Ensuring studies are appropriately resourced
The IRC commits to providing the most effective and cost-effective programs to the people we serve. Where gaps in evidence exist, the IRC commits to contribute to the evidence base through rigorous research. Rigorous research projects require specialized technical, programmatic, and operations support. When the quality of research and evidence suffers due to inadequate support, we learn less about how to improve our program.
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Tip!
It is important to budget staff time & resources for the dissemination of research results.
On average, dissemination costs between $10,000 and $60,000 for a large evaluation.
Dissemination activities are often carried out for approximately 6 months to one year after the endline data is collected. If relevant, also add a budget for baseline dissemination.
How Much Does Research Cost?
Costs can vary widely, depending on the type of research, sample size, complexity, and management model. For example, a political economy analysis could cost USD $20,000 and up. A design study feasibility pilot can cost $100,000 and up. Some randomized impact evaluations with large-sample surveys and multiple rounds of data collection can cost up to USD $500,000 to $1,200,000.
Cost categories:
As a broad rule of thumb is that approximately:
• One-third of the budget is typically allocated to staff & benefits (including investigator salary/time, enumerators, supervisors, etc);
• One-third of the budget is for data collection costs (training, travel, equipment, supplies, etc);
• One-third of the budget is for other costs (translation, research permits, and ethical reviews, dissemination, meeting and conference cost, etc).
Unit costs:
Key unit costs to consider to estimate research costs are:
Daily salary rates for research staff:
Enumerators (typically officer level)
Transcribers for qualitative interview audio (typically officer level)
Translators (officer or manager level, depending on complexity)
Supervisors (typically manager level)
Cost of vehicle rental (daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the needs)
Costs of data collection tablets (if needed)
Training venue rental (if needed)
Research permits & ethical approvals
Conference fees and publication fees (for dissemination)
Budget lines to include:
Personnel and benefits *
Travel costs *
Materials and Equipment *
Other
Insert training costs: trainer salary, room rental, per diems and/or refreshments, printed materials, etc.
Consider whether you will need translation & back-translation for the questionnaires, incentives and/or small gifts for study participants (water, biscuits), and IRB submissions fees, as required.
IRC’s IRB has one-time submission fees for:
Human subjects research, full board or expedited: $1,200
Human subjects research in an exempt category: $500
Innovation research not classified as human subjects research: $300
Add dissemination costs (validation workshops, dissemination meetings and international conferences, article submission fees).
Depending on the project and structure, you may also need to include indirect costs.
* Download a full guide: 🔗 Research Budget Guidance