to challenges of governance, crime, and conflict. Without such research, policymakers are only guessing what works.

“Now, we can generate high-quality evidence – and, in doing so, help governments and civil society improve the effectiveness of their programs.”

Studies in Bangladesh, Brazil, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are among those to be funded by the grant.

For more information about J-PAL, visit www.povertyactionlab.org.