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Research Commissioning Centre

Commissioning research for global impact

Efficient | Rigorous | Equitable | Impact-focused 

The Research Commissioning Centre (RCC) supports FCDO’s Global Research and Technology Development (GRTD) portfolio by commissioning and managing research for global impact and scalable solutions.

The RCC works across the full research lifecycle, from designing funding calls to managing grants and tracking impact, ensuring that research and innovation:

  • are commissioned strategically and efficiently
  • strengthen equitable and locally led partnerships
  • generate global public goods that can be adopted and scaled
  • inform policy, programmes and real-world outcomes

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Latest news

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RCC funding opportunities

Explore GRTD Funding

The RCC supports a portfolio of funding opportunities within GRTD, designed to be:

  • strategic – aligned with FCDO priorities and global challenges
  • competitive – open and merit-based
  • impact-focused – prioritising real-world outcomes

How to apply

RCC funding opportunities follow a structured and transparent process, aligned with FCDO priorities. Applying typically involves four stages:

Learn more about the RCC funding application process:

All RCC-commissioned/managed calls are published on this page. Each call includes detailed guidance, eligibility criteria, and terms of reference. For non-RCC calls, visit the Funding Opportunities page.

Applications must be submitted through the RCC’s SmartSimple Grant Management System. Depending on the call, this may involve:

  1. A one-stage process (full proposal), or 
  1. A two-stage process (expression of interest followed by a full proposal) 

All applications are reviewed by the RCC team to ensure they meet:

  • Eligibility requirements 
  • Relevance to the call 
  • Completeness of submission 

Applications that do not meet these criteria may not progress further.

Eligible applications are reviewed by independent subject matter experts. Each application is assessed against defined criteria, which typically include:

  • Understanding of the call 
  • Methodological approach and academic rigour 
  • Strength of the proposed team 
  • Equity and inclusion 
  • Value for money and feasibility 
  • Research uptake and impact 

Final decisions are made by the RCC and FCDO based on reviewer scores and recommendations. Applicants are notified of the outcome through SmartSimple.

All RCC calls are published here on the GRTD platform. Each call includes detailed guidance, eligibility criteria and terms of reference. 

About RCC

Why RCC matters

Research commissioning can be slow, fragmented and disconnected from policy and practice, limiting impact at scale.

The RCC addresses these challenges by:

  • reducing administrative burden and accelerating decision-making
  • improving access to funding opportunities
  • strengthening collaboration across regions and disciplines
  • increasing use of evidence in policy and practice

How RCC works

The RCC supports GRTD through a flexible, end-to-end commissioning process and subsequent grant management:

  • Better commissioning – Efficient, transparent funding processes that reduce bureaucracy while maintaining high standards.
  • Equity Action Plan – Embedding equity across the commissioning lifecycle, designing accessible funding, enabling locally led partnerships and ensuring fair, inclusive processes. Read more
  • Stronger research – High-quality, policy-relevant research aligned with FCDO priorities.

Across all areas, the RCC supports FCDO’s shift:

  • from grants to expertise
  • from projects to systems
  • from outputs to impact

This ensures research is strategic, efficient and focused on real-world impact.

Flagship programmes

The RCC has two flagship programmes that strengthen different parts of the research system, accelerate impact, and identify, test and share best practice in research commissioning and evidence use across GRTD and partner contexts.

Impact Fund

Supports targeted opportunities to increase the uptake and use of existing research, helping evidence translate into policy and practice.

Learn more

Evidence Informed Policy Making

Strengthens how evidence is used in decision-making across FCDO programmes and partner contexts, embedding research into policy processes.

Learn more

Outputs and learning

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Explore RCC outputs, including research findings, syntheses and operational learning from across our programmes.

*This section will expand over time to include tools, guidance and best practice identified by RCC to support more effective, equitable and impact-focused research, contributing to learning across the wider GRTD portfolio.

