How we are funded
The IFS is non-profit and non-political and receives funding from a range of sources, including the Economic and Social Research Council, UK Government departments, foundations, the European Research Council, international organisations, companies and other non-profit organisations.
Funding is received either for specific research projects or via our two ESRC research centres, the Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy and the Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice. Research Councils award funding for academic research independently of government; funding is awarded on the basis of scientific excellence, through a process of peer-review. The IFS never accepts funding for a research project - or indeed funding of any kind - that relies on a specific result being found or that compromises our independence and neutrality. All of our own publications are available free of charge for the public to read.