International Advisory Group
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The International Advisory Group provides advice to the funding agencies on strategic directions for the Initiative as a whole, and makes final recommendations to IDRC regarding organizations to be supported by the Initiative.
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Background and RationalePublic policies work best when they are designed and implemented by local actors. Without locally generated information and analysis, well-intentioned programs often do not respond to realities on the ground. Although international donors now recognize that local ownership is critical to successful development interventions, they often fail to invest in the local institutions that can carry out the ongoing research and analysis needed by policy makers to effect policy improvements over time. Most developing country research institutes never receive the kind of predictable core funding that would allow them to do long-term planning, establish their own research priorities, and invest in creating strong research programs. International donors give them some support, but usually for one-off projects, which the donor agency often designs and leads. As a result of this constraint, most policy research institutes are doing primarily “responsive research,” rather than setting a forward-looking research agenda responding to locally-determined needs. Despite this and other challenges, policy research institutes do exist in the developing world, and those that have overcome some of these challenges are demonstrating the impact of quality research on the policy making process. As more developing countries become multiparty democracies, there are signs that governments are increasingly tolerant of outside input and critique. In some places, researchers are beginning to work more closely with members of parliament, who need data and analysis to make more informed policy decisions. In this context, opportunities are expanding for independent research to inform and influence policy. With almost no domestic sources of support for independent policy research institutes in the developing world, international donors are a key source of funding for local research. But shortsighted funding policies have failed to build strong research institutions with forward-looking research agendas. Given these opportunities and constraints, a well-structured program to strengthen developing country research institutions is a significant first investment towards potential impact. Top. Goals and ObjectivesThe vision for this Initiative is that policymakers in participating countries consistently use objective, high quality research as part of developing and implementing policies that lead to more equitable and prosperous societies. To achieve this vision, the Initiative will target one critical input to the policymaking process: policy relevant research by independent research organizations. The Initiative intends to strengthen a select group of independent policy research organizations based in developing countries, so as to enable these institutions to provide objective, high-quality research that both informs and influences policy. Specifically, the Initiative aims to: - Select a group of promising independent policy research organizations and assist them to assess critical areas of strength and weakness, and identify opportunities for improved organizational performance;
- Provide a combination of general support funding and access to training and technical support to permit these organizations to achieve improvements in research quality, policy linkages and other aspects of organizational performance;
- Capture and share learning about strategies for supporting and managing policy research organizations, in order to influence the future activities of the funding partners, think tanks, and other development actors.
Top. Financial and Technical SupportThe defining feature of the Think Tank Initiative lies in its provision of general budget support (core funding) to participating organizations. Support will be provided through non-earmarked, multi-year grants, meant to help fund both the organization’s research program and operating costs. Provision of stable, non-earmarked support is seen as critical in providing organizations with the flexibility to adjust and be proactive to changing circumstances, and the stability to engage in sustained research and analysis on particular issues. General support grants will account for the bulk of financing provided by the Initiative. The Initiative will also assist participating organizations by identifying and mobilizing appropriate sources of technical support in three broad areas: research methods and skills; communication and outreach; and general organizational development. The Initiative will make a series of core grants to cover operating and research costs as well as institutional strengthening activities. Grants will provide up to 30 percent of an institution’s overall budget over the funding period. Core grants will be either a four-year renewable grant or a two-year renewable grant combined with dedicated capacity development to address key weaknesses. Newly-established think tanks may be provided with a short-term grant to support a strategic planning exercise. Assuming successful completion of these grants, applicants would then be invited to re-apply for longer-term support.
The Initiative will support peer-to-peer review, learning and exchange by bringing together supported organizations, outside experts, and other stakeholders (donor agencies with related programs, representatives of government agencies, other think tanks, etc.). Top. FocusThe Initiative will work with existing or newly-formed policy research organizations, but will not provide funding for the creation of new think tanks, or to think tanks created for the purpose of applying to a grant from this Initiative. The Initiative will concentrate on one type of research organization: independent2 policy research organizations or “think tanks” whose research is centered on national-level issues of social and economic policy related to growth, equity and poverty reduction. Given available resources, the Initiative will initially focus on a selected group of countries in East and West Africa, Latin America and South Asia. The Initiative will support organizations whose research is focused on general issues of social and economic policy related to growth, equity and poverty reduction -- as opposed to organizations working exclusively on a particular sector such as health or agriculture, or a specific policy area such as fiscal policy or trade. This thematic orientation reflects a conviction that many of the most pressing development problems cut across sectoral and disciplinary boundaries, and that policy research organizations need to exhibit flexibility in responding to key policy issues as they emerge -- rather than having these defined a priori by external donors. Finally, the Initiative will concentrate on organizations that are oriented primarily to issues of national-level policy-making, rather than exclusively to sub-national policy-making, or to international relations. While these latter two spheres of policy-making are important, national level policy remains key to issues of growth, equity and poverty reduction – and the opportunities to link local think tanks into the policy process are arguably greatest in this sphere. Top. Sharing ResultsA major task for the Think Tank Initiative’s staff will be to distil and share the lessons learned with participating organizations, other think tanks, donor agencies, and other development actors. In this way, the Initiative hopes to expand its influence well beyond those organizations directly receiving funding. This commitment to learning and continuous improvement is also an important element of the accountability framework for the program. Participating organizations will submit annual reports on performance to the program, and staff will in turn prepare an annual progress report for review by the International Advisory Group and the sponsoring agencies. An external evaluation of the program will also be commissioned near the end of the initial five-year phase. In addition, the Think Tank Initiative will sponsor a “Learning Forum” for funders, partner organizations receiving support through the Initiative, outside experts, and other stakeholders (donor agencies with related programs, representatives of government agencies, other think tanks). Two such meetings will be held during the initial five-year phase. The first meeting, during Year 2, will reflect on the initial process of partner selection and organizational assessment; the second, during Year 5, will review progress to date and lessons for the future. Top. Governance and ManagementIDRC will implement the Think Tank Initiative’s program of activities. Grants will be administered according to standard IDRC policies and procedures. A team dedicated to implementing the Initiative will include staff working in Ottawa and in the relevant IDRC regional offices. An International Advisory Group composed of up to 10 experts in the fields of policy research and management will advise the funding agencies and the Initiative’s staff on strategic directions and make funding recommendations. Priority has been given to recruiting of members from developing countries, and to ensuring an adequate mix of skills and experience. A representative from Hewlett and IDRC will also participate in meetings of the International Advisory Group. Top.
1. Initial funding for the Initiative and for the current Call for Expressions of Interest has been provided by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. The number and size of grants may be expanded pending on additional funding from other donors.2. “Independent” does not indicate that an organization receives no funding from the government, since most research organizations in developing countries need some government funding to survive. While independence can mean different things in different settings, there are several factors that seem to be critical to maintaining independence as a policy research organization: 1) rigorous and impartial research; 2) lack of financial dependence on one source of funds; 3) nonpartisan and politically neutral; 4) commitment to publishing research findings in the public domain; and 5) ability to set an independent research agenda. In exceptional cases, institutions may be linked to a university, but will need to demonstrate their ability to set an independent research agenda and to manage funds directly.
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