Applied behavioural science start up pack​

A comprehensive review to explore how the Technology and Innovation Unit (TIU) at the FCDO and its use of behavioural science can enhance the effectiveness of technology-driven interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Read more

Joining the Dots: Learning From 15 Years of Research on Service Delivery in Situations of Fragility, Conflict and Violence

A significant body of research on service delivery in situations of fragility, conflict and violence has been built over the last 15 years but with limited synthesis of findings across research programmes and sectors. Read more

Evidence Mapping of Social Sciences Methods Used in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings (FCAS) (2015–2025)​

This report examines how researchers design and implement methodological approaches in contexts marked by instability, insecurity, and institutional fragility. Read more

Delivering research programmes in FCAS: Summary of lessons learned​

Throughout 2024-2025, the Research Commissioning Centre (RCC) completed several lines of work to support FCDO’s aim of delivering effective research programmes in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS). Read more

The Impact of Conflict and Displacement on Sudanese Refugee Women in Eastern Chad

This publication presents the main findings from research focusing on the situation of Sudanese refugee women and girls in four refugee camps in eastern Chad. Read more

The use of artificial intelligence in food and agriculture systems

Agriculture is vital to food security and economic growth in low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs), yet faces persistent challenges such as climate variability, limited land, and delayed crop disease detection. Read more

News

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RCC Consortium

RCC is co-led by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) and the University of Birmingham, alongside a global consortium of research and delivery partners.

The RCC Consortium brings together leading research institutions and organisations from across the UK and low- and middle-income countries, combining expertise in research, policy and implementation to deliver high-quality, globally relevant and impactful work.

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Frequently asked questions

About RCC

About RCC

The Research Commissioning Centre (RCC) is a delivery partner within FCDO’s Global Research and Technology Development (GRTD) portfolio. It commissions and manages research and innovation programmes that address global challenges and deliver real-world impact.

The RCC works in partnership with FCDO teams to co-design research programmes, commission funding opportunities and manage grants, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and strong pathways to impact.

The RCC embeds evidence uptake in programme design, partnerships and targeted funding, connecting research with policy and decision-making.

The RCC promotes equitable partnerships by designing accessible funding opportunities, supporting leadership from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and embedding equity across the commissioning lifecycle.

All available RCC outputs can be accessed on this page, including research findings, syntheses and operational learning.

You can also explore a wider collection of publications from across the GRTD portfolio, including outputs from partner organisations.

Applicants retain ownership of the intellectual property they produce. However, they grant FCDO and 3ie a worldwide, non-exclusive licence to use the materials.

The RCC operates under a governance model co-designed with FCDO, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, transparent decision-making and strong quality assurance across all programmes.

The RCC is co-led by the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) and the University of Birmingham, combining academic leadership with expertise in research commissioning, grant management and evidence uptake.

The RCC consortium is a global network of research and delivery partners from the UK and low- and middle-income countries. Together, they bring expertise in research, policy and implementation to support high-quality, impactful and globally relevant work across the GRTD portfolio.

Eligibility varies by funding opportunity. Both UK and non-UK organisations can apply, provided they meet the criteria set out in each call. Details are provided within each call here. You can also explore broader GRTD funding opportunities here.


All RCC funding applications are submitted through our SmartSimple Grant Management System.

Priorities are shaped in collaboration with FCDO teams and aligned with GRTD’s strategic objectives and global challenges.

Applications are assessed against clear criteria, including relevance, quality, feasibility and potential for impact. Explore more in our Applicant Guide and look for specific criteria in each funding call.

Feedback is not guaranteed for all applicants. Where possible, feedback may be provided for full proposals that progress beyond the initial stages.

RCC flagship programmes – Impact Fund and Evidence Informed Policy Making – are targeted initiatives within the GRTD portfolio that strengthen evidence use, accelerate impact and test new approaches to research commissioning and delivery.

The Impact Fund provides flexible, targeted funding to maximise the real-world impact of FCDO-funded research. It supports activities such as policy engagement, research translation and scaling opportunities. Learn more.

The Impact Fund typically supports researchers and partners involved in existing or completed FCDO-funded programmes. Eligibility and application processes vary and are defined for each call or round.

EIPM is a programme that strengthens how evidence is generated, accessed and used in policy and decision-making, particularly in low- and middle-income country contexts. Learn more.

Details on current and upcoming opportunities are published through RCC funding calls. Visit the funding opportunities section and look for programme-specific calls and guidance.

Contact us

For enquiries about the Research Commissioning Centre (RCC), please contact: rcc@3ieimpact.org

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