Focus AreasThe Open Society Institute Think Tank Fund supports independent, nonpartisan, multi-issue public policy centers working in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo, and Ukraine to promote inclusive policy change.
"Inclusive policy change" refers to a policymaking process that is open, transparent, and responsive to the public interest. The Think Tank Fund aims to support policy centers that help strengthen democratic processes in their countries by identifying and analyzing policy options, consulting with the government to advance their recommendations, involving stakeholders outside government circles in policy debates, and making their findings widely available to the public. Thus, while potential grantees should engage with public authorities, the fund also seeks to fund organizations that galvanize public support for and debate about the issues on which they are working. The fund currently directs its support primarily to those groups examining economic, political and social reform issues in their countries, with emphasis on governmental responsibility and effectiveness.
The Think Tank Fund's strategy is not to support specific issues or themes but to encourage an approach to public policy work that promotes inclusive policy change using a combination of the following methods. Policy centers must undertake thorough research and develop thematic expertise in order to inform public debate responsibly and to position themselves as credible partners for the government and other actors. Recognizing that different issues will necessitate varying means of engagement with the government—sometimes even requiring an adversarial approach—organizations should be able to influence the government in both defining priorities and developing policy options. We encourage think tanks to prioritize the needs they see as most pressing and act on them, rather than be lead only by donors' priorities.
Applied research and engagement with the government are insufficient on their own, however, to create inclusive policy change in democratic societies. To foster sustained impact, organizations must engage stakeholders from across the spectrum, involving other civil society actors and the media in the policy debate as well as the relevant governmental actors. Meaningful public advocacy, therefore, is an essential ingredient in the policy development process.
Finally, in order to ensure that the policy development process does not end with declarations but changes practice, some degree of monitoring is required. All too often policy change exists only on paper. By generating public demand and monitoring governmental implementation of previously adopted policies, organizations not only promote policy options but also advocate policy change. The Think Tank Fund understands that the extent to which organizations employ each of these tools will vary, depending upon the national political context, the capacities of the individual organization, and the issues being addressed.
For more information, please see the Think Tank Fund grant guidelines.
