The Hinrich Foundation invites qualified research institutions, researchers and policy analysts all over the world to apply for the 2025 Hinrich Foundation Research Grant Programme. The programme supports original and policy-relevant research that advances understanding of sustainable global trade and its role in promoting economic growth, environmental responsibility, and social inclusion.
Through this initiative, the Foundation seeks proposals addressing key themes such as sustainable trade, digital trade and data flows, cross-border investment, and trade geopolitics.
Selected projects will contribute to the Foundation’s mission of fostering mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade by generating actionable insights and knowledge that inform policy, practice, and public dialogue. Successful applicants will receive research support and publication opportunities through the Hinrich Foundation’s global platform.
The Foundation’s work is rooted in a fundamental belief that global trade, when managed responsibly, is a powerful force for prosperity, peace, and innovation. It’s not enough for trade to generate wealth; for it to be sustainable, it must deliver mutually acceptable benefits between trading partners and achieve balanced economic, societal, and environmental outcomes.
The mission is to strengthen the global trading system by championing sustainable trade, opposing protectionism, and supporting multilateral frameworks. This programme helps achieve that goal by funding high-quality research.
For successful applicants, this initiative provides an opportunity to influence major policy debates and build significant credibility and networks within the international trade research community. You’re not just publishing a paper; you’re helping shape policy.
About the Donour
The funds come directly from the Hinrich Foundation, an endowed not-for-profit philanthropic organisation based in Asia. Merle A. Hinrich founded the organisation in 2012, aiming to bring innovative ideas to the advancement of global trade. The Foundation is independent, enabling it to operate without alignment to any specific government or corporate interest.
Foundation’s Core Pillars
Trade Research – This supports cutting-edge, objective analysis on critical global trade issues. Their expert contributors apply deep knowledge in economics, global trade, and policymaking to deliver timely analysis.
Trade Education – This involves providing resources, guidance, and scholarships to nurture the next generation of global trade leaders.
Capacity Building and Partnerships – They collaborate with stakeholders globally to promote dialogue and innovative solutions.
The overall aim is to shape a trade ecosystem that is resilient, equitable, and capable of addressing pressing challenges like digital transformation and climate change.
Funding Amount
The funding levels for successful research proposals are negotiable. Applicants must clearly indicate their anticipated financial requirements in the proposal. Depending on the quality and scope of the submission, the Foundation may provide full or partial financial support.
The funding is typically disbursed upon completion and acceptance of the project deliverables. It’s worth remembering that the Foundation’s financial commitment extends beyond research grants; they’ve also sponsored student fellows working on topics like supply chain issues and foreign direct investment.
Who Can Apply
The International Trade Research Program is open to researchers and organisations worldwide, meaning practitioners, scholars, and institutions across the globe are invited to submit proposals for funding and support.
Projects Focus
The programme encourages wide exploration, but the Foundation prioritises research that supports evidence-based policy development and informed public discourse. They want studies that genuinely help stakeholders navigate complexity.
Thematic areas for proposals:
Sustainable Trade
Research should investigate how trade policies and partnerships can contribute to environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and inclusive development. Sustainable trade requires balancing economic openness with social progress and environmental responsibility.
Digital Trade
Explore the governance, opportunities, and challenges related to digital platforms, cross-border data flows, and the digitalisation of supply chains. Digital trade is essential for economic growth, creating opportunities for Malaysian firms, for example, to achieve cost efficiencies, enter new markets, and manage global supply chains using digital tools. If fully leveraged, the economic value of digital trade to Malaysia’s domestic sectors could grow more than ninefold by 2030.
Cross-Border Investment
Assess regulatory frameworks, investment trends, and their impact on international economic integration. Greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) is vital, as it makes capital, technology, and know-how available to fuel trade-enabled economic growth.
Trade and Geopolitics
Examine the connection between trade and political relations, including the implications of protectionism and trade wars. The Foundation views large, persistent trade imbalances as an existential threat to the global system, heightening geopolitical risks.
For example, the U.S. accounted for 43% of the total accumulated current account deficit among deficit countries between 2009 and 2018, while Germany and China accounted for the largest portions of the cumulative surplus.
That’s why the Foundation seeks studies focusing on mechanisms to restore balance, particularly emphasising that nominal exchange rate flexibility at the national level is a prerequisite for a sustainable trading system.
The Foundation also welcomes proposals on topics like free trade agreements, trade policy, trade distortion and protectionism, US-China trade, and the WTO.
Project Requirements
To ensure clarity, consistency, and a fair evaluation, every research proposal must contain these five elements:
Researcher Information
You must provide the name(s), academic or professional credentials, and institutional affiliation(s) of all individuals involved. This is your chance to establish credibility and expertise.
Synopsis of Proposed Research
You need to articulate two to four central research questions the study aims to answer. Defining the research topic and scope clearly is essential. You must also highlight the importance of the issue in a broader context of global trade and specify your methodology, whether it’s primary, literature, or case studies.
