# BERF: How to Get DepEd Action Research Funded

How DepEd's Basic Education Research Fund works under DO 16, s. 2017: who can apply, grant ceilings, documents, the 70% score, tranches and eligible costs.

This is the Markdown copy of [BERF: How to Get DepEd Action Research Funded](https://nash.com.ph/blog/basic-education-research-fund-berf), an article on the NASH Reviewer Blog by Mark Anthony Llego, published Oct 28, 2026, updated Oct 30, 2026. Topics: Action research, School leadership, Aspiring school heads. NASH Reviewer is an independent practice platform not affiliated with DepEd, BHROD, or NEAP.

This guide explains how a teacher or school head gets an action research funded through the Basic Education Research Fund (BERF), the Department of Education's (DepEd) research grant. The rules are in the [Research Management Guidelines, DepEd Order (DO) No. 16, s. 2017](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DO_s2017_016.pdf), as amended by [DO 26, s. 2021](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DO_s2021_026.pdf). Older guides still cite DO 43, s. 2015 and DO 4, s. 2016 as the BERF guidelines, but DO 16, s. 2017 repealed both.

The national rules set the ceilings, the eligible costs and the release of funds; each region runs its own call for proposals each year and may add limits and forms. This guide uses the National Capital Region's (NCR) 2026 call as a worked example. It is written for teachers applying for the first time, for school heads who endorse and supervise grants, and for teachers preparing for the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH). It ends with a sample budget and two practice items.

## Key points

- **BERF is managed by each region.** Every region receives an allocation, managed by its Policy, Planning and Research Division (PPRD). The Basic Education Development Plan 2030 describes it as "around P2 million to each region".
- **Classroom and school action research: up to PhP 30,000, up to six months.** Division and regional studies may receive up to PhP 150,000 and national studies up to PhP 500,000, each for up to a year.
- **Regular or permanent DepEd personnel may apply.** Applicants must have no pending administrative case and no BERF grant yet that year, and teams have at most three members.
- **Three documents, a 70% score.** Submit the application form with your supervisor's endorsement, the proposal and the declarations of anti-plagiarism and absence of conflict of interest. The research committee approves proposals that score at least 70%.
- **Money follows deliverables.** A school grant is released in two tranches: 80% on the work plan and the signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), 20% on the accepted final report.
- **Some costs are never eligible.** Equipment, software, honoraria for resource persons and statisticians, utilities, office rent and overseas travel cannot be charged to the grant.

## What the BERF funds

DO 16, s. 2017 describes the BERF as a fund that supports "education research initiatives in the Department such as, but not limited to, funding for approved education research proposals of DepEd employees, capacity building, research dissemination and utilization, policy development, technical support, and monitoring and evaluation".

Seventy-five percent of each region's allocation is "exclusively used to fund research proposals from the region, schools division, and schools". The other 25% pays for research-related activities such as capacity building and dissemination, and since DO 26, s. 2021 it "may be used as additional fund for research proposals" too. Regions that have used 80% of their initial allocation may receive more, depending on funds. Under the Program Expenditure Classification, the BERF is sourced from DepEd's Policy and Research Program, beginning in 2018. [Education Data, Transparency and Research](https://nash.com.ph/blog/education-data-transparency-research-edcom-ii) covers what EDCOM II found about research funding in the Philippines.

### A short history

DepEd first made research grants available under DO 24, s. 2010, but they were little used. DO 43, s. 2015 and DO 4, s. 2016 set new BERF guidelines and created the national and regional research committees. In 2017, the Research Management Guidelines repealed both and put the BERF inside one framework for managing research at every level, which still applies.

## Who can apply

DO 16, s. 2017 opens the BERF to "all regular / permanent employees, teaching, teaching-related, and non-teaching personnel" of the Central Office, regions, schools divisions and schools, if:

1. the proponents are regular or permanent DepEd personnel;
2. they have no pending administrative case;
3. they have not yet availed of the grant for the given year; and
4. a group proposal has at most three members.

