Transparency is central to everything think tanks do
Globalisation and new information technologies have changed the operating conditions for think tanks. Among the new challenges is the disconnect between governments and citizens – one of the...
Featured Articles
Ten lessons from facilitating strategy with think tanks and policy teams
A lot of effort goes into developing strategic plans in think tanks and government institutions as means to bring about change. However, in a previous post, I argued that...
Getting better at influencing policy is a social process: lessons from work with an international agency
More and more organisations are putting an increasing emphasis on influencing policy (and not just delivering services). Staff working for these organisations are now...
Press release: a powerful communications tool
Most think tanks organise events around the publication of a book or report or run workshops, seminars and round tables to exchange and disseminate information. Ideally, a policy engagement...
Doing research for (and not on) development: some important questions for the Global Challenges Research Fund
The research agenda for the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) (set out in its strategy) is undeniably impressive, covering a wide range of development issues. But...
Professional Development Grants for motivating research staff
It is obvious that a think tank’s staff is its most valuable resource. High staff turnover and low productivity are clear signs of an under-motivated staff. Actually,...
What kind of donor is your donor?
Think tanks have to fundraise. Think tank directors and even individual researchers must spend significant portions of their time fundraising. This is true everywhere -even in developed...
Featured Interviews
Canadian think tanks are on an innovative golden goose chase
Think tanks in Canada face concerns similar to their US counterparts. Funding, of course, is a key challenge. Sustained and unconditional grants are the most coveted...
Chukwuka (Chuka) Onyekwena, Executive Director at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA)
On Think Tanks' met up with Chuka Onyekwena at the 5th Africa Think Tank Conference held in April in Accra. Chuka, an On Think Tanks Fellow, has developed a framework to...
Eugenia Kayitesi, Executive Director at IPAR-Rwanda
We sat down with Eugenia Kayitesi, IPAR-Rwanda's Executive Director, on the fringes of the 5th Africa Think Tank Summit held in Accra in April 2018. Eugenia follows in...
Salai Ngun Lian Sang, Executive Director at the Centre for Development and Ethnic Studies
Salai Ngun Lian Sang is the Executive Director of the Centre for Development and Ethnic Studies (CDES). CDES is an independent think tank and study centre founded in 2012...
Dr. Shamika Ravi, Director of Research at Brookings India
Dr. Shamika Ravi is the director of research at Brookings India and a senior fellow of governance studies program, at Brookings India and Brookings Institution Washington...
Dushni Weerakoon, Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies
Dushni Weerakoon is the executive director of the Institute of Policy Studies in Sri Lanka. Dr. Annapoorna Ravichander, editor at large for South Asia at On Think Tanks,...
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Think Tank Communications Health Check
This ‘health check’ aims to support think tanks and research institutes to refine and improve their communications. The tool covers six key areas: strategy, capacity, systems, audiences, channels & messaging and monitoring. It recognises that communication is a complicated process involving strategy, tactics and all sorts of inputs. In other words, it is not all about outputs.
Featured Resources
Professional Development Grants for motivating research staff
Raymond Struyk, author of Improving Think Tank Management, writes about Professional Development Grants to address high staff turnover and low productivity: In contrast to monetary...
Monitoring costs on research projects: often a challenge for senior managers
Raymond Struyk, author of Improving Think Tank Management, writes about how well-managed think tanks can avoid a steady drum-beat of project cost overruns, and five key ingredients that...
The On Think Tanks Conference 2018
In February 2018, we held the second On Think Tanks Conference in London. Attendants included think tank leaders and thinktankers, policy entrepreneurs working in the field of evidence informed policymaking,...
Towards innovative fundraising strategies for think tanks
Fundraising remains a challenge for most organisations, and the need to explore innovative ways to remain sustainable and competitive is imperative. In this digital age, organisations are...
Managing consultants on think tank research projects
Raymond Struyk, author of Improving Think Tank Management, writes about how organisations can best manage individual consultants engaged to carry out major tasks largely independently,...
Communications monitoring, evaluating and learning toolkit
This toolkit provides a framework to think about communications monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), and provides example questions, indicators and tools to do...
Featured Initiatives
Featured Announcements
New Transparify Report: Canadian Think Tanks Lagging Behind
Which Canadian think tanks are transparent about who funds them? Which lag behind their peers in Canada? And how do Canada’s think tanks compare to those in other countries when it comes...
Convocatoria para la Serie de Documentos de Trabajo de On Think Tanks
On Think Tanks, la Universidad de Bath y la Universidad del Pacífico se han asociado para producir una serie de Documentos de Trabajo (Working Papers) centrados en el estudio de think tanks...
Call for Expressions of Interest for capacity development of Myanmar’s think tanks
IDRC's new programme to support think tanks in Myanmar is open for applications. Eligibility This call is open to independent policy research institutions (“think tanks”), based...
Election time: how can think tanks help?
In 2014 On Think Tanks embarked in a study of Latin American experiences of think tanks seeking to contribute to the electoral processes in their countries. This effort was consolidated in the publication Think Tanks...
Call for papers for the On Think Tanks Working Paper Series
On Think Tanks, University of Bath and Universidad del Pacífico have partnered to produce a series of Working Papers focused on the study of think tanks to give new researchers a chance to...
Think 20 Summit: Young Global Changers Scholarship Programme
The Think 20 Summit GLOBAL SOLUTIONS is committed to involve the views and ideas of the next generation into global problem-solving. To do so, we encourage the most promising talents to...