OTT MONTHLY newsletter

 

Dear OTT Community, For more than 15 years, On Think Tanks has worked alongside think tank professionals — offering guides, tools, events, and conversations — trying to understand what the sector needs and how we can help. The OTT Membership Programme is the next step in that journey: a space where learning, collaboration, and community come together, designed for practitioners who want to keep growing and stay connected to what's happening across the sector. Membership brings together structured learning, practical tools, expert-led sessions, and peer connection — all in one evolving community. You will also gain early access to our blogs, events and flagship reports, and will be invited to help shape OTT’s agenda.   Your membership also directly supports OTT's ability to develop new resources, convene a global network, and respond to emerging needs across the sector. By joining, you're investing in your own development and in the strength of the think tank community worldwide. Join today as an Essential member and be part of what we're building. Until next month, Enrique Mendizabal What’s new at OTT? PROJECT Study on evidence uptake in education systems in the Global South with GPE KIX Learn more → BOOK LAUNCH Exploring Think Tanks: Diverse Origins, Evolving Futures, by Enrique Mendizabal Use code WSASOC20 for 20% off → PODCAST Think tanks in a changing Europe: Season 4 Tune in → Featured content New blogs: Think tanks don’t just happen: What does their foundation date tell us about why they were founded? By Camila Ulloa Torres Empowering African Education Research: Lessons from the Forum for Education Research in, for and by Africa, by Enrique Mendizabal Opening a window is not the same as keeping it open, by Marcos Gonzalez Hernando From instinct to systematic prioritisation: How to identify policies that most deserve your effort, by Carl Frederick Luthin & Vegard Beyer Boosting student think tank growth: A look back at the 2026 OTT School for Thinktankers experience, by Miguel Toscano When “learning” is not enough: the ethics of experimenting on the poorest, by Enrique Mendizabal Two-part series: The brains behind the party: Why partisan think tanks deserve far more attention than they get, and When parties need to think, by Enrique Mendizabal A deep dive into a black box: The world of think tanks at OTT’s 2026 School, by Paul Kuschmitz Lessons from OTT’s 2026 School: A hybrid think tank model, by Sasha Johnson Think tank briefs & interviews with policy leaders: Studying the Heritage Foundation means asking what a think tank really is, by Enrique Mendizabal Do you have insights, case studies, or groundbreaking research to share? Submit your article​​​​​​​ to reach a global audience of policy experts, change-makers, and thought leaders. Our services Supporting better-informed decision-making. Support to funders New resource repository: Best practices in policy research funding OTT has launched a new repository that brings together practical insights on improving funding practices in education policy research. It curates lessons, tools, and reflections from OTT's work with funders and research organisations, highlighting what it takes to support more effective, equitable, and locally grounded evidence ecosystems. As funding models continue to shift, the repository offers a timely reference point for funders looking to strengthen collaboration, flexibility, and long-term impact in education research. Explore reports, resources, blogs and more → New projects: Regional think tanks and Area Studies Research Centres We're currently working on two new research and advisory projects that dig into underexplored parts of the think tank landscape. The first focuses on regional think tanks: documenting their unique models, key characteristics, and the particular challenges and opportunities they face. The second examines Area Studies Research Centres: their evolution, the pressures they're navigating, and how funders and supporters can best engage with them. If either resonates with your work, we'd love to hear from you. Explore OTT’s work with think tank funders → Support to think tanks Build budgets that reflect your real costs Many think tanks face a persistent “budgeting gap” — where internal cost structures and funder expectations are misaligned — often compounded by confusion between organisational, project, and proposal budgets. When these aren’t clearly understood or are shaped too heavily by funder templates, organisations risk underpricing their work or accepting unsustainable conditions. Through OTT’s Advisory Programme, we support think tank teams to strengthen financial clarity, build cost-reflective budgets, and engage funders with greater confidence. Explore OTT’s financial advisory support for think tanks → Final call: Take the State of the Sector 2026 Survey Today is the last day to take the State of the Sector 2026 survey. The think tank sector is navigating one of its most uncertain moments in years — funding is fragile, and optimism is down — yet impact confidence remains strong. A survey is only as powerful as the voices in it, and we want yours in there. If you work at or lead a think tank, take five minutes to make sure your organisation's reality is part of the picture. Take the survey before midnight → Learn more about our work with think tanks → Support to users of evidence Evidence Use in Education hub We're relaunching our On EdLabs page as a dedicated space to track and share insights from our ongoing research into how education labs use and generate evidence across the Global South. Supported by IDRC and GPE-KIX, the project spans multiple countries and brings together researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of evidence and education policy. As findings continue to emerge, this is where you'll find them. Visit the hub → Learn more about our work with users of evidence → Think tank ecosystem news Latest updates, events, funding & job opportunities from the global think tank sector. Events OTT Conference 2026, 19-21 May 2026  | 📍 Rabat, Morocco Join think tank leaders, funders and policy experts from around the world at the 10th edition of the OTT Conference in Rabat, Morocco, hosted in partnership with the Policy Center for the New South. Register your interest → School for Thinktankers 2027, 1-5 February 2027 | 📍 Barcelona, Spain Early-bird registrations for the 2027 School are now open. Apply early to get a limited-time discount and secure your spot! RFPs and funding opportunities Alfred P. Sloan Foundation & Coefficient Giving (Pop-Up Journal initiative) | Funding empirical research to estimate returns on R&D and inform policy and investment decisions Budget: ~USD 250,000 Deadline: 30 April 2026 European Commission | Capacity-building and training to support EU cohesion policy readiness in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro Budget: EUR 200,000 Deadline: 24 April 2026 EEA Civil Society Fund | Strengthening capacity, resilience, and networks of Hungarian civil society organisations Budget: EUR 50,000–100,000 Deadline: 5 May 2026 News Fundació Bofill is now Equitat.org. The Asian Institute for Policy and Engagement (AIPE) has been officially launched at the University of Nottingham Malaysia. AIPE aims to bridge academia and policymaking across Asia and beyond. The African Center for Development Impact has been launched to champion locally generated evidence for policy decision-making. Leadership appointments Tim Dixon has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of More in Common. Dr Tricia Yeoh has been appointed as Director of the Asian Institute for Policy and Engagement (AIPE). Dr Abbi Kedir has been appointed as Interim Executive Director of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), following the conclusion of Professor Victor Murinde’s tenure on 27 March 2026. Lobna Jeribi has been appointed as a Board Member of the African Climate Foundation. OTT Jobs board: Featured opportunities HR Assistant, Internships, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) 📍Washington, DC, USA | $50,000–$54,000 Director of Research and Scientific Development, IPAR (Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale) 📍Dakar, Senegal(Senior) Programs Associate, Institute for AI Policy and Strategy Explore OTT’s Jobsboard

Copyright (C) 2026 On Think Tanks. All rights reserved.