The team names a lead proponent to deal with the secretariat on administrative and financial matters. School, division and regional personnel may also propose nationwide research, "provided that the conduct of research will not interfere with their regular functions". Offices may submit action research to improve office operations, with the same amount and duration as school research.

## How much, and for how long

| Scope | Maximum grant | Maximum duration |
|:--|:--|:--|
| National: nationwide, or at least two regions | PhP 500,000 per research | One year |
| Region: region-wide, or at least two divisions | PhP 150,000 per research | One year |
| Division: division-wide, district-wide, or at least two schools | PhP 150,000 per research | One year |
| School or community learning center (action research): classroom-based or school-wide | PhP 30,000 per research | Six months |

These are ceilings, not targets. A research committee returns a proposal that exceeds the maximum with no cost-sharing, and it may cut costs that are not justified. Most classroom studies need far less than the ceiling: printed materials, supplies and snacks for a few sessions.

## The documents you submit

DO 16, s. 2017 requires three documents for every proposal:

1. **The research proposal application form (Annex 1)**, with the research title, a short description, the research category (national to school), the type (action, basic or other), one main BERA theme and up to one cross-cutting theme, the fund source and amount, the proponents' details, and the immediate supervisor's endorsement. The supervisor certifies that the proponent "has/have the capacity to implement a research study without compromising his/her office functions".
2. **The research proposal (Annex 2)**, following the minimum requirements for action research: context and rationale; action research questions; the proposed innovation, intervention and strategy; methods; work plan and timelines; cost estimates; plans for dissemination and utilization; and references. [DepEd Action Research Proposal Format, With a Sample](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-proposal-format) walks through each part.
3. **The declarations of anti-plagiarism and absence of conflict of interest (Annex 3)**, signed by each proponent.

Regions add their own forms. NCR's 2026 call, for example, also asks for a checklist for the BERF proposal and a free plagiarism checker report, uses only the region's proposal templates, and limits proposals to 10 to 12 pages. Using the wrong template, it warns, "will be a cause for an immediate disapproval".

## How your proposal is screened and scored

The secretariat first screens the proposal and returns it, with comments, if it has incomplete documents, a conflict of interest, an ethics problem, a cost above the ceiling, a topic not aligned with the [Basic Education Research Agenda](https://nash.com.ph/blog/basic-education-research-agenda), or costs outside accounting and auditing rules.

The research committee then scores it with the guide in Annex 4.b of DO 16, s. 2017:

| Criterion | Points | What earns full points |
|:--|--:|:--|
| Rationale: context | 15 | The nature, extent and salience of the problem are comprehensively discussed, with critical analysis of the situation |
| Rationale: proposed intervention, innovation or strategy | 15 | Its rationale, extent and limitations are explained in detail, and its plausibility as a way to address the problem is supported |
| Action research questions | 30 | The questions proceed logically from the context, relate clearly to the problem and convey the desired change or improvement |
| Methods: participants and other sources of data | 10 | The number, characteristics and sampling of participants are given, with a clear rationale for including them |
| Methods: data gathering | 10 | The methods suit the nature and purpose of the study, are aligned with the questions, and the instruments fit the data needed |
| Methods: data analysis plan | 10 | The analysis is shown to be appropriate to the data and to answering the questions |
| Work plan and timelines | 5 | A detailed plan from start to completion, with realistic timelines |
| Cost estimates | 5 | A detailed breakdown that reasonably reflects the study's needs and follows the BERF guidelines |
| Total | 100 | A proposal needs at least 70 to be approved |

Note where the points are: 60 of the 100 points go to the rationale and the research questions. A clear problem, a plausible intervention and a sharp question matter more than a long literature review.

