Spring 2024 Development Economics Challenge Scoping Projects
Sneha Nimmagadda
Scoping Projects
The Development Economics Challenge provides opportunities for junior researchers to take leadership roles on projects in which they are interested and supports their efforts to bring innovation to the field of development economics.
Researchers are encouraged to first gain an in-depth understanding of the context in which they wish to work and to test the feasibility of their ideas. While support for such explorative work is limited in the wider fundraising ecosystem, the Development Economics Challenge fills this gap by providing support for “scoping projects” during every funding round.
Typically less than $10,000, these “scoping grants” cover travel costs, facilitate conversations with policymakers, and, in some cases, support small-scale feasibility studies.
Explore the scoping work that was funded through the Spring 2024 Development Economics Challenge below.
Daniela Cruzat Paz – University of California, Berkeley – $6,000 – Expecting Equality
This project investigates how pregnancy-related and sexual harassment lawsuits shape gender inequality in Brazil’s labor market. Using rich administrative and legal data, the study tracks the long-term effects of discrimination claims on workers, firms, and accused individuals. Preliminary findings reveal stark disparities between claimants and the individuals they accuse, who are predominantly men. By also examining Brazil’s 2017 labor court reform, the project sheds light on how rising legal costs can restrict access to justice and weaken protections against workplace bias.
Chiman Cheung – University of California, Berkeley – $4,995 – Quantifying adoption barriers in mercury-free equipment
This project investigates why artisanal and small-scale gold miners (ASGM) in Ghana have been slow to adopt mercury-reducing technologies despite their health and environmental benefits. Partnering with local researchers and NGOs, the study surveys over 1,700 households to assess miners’ willingness to adopt a low-cost “lantern retort” that captures mercury vapor during gold processing. Early findings reveal high stated demand—even among unlicensed miners—suggesting that lack of information, rather than affordability, may be the primary barrier to uptake. Insights from this work will inform policies and programs that promote safer, scalable mining practices across the region.
Bailey Palmer – University of California, Berkeley – $4,950 – Dinars on the Sidewalk
This project explores how workplace amenities shape women’s employment decisions and productivity in Jordan. Using novel data from female survey enumerators, the study measures how much women are willing to pay for benefits such as transportation, childcare, and predictable pay, and how those preferences relate to their on-the-job performance. The results indicate that modest subsidies could substantially boost women’s employment while maintaining firm profitability.
Saloni Taneja – University of Southern California – $5,000 – Urban Water Markets in India
This project examines whether informal water markets in Indian cities help households cope with unreliable or unsafe public water supplies. Supported by CEGA, the project conducted an exploratory pilot with 100 households across formal and informal settlements in Delhi-NCR, mapping water infrastructure, insecurity, and adaptive behaviors. Early findings reveal that neighborhood-level bottling plants often act as informal insurers against poor water quality, though access varies widely. These insights are shaping a refined research design and a second round of piloting to better understand how urban water markets can enhance resilience under growing climate and urban pressures.
