OUR RESEARCH
The Trust has always invested heavily in primary research to understand our programmes and now the sector. In 2022 we sponsored a research study to understand how the international development system can be more impactful.
THE FOUR MAIN PATHWAYS TO INCREASE IMPACT
The survey identified four main pathways to help reform international development and showed there was huge appetite for change from both funders and from those working with communities in both the global North & South. These pathways, set out below, have become the foundation of the #RID programme.
A move to equal voices which means "shifting the power" and designing & developing programmes with local groups in their home territory rather than in remote offices in the Global North;
A move to more unrestricted funding of organisations and their goals rather than time limited projects;
Much greater collaboration, partnership, and knowledge sharing across the sector - to avoid reinventing the wheel;
A change in the role of INGOs in the Global North so they have a main focus on fund raising, advocacy and partnering with local communities to help build local capability.
EQUAL VOICES
85% of interviewees agreed with the statement “Too many funders develop strategies & campaigns in expensive offices in the Global North, rather than starting on the front line by understanding local communities in the Global South”.
COLLABORATION AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING
79% agreed that “Quality & spread of Knowledge Management in ID sector is poor, with enormous wastage. Knowledge is dispersed across many different players.”
LESS RESTRICTED FUNDING
70% agreed that "a campaign to educate governments and target donors on fewer restrictions on funding and benefits of moving towards unrestricted funding" would be likely to have an extremely or very positive impact.
INGO ROLE CHANGE
78% agreed "Large international NGOs should change their role with programme decision makers located on the front line in the Global South, and focus on fund raising and advocacy in the Global North"
STUDY METHODOLOGY
The study was led by Hugh Davidson, Barry Knight and Sue Van Meeteren of Jigsaw Research and comprised
A comprehensive literature review of the policies, concepts and narratives that have shaped international development since 1945.
In depth interviews with almost 50 funders, implementers, thought leaders and senior academics from both the Global North and Global South
A quantitative study of attitudes in the sector with 346 participants, again covering both the Global North and South