## A worked example: NCR's 2026 call

Each region sets its own dates and limits. NCR's call for the 2026 cycle (Regional Memorandum No. 059, s. 2026, dated 19 January 2026) shows how a cycle runs in practice:

| Step | NCR 2026 call |
|:--|:--|
| Number of proposals | Each division may submit at most two action research proposals and one basic research proposal |
| Submission | Teachers submit to their Division Research Coordinator; schools with a School Research Committee evaluate first. Coordinators upload pre-evaluated proposals from 10 February to 3 March 2026 |
| Minimum score | Only proposals scoring at least 70% are uploaded; unsigned documents are disapproved |
| Evaluation criteria | Complete documents in the right templates, alignment with the regional research priorities, eligible expenditures, ethical considerations, a clear framework and methods, timeline and budget |
| After approval | Qualifiers attend the BERF orientation, submit a Certificate of No Pending Case and sign the MOA by 16 April 2026 |
| Action research period | May to October 2026 only |
| Action research grants | PhP 5,000 to PhP 30,000 in two tranches, or PhP 4,999 and below in one |
| Fund releases | First tranche by June 2026; final tranche for action research by December 2026 |
| Extensions | Requested at least a month before the October 2026 deadline |
| Second-tranche deliverables | Data collection activities, data analysis and initial findings; the final output comes with a plagiarism checker report |

Divisions set earlier internal deadlines; in the Schools Division of Muntinlupa City, for example, School Research Committees uploaded evaluated proposals by 20 February 2026. Watch your division's memorandum in January and February, and use the region's forms for the current year.

## Eligible and non-eligible costs

| The grant may pay for | The grant may not pay for |
|:--|:--|
| Supplies and materials | Equipment |
| Domestic travel | Software |
| Communication, including mobile load, postpaid plans and internet subscriptions (DO 26, s. 2021) | Salary, overtime pay or honoraria for resource persons, statisticians and other service providers |
| Reproduction, printing and binding | Utilities |
| Food and other expenses during data collection, such as surveys and focus group discussions | Office rental |
| Research dissemination | Overseas travel, and anything not in the approved proposal |
| Courier services for documents (DO 26, s. 2021) | |

### A sample action research budget (ours)

This budget is for an imagined Grade 1 reading intervention in one school, with a pretest and posttest for two sections and a short session for parents. Prices are illustrative; use your region's cost rules and current prices.

| Eligible item | Particulars | Quantity | Unit cost | Total |
|:--|:--|--:|--:|--:|
| Supplies and materials | Bond paper, reams | 4 | PhP 300 | PhP 1,200 |
| Supplies and materials | Phonics flashcard sets for the intervention class | 10 | PhP 150 | PhP 1,500 |
| Reproduction and printing | Graded reading passages and test copies | 600 pages | PhP 2 | PhP 1,200 |
| Food during data collection | Snacks for the parent focus group and learner sessions | 40 people | PhP 70 | PhP 2,800 |
| Communication | Mobile load for parent coordination | 4 months | PhP 100 | PhP 400 |
| Dissemination | Printing of results for the LAC and School Governing Council | 30 copies | PhP 20 | PhP 600 |
| Total | | | | PhP 7,700 |

The budget leaves out a printer, a tablet and an honorarium for a statistician, which are not eligible. It stays well under the PhP 30,000 ceiling, and every item ties to an activity in the work plan.

## Release of funds and liquidation

The deliverables you submit serve as your liquidation documents. Once the research committee accepts them, the approved amount is released "through the most cost-efficient means".

| Scope | First tranche | Second tranche | Last tranche |
|:--|:--|:--|:--|
| School or CLC | 80%: work plan, certificate of acceptance, copy of the MOA | None | 20%: final report, certificate of acceptance from the research committee, copy of the MOA |
| Region or division | 40%: inception report or work plan, data collection instruments | 40%: data collection, data analysis, initial findings | 20%: final report |
| National | 40%: inception report, data collection instruments | 40%: data collection, data analysis, initial findings | 20%: final report |

Tranches apply only to grants of PhP 5,000 and above; smaller grants are released in full on submission of the work plan and the MOA. Regions may set their own split, as NCR's two tranches for action research show.