Research Format
The Foundation generally publishes in two main formats: white papers (around 4,000 words, for in-depth policy analysis) or articles (around 1,600 words, designed to engage a wider audience).
You can propose new projects or offer summaries of existing work that can be contextualised within the Foundation’s framework. Note that all products will be subject to the Foundation’s editorial review, and the final decision to publish is at their complete discretion.
Deliverable Timetable
Projects are strongly encouraged to be completed within four months of commission. You’ll need to provide regular progress updates and incorporate feedback from the Foundation’s research team to refine your findings. You might also be asked to deliver one or two interim articles (around 1,600 words each) summarising your progress before the final submission.
Funding Request
You need to clearly indicate your anticipated funding requirements. It’s true that the funding is negotiable, and you must understand that the Foundation may provide full or partial financial support.
Application Process
The application process is straightforward, but it requires thoroughness: First, prepare your detailed proposal covering all five required sections. Second, download the official application guidelines from the foundation’s website—many applicants find the paperwork challenging, but reviewing the guidelines helps immensely. Finally, email your complete research proposal to the designated address.
Important Conditions
Successful applicants must adhere to several key conditions listed below:
You’re expected to proactively provide regular progress updates and integrate feedback from the Foundation’s expert research team.
Funding is typically disbursed upon completion and acceptance of the final project.
The Hinrich Foundation reserves the right to publish the research products at its complete discretion.
Timeline
Proposals are shortlisted twice annually, offering two windows for submission.
The upcoming deadline is October 31, 2025. Projects are typically encouraged to wrap up within four months of commission.
Project Evaluation
Proposals undergo a competitive and rigorous evaluation to ensure they meet the Foundation’s high standard for objective, policy-relevant research. Reviewers assess several implicit criteria:
Credibility and Expertise – Based on the professional credentials and institutional affiliations you provide.
Clarity and Rigour – The proposal must clearly define the scope and methodology (primary or secondary) and articulate sharp, policy-relevant research questions.
Relevance and Impact – Does the research address a major issue in global trade, and will the findings genuinely contribute to evidence-based policy development?.
Objectivity – The Foundation insists that research evaluate global trade issues through a balanced and objective perspective.
Tips for a Winning Proposal
Don’t propose a vague topic. Instead, articulate the required two to four central research questions with surgical precision. Show exactly what new, objective knowledge your work will generate that policymakers can use.
Use the researcher information section to explicitly detail the professional credentials and experience of the team. Since the Foundation relies on established expert contributors, make sure your expertise is undeniable.
The Foundation is keenly interested in the complex balancing act of global trade—reconciling economic prosperity with social welfare and environmental needs. Frame your project within these critical tensions.
Since trustworthiness is paramount, rely only on verifiable facts and avoid exaggerated claims.
Impact Highlights
The Foundation supports work that directly informs leaders navigating the complex global trade terrain.
A great example is the research supported for Rodrigo Fagundes Cezar, Yixian Sun, and Guilherme De Franco. Their work investigated the intricate impact of EU unilateral green rules on Brazil’s green transition.
This highlights the Foundation’s commitment to funding comparative studies that offer concrete, practical lessons for policymakers across diverse economies regarding the balance needed between environmental standards and trade competitiveness.
The Foundation also nurtures talent through its education pillar. For instance, the Hinrich Global Trade Leader Scholarship provides financial support and mentorship to students admitted into master’s programmes focused on sustainable global trade. Students often tell us that access to the strong, global community of trade practitioners and policymakers offered by the Foundation’s alumni network is just as valuable as the scholarship money itself.
Link to Apply
For comprehensive and mandatory instructions, including specific formatting, you must download the official Application Guidelines provided on the Hinrich Foundation’s website.
Contact
All research proposals must be submitted electronically to the dedicated email address. Email submissions to: research@hinrichfoundation.com
For international trade research and media enquiries, the Foundation directs contacts to Ms Berenice Voets.
Common Asked Questions
Q: What is the Hinrich Foundation’s core mission?
A: The Foundation is dedicated to advancing mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade.
Q: What specific formats are accepted for the final research output?
A: Deliverables usually take the form of comprehensive white papers (around 4,000 words) or focused articles (around 1,600 words).
Q: Are the funding levels fixed or guaranteed?
A: The funding levels are negotiable, and the Foundation reserves the right to provide full or partial financial support.
Q: When is payment made for the research?
A: Funding is typically disbursed upon completion and acceptance of the final project.
Q: When is the upcoming deadline?
A: The next submission deadline is October 31, 2025.
Takeaways
The Hinrich Foundation is actively seeking sharp minds to help deliver objective evidence that can drive equity, sustainability, and peaceful cooperation through trade. If you’re passionate about generating credible knowledge and influencing the policy debates that shape our global economy, this programme provides a unique and essential platform to amplify your work.
Hinrich Foundation. (n.d.). Country trade imbalances are an existential threat to the global trading system. https://www.hinrichfoundation.com/research/article
Hinrich Foundation. (n.d.). UK, New Zealand, and Australia have the most effective sustainable trade practices for today’s volatile world. https://www.hinrichfoundation.com
