The Research and Innovation Directorate (RID) is pleased to inform the University community of a funding opportunity under the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Inclusivity Measurement Programme of the Global Development Network (GDN). This call seeks to support National Research Teams to generate evidence on how inclusive existing DPI systems are, with particular attention to who is being reached, who is being left behind, and why exclusion persists. The programme combines a structured comparative quantitative survey with a country-specific deep dive, and places strong emphasis on using the findings to inform national public and policy debates on DPI. In this initial phase, GDN intends to support five country teams globally, tentatively including one team from Africa.

Research Scope
Selected teams will focus on an existing DPI system that has been deployed for at least one year in their country, preferably including:

• National ID systems
• Digital payment systems
• Data exchange systems

Teams are expected to survey one DPI system in their own country, unless they can demonstrate the feasibility of covering additional countries as part of ongoing research.

Eligibility
Applications are invited from research teams affiliated with and/or supported by an established research institute, university, or think tank in a Low- to Upper-Middle Income Country.
The call is also open to joint applications/consortia, provided they apply as a single research team.

The ideal team should demonstrate experience in areas such as:

• Digital governance, digital transformation, ICT4D, or socio-economic systems
• Quantitative and qualitative research, including survey administration and interviews
• Research dissemination and accessible data visualisation
• Policy engagement and advocacy

At least one team member, preferably the Principal Investigator, should be able to participate in workshops and meetings in English. Gender-balanced or female-led teams are strongly encouraged to apply.

Duration and Funding

• Maximum grant amount: USD 50,000
• Project duration: 6 to 8 months

The budget may cover research activities, dissemination, and translation costs where needed. In addition to funding, selected teams will join GDN’s research network and benefit from wider visibility through GDN communication platforms.

Important Dates

• Information Session: 23 April 2026 at 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM CET
• Application Deadline: 15 May 2026
• Kick-off for selected teams: 2 September 2026

For more information on the call and application process, kindly see the attached call document.

RID encourages researchers and multidisciplinary teams in social sciences, public policy, digital governance, ICT4D, development studies, data science, and related fields to explore this opportunity, particularly those with interest in digital inclusion, public systems, and policy-relevant research. Interested applicants are kindly requested to inform RID of their intention to apply to enable institutional guidance and support. Please email rid-grantsmgt@ug.edu.gh with jobappiah@ug.edu.gh in copy, ahead of the deadline.