## The Memorandum of Agreement and your obligations

Every funded study needs a MOA (Annex 7) between the grantee and the DepEd office that funds it. Since DO 26, s. 2021, regions may use digital signatures, or accept a scanned copy first and the original later. Under the RMG and the sample MOA:

- the research must start "within five working days upon the signing of the MOA";
- any change to the approved design needs the research committee's approval, and the approved topic cannot be changed;
- one extension may be requested, with justification, at no additional cost and for no longer than one year;
- a grantee who fails to complete and submit the deliverables must "return the total amount of the research grant";
- a grantee found to have committed plagiarism or fraud, or to have violated research ethics, is blacklisted from DepEd's research grants;
- the grantee is the sole author, but a BERF study is co-owned with DepEd, and presenting or publishing it needs the research committee's written permission; and
- completed BERF studies are archived in E-Saliksik, the DepEd research portal ([DO 14, s. 2022](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DO_s2022_014.pdf)).

## Other ways to fund research

Research may also use other fund sources, which "include, but are not limited to, local funds and the Special Education Fund (SEF)". They follow the same evaluation procedures and the usual government accounting and auditing rules. The application form also asks proponents to say if they will use personal funds. A study with no outside funding still benefits from going through the research committee, which can give technical assistance and place the results in the division's archive.

## What the school head does

- **Announce the call early.** Share the regional and division memoranda as soon as they come out, and give teachers LAC time to draft proposals.
- **Help teachers pick doable studies.** A clear classroom problem, a plausible intervention and a small, honest budget fit the PhP 30,000 ceiling and the six-month limit.
- **Read before you endorse.** The supervisor's endorsement certifies the teacher's capacity to do the study; check the ethics, the eligible costs and the workload first.
- **Track the work plan.** The RMG asks school heads to track approved research in their schools; deliverables release the tranches, and an unfinished study must be paid back.
- **Use the results.** Bring the findings to the LAC, the School Governing Council and the SIP and AIP.

## Common mistakes

- **Citing DO 43, s. 2015.** It was repealed by DO 16, s. 2017.
- **Budgeting for equipment or honoraria.** Both are ineligible; so are software and utilities.
- **Using last year's forms.** Regions update templates and checklists each cycle, and the wrong template can mean disapproval.
- **Asking for the ceiling.** Committees look for costs that "reasonably reflect the funding needs" of the study.
- **Missing the MOA deadline.** Qualifiers who do not submit the MOA on time can be removed from the list.
- **Applying twice in a year.** A proponent who has already received a grant that year is not eligible.

## Practice: how the NASH may test this

Expect situational items in which a school head supports a teacher through a BERF grant. The options differ in whether they follow the RMG's rules on changes, costs and deliverables while keeping the research useful. For more items in this format, see the [NASH practice questions with answers](https://nash.com.ph/blog/nash-practice-questions-with-answers) and the timed sets in the [NASH Reviewer app](https://nash.com.ph/assessment).

### Question 1

*Indicator 1.4.3, Research and innovation. Career Stage 3, Situational, Moderate.*

A teacher in your school received a BERF grant for an action research on a vocabulary intervention in her Grade 4 class. In the third month, two Grade 4 sections are merged and her class changes. She wants to continue with the merged class and to add a second intervention she read about. What is the most appropriate action?

- **A.** Let her adjust the design and add the second intervention, and report the changes in the final report, since the topic and the grade level stay the same.
- **B.** Have her write to the research committee explaining the changed class and any adjustment to the design, keep the approved topic, and drop the second intervention unless the committee approves it.
- **C.** Advise her to stop the study and return the grant, because the class she proposed to study no longer exists in the form described in the proposal.
- **D.** Ask the division research coordinator by text whether the change is allowed, and let her continue with both interventions while waiting for a formal reply.

**Answer and explanation**

**Best answer: B.** Points: A = 1, B = 3, C = 0, D = 2.

- **A (1 point, Unistructural).** It keeps the study going, but changes to the design must be approved by the committee, not reported afterward.
- **B (3 points, Relational).** It follows the RMG: a letter to the committee for design changes, the approved topic kept, and no new intervention without approval, so the results stay interpretable.
- **C (0 points, Prestructural).** A changed class is a reason to request a change, not to stop; stopping is for circumstances that force the research to cease.
- **D (2 points, Multistructural).** It seeks guidance, but an informal message is not the written request the RMG requires, and adding an intervention before approval muddies the results.

**Why.** This aligns with Career Stage 3 expectations because indicator 1.4.3 asks the school head to collaborate with school personnel in the conduct of research. DO 16, s. 2017 requires any deviation to be communicated to the secretariat and design changes to be submitted to the research committee in a letter; the sample MOA states that the approved topic cannot be changed. A second intervention would also make it impossible to tell which one caused any change.

*Indicator 1.4.3: Collaborate with school personnel in the conduct of research and utilization of findings in facilitating data-driven and evidence-based innovations to improve school performance.*

*Sources: DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2017; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.*

### Question 2

*Indicator 1.4.2, Research and innovation. Career Stage 2, Situational, Moderate.*

A teacher shows you her draft BERF budget for a school-level action research: a tablet for recording learners' oral reading, a statistician's fee, printed reading passages, and snacks for a parent focus group, totaling PhP 29,500. She asks you to endorse it. What is the most appropriate action?

- **A.** Endorse it, since the total is within the PhP 30,000 ceiling for school-level action research and every item is needed for the study.
- **B.** Remove the tablet and the statistician's fee, which are not eligible, plan to use the school's existing device and ask a master teacher to review the analysis, and keep the passages and snacks.
- **C.** Tell her to fund the tablet and the statistician herself and leave them out of the proposal, so that the reviewers do not see costs they might question.
- **D.** Cut every item except the printed passages, so that the budget is as small as possible and the committee is more likely to approve the proposal.

**Answer and explanation**

**Best answer: B.** Points: A = 0, B = 3, C = 1, D = 2.

- **A (0 points, Prestructural).** Being under the ceiling does not make a cost eligible; equipment and honoraria for statisticians are excluded.
- **B (3 points, Relational).** It removes the ineligible items, finds in-school alternatives for what they were meant to do, and keeps the costs that serve the study.
- **C (1 point, Unistructural).** It removes the items from the budget, but hiding real costs from the committee undermines an honest proposal; the application form asks proponents to declare personal funds.
- **D (2 points, Multistructural).** A smaller budget is sound, but cutting the focus group snacks removes support for a needed data collection activity; costs should reflect the study's real needs.

**Why.** This aligns with Career Stage 2 expectations because indicator 1.4.2 asks the school head to facilitate evidence-based innovations with sound use of resources. DO 16, s. 2017 lists equipment, software and honoraria for statisticians among expenses the research fund "will not be used for", and the scoring guide rewards a budget that reasonably reflects the study's needs and follows the BERF guidelines.

*Indicator 1.4.2: Utilize relevant research findings from reliable sources in facilitating data-driven and evidence-based innovations to improve school performance.*

*Sources: DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2017; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.*

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the BERF?

The Basic Education Research Fund (BERF) is DepEd's grant for research by its employees, managed by each region under the Research Management Guidelines (DO 16, s. 2017, as amended by DO 26, s. 2021). It also funds capacity building, dissemination and monitoring of research.

### How much is the BERF grant for action research?

Up to PhP 30,000 for a classroom-based or school-wide action research, to be done within six months. Division and regional research may receive up to PhP 150,000 and national research up to PhP 500,000, each for up to a year.

### Who can apply for BERF?

Regular or permanent teaching, teaching-related and non-teaching personnel of DepEd who have no pending administrative case and have not received a grant that year. Group proposals may have at most three members.

### When is the call for BERF proposals?

Each region issues its own call, at least once a year. In 2026, NCR's call came out in January, with uploads closing on 3 March and action research running from May to October. Watch your division's memoranda early in the year.

### Is DO 43, s. 2015 still the BERF guideline?

No. DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2017 repealed DO 43, s. 2015 and DO 4, s. 2016. The BERF now follows the Research Management Guidelines, as amended by DO 26, s. 2021.

## More on DepEd research

- Start here: [DepEd Action Research Guide: From Topic to Report](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-action-research-guide)
- [DepEd Research Management Guidelines: DO 16, s. 2017](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-research-management-guidelines)
- [Basic Education Research Agenda (BERA): DO 39, s. 2016](https://nash.com.ph/blog/basic-education-research-agenda)
- [DepEd Action Research Proposal Format, With a Sample](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-proposal-format)
- [DepEd Action Research Report Format, With a Sample](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-report-format)
- [Research Ethics for DepEd Action Research](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-ethics-deped)
- Methods: [Paired and Independent t-Test in Excel](https://nash.com.ph/blog/t-test-excel-action-research), [Pretest-Posttest Design and Regression to the Mean](https://nash.com.ph/blog/pretest-posttest-design-regression-to-the-mean), [Action Research Sample Size: Slovin, Power and Sampling](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-sample-size-sampling)
- Topics with data: [Action Research and Thesis Topics on Classroom Shortage](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-topics-classroom-shortage), [Action Research and Thesis Topics on Reading (CRLA)](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-topics-reading-crla)
- Related: [DepEd School MOOE: Allowable Expenses and Liquidation](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-school-mooe), [DepEd Learning Action Cell (LAC) Guidelines: DO 35, s. 2016](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-learning-action-cell)

## Sources

- [DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2017, Research Management Guidelines](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DO_s2017_016.pdf), sections V.C and VI and Annexes 1 to 7
- [DepEd Order No. 026, s. 2021, Amendment to DepEd Order No. 016, s. 2017 (Research Management Guidelines)](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DO_s2021_026.pdf)
- [DepEd Order No. 43, s. 2015, Revised Guidelines for the Basic Education Research Fund](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/DO_s2015_43.pdf) (repealed by DO 16, s. 2017)
- [DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2022, Adoption of the Basic Education Development Plan 2030](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2022/05/30/may-30-2022-do-024-s-2022-adoption-of-the-basic-education-development-plan-2030/), section 7.3
- [DepEd Order No. 14, s. 2022, Adoption of E-Saliksik: The DepEd Research Portal](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DO_s2022_014.pdf)
- [Schools Division of Muntinlupa City, Division Memorandum No. 041, s. 2026, with DepEd NCR Regional Memorandum No. 059, s. 2026, Call for the Submission of 2026 Research Proposals for the Basic Education Research Fund, and its Interim Guidelines](https://deped-muntinlupa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NUM-2026-041.pdf)
- [DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020, National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/09/07/september-7-2020-do-024-s-2020-national-adoption-and-implementation-of-the-philippine-professional-standards-for-school-heads/)
- Department of Education and the Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) Program. (2019). *Action Research Toolkit: Teacher's Guide*, section 6.1, with support from the Australian Government.

*Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: DepEd Orders No. 16, s. 2017 and 026, s. 2021 (Research Management Guidelines); DepEd Orders No. 43, s. 2015, 14 and 024, s. 2022, and 024, s. 2020; DepEd NCR Regional Memorandum No. 059, s. 2026 and its Interim Guidelines; the DepEd Action Research Toolkit (2019). NASH Reviewer is not affiliated with DepEd.*

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© 2026 Mark Anthony Llego, NASH Reviewer. All rights reserved. You may quote up to 100 words from this article with the author's name, its title and a link. In research, cite it as: Llego, M. A. (2026, October 28). *BERF: How to Get DepEd Action Research Funded*. NASH Reviewer. https://nash.com.ph/blog/basic-education-research-fund-berf. Any other reuse of the article, its charts or its data needs written permission: email support@nash.com.ph. Terms of Service: https://nash.com.ph/terms#website-content-and-data