Research
The right in-depth research and information is crucial for NGOs' programme, policy and advocacy work, and knowledge of the development sector is vital for NGOs themselves as well as for all their stakeholders. Some of the key on-line resources available include:
About development
DESTIN - Development Studies Institute at London School of Economics
Promotes teaching and research on processes of social, political and economic development and change. Working papers on many relevant issues are available to download, and the centre also runs seminars and events.
DFID's Research for development
A portal for research funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), contains a database of research and research contacts which is searchable by country or theme.
DSA - Development Studies Association
A membership organisation for people studying, teaching and researching development issues. Membership is for individuals and institutions.
Governance and Social Development Resource Center
Jointly funded by DFID and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), GSDRC presents a collection of the most credible and up-to-date publications available on governance, conflict, human rights and social development issues.
IDS - Institute of Development Studies
A range of reports on development issues from IDS who provide research, teaching and communications on international development.
IDS hosts Eldis, which contains a large database of documents from over 7,500 development organisations.
INTRAC - International NGO Training and Research Centre
Includes short briefing notes on research and practice, on topics such as evaluation, dilemmas of humanitarian development, and INGOs and indigenous social movements.
ODI - Overseas Development Institute
An independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues. On-line resources range from blogs to briefing papers.
Sheffield International Development Network (SIDNET)
SIDNET research projects, briefing papers and case studies present information, analysis and policy recommendation on a broad range of development issues.
Source
Source is managed in collaboration with Handicap International and has a collection of around 25,000 free information resources on health and disability. These include books, journals, manuals, reports, posters, CD-ROMs, websites and organisations.
About the UK voluntary or third sector
Office of the Third Sector
Government led and sponsored research, including surveys on citizenship, the state of the sector and volunteering and charitable giving; estimates of central and local government spending on the sector; research on measuring the sector and the sector's access to finance; and third sector review discussion papers.
Research on the voluntary sector - conference papers
This conference, held in September 2009 at the University of Warwick, was aimed at academics, practitioners and policymakers with a shared interest in the voluntary sector and voluntary action. Session topics included commissioning, grant making, volunteers, mapping organisations and resources, the state's relationship with the voluntary sector, community cohesion and well-being, governance, the recession and monitoring and evaluation.
Third Sector Research Centre
The new Third Sector Research Centre aims to develop a research programme that will lead to improved understanding of the key patterns, processes and impacts of developments in the sector. The Centre seeks to strengthen the evidence base for policy towards the sector, and will act as a resource for the sector itself.
