OTT Community,update

 

Dear OTT Community, Last month, we wrapped up the 2026 OTT Conference in Rabat — three days of honest, rigorous conversation about the state of the think tank sector, what's