Resources Library
Browse through our library to engage with informative material that can equip and support your fellowship project and journey. The resources are organised under six themes: governance and management; fundraising and financial management; communications; think tanks and evidence-informed policy; monitoring, evaluation and learning of policy influence; policy relevant research agendas. We will continue to update the library with resources shared by our experts and fellows during the course.
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GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
- Video: Adapting to change: how to pivot your strategy, (Mario Picon, 2022).
- Video: An introduction to think tanks and evidence-informed policy, (Simon Maxwell, 2020).
- Online resource: Build a think tank: a guide for policy entrepreneurs.
- Book chapter: Chapter 7 – Getting focused advice from your board,(Raymond Struyk, Improving Think Tank Management, 2015).
- Article series: Ideas, reflections and advice from future think tank leaders, (2019).
- Article: Leading change: why transformation efforts fail, (John Kotter, 2007).
- Book: Managing think tanks: practical guidance for maturing organizations, (Raymond Struyk, 2006).
- Article: Six lessons from think tank directors on preparing for leadership roles, (Cristina Ramos, 2021).
- Video: Strategic governance: the role and function of boards, (Enrique Mendizabal, 2021).
- Article series:Think tank’s governance and management, (2011-2018).
- Article series: Transitioning into a leadership position: notes from the OTT Fellows, (2018).
- Article: Understanding the functions and challenges of think tank leaders, (Cristina Ramos, 2021).
FUNDRAISING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
- Article: Finding your funding model, (Peter Kim, Gail Perreault and William Foster, 2011).
- Article series: Funding for think tanks part 1: domestic funding, (2011-2017).
- Article series: Funding for think tanks part 2: the private sector, (2010-2017)
- Video: Fundraising and the private sector, (Andrea Tanco, 2022)
- Article: On the business model and how this affects what think tanks do, (Enrique Mendizabal, 2010).
- Working paper: Think tanks and the private sector: opportunities and challenges, (Andrea Baertl, 2019).
- Article: Unravelling the business models of think tanks in Latin America and Indonesia, (Ashari Cahyo Edi and Leandro Echt, 2015).
COMMUNICATIONS
- Best practice series: Embedding communications staff in research teams to increase policy impact, (Raymond J. Struyk and Louise Ball, 2022).
- Presentation: How a digital strategy can enhance think tank management, research and communications, (2012).
- Video: How to write a policy brief, (Carolina Kern, 2021).
- Article: ODI’s award-winning online strategy explained, (Nick Scott, 2012).
- Article: Operationalising public engagement: four reflections for think tanks, (Joseph Ishaku, 2019).
- Video: Rethinking how we publish our research,(Joe Miller and Louise Ball, 2022).
- Online resource: Screens, research and output, (Joe Miller, 2022).
- Video: Secrets of digital content for policy engagement, (John Schwartz, 2020).
- Toolkit: Successful communication: a toolkit for researchers and civil society organisations, (Ingie Hovland, 2005).
- Video: The Century Foundation – integrated communications strategy, (2016).
- Article: Think tanks: are we asking the right communications questions?, (Paula Pino, 2019).
- Video: Tips for building think tank audiences and improving engagement, (Melina Kolb, 2022).
- Toolkit: Tools for policy impact: a handbook for researchers, (Daniel Start and Ingie Hovland, 2004).
THINK TANKS AND EVIDENCE-INFORMED POLICY
- Article: Evidence informed policy: policy blunders, (Enrique Mendizabal, 2021).
- Online resource: Scaling science, (IDRC, 2019).
- Podcast: Scientific advisory systems to address global health challenges, (Marcela Morales and Enrique Mendizabal, 2022).
- Article series: The 2020 scalingXchange: building a field from the Global South, (Enrique Mendizabal and Louise Ball, 2021).
- Article: Think tanks as an emergent field, (Tom Medvetz, 2008).
- Video: What problem are you trying to solve? Grounding your work in a theory of change, (Emily Gustafsson-Wright, 2022).
MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING OF POLICY INFLUENCE
- Toolkit: Communications monitoring, evaluating and learning toolkit, (Caroline Cassidy and Louise Ball, 2018).
- Article: Monitoring, evaluation and learning for think tanks, (Dena Lomofsky, 2016).
- Article series: MEL for think tanks, (2016-2018).
- Article: MEL for a think tank: test drive or driving test?, (Andry Andrusevych, 2017).
- Article: MEL for a think tank: test drive or driving test?, (Andry Andrusevych, 2017).
- Article: Plotting Impact Beyond Simple Metrics, (Natasha Joshi, 2022).
- Video: The challenges of measuring policy impact, (Erin Collinson, 2022).
POLICY RELEVANT RESEARCH AGENDAS
- Video: Policy-relevant research: designing a research agenda, (Andrea Baertl, 2021).
- Article: Policy relevant research and influence: a climate change teaching case, (Simon Maxwell, 2019).
- Article: Think tank strategies to influence policy windows: opportunities, risks and lessons, (Leandro Echt, 2019).
- Article: Women, diversity and gender in policy research: an agenda, (Denisse Rodriguez and Enrique Mendizabal, 2017).
Explore our other resources for more insightful commentary. Also check out our OTT Talks for discussions with think tank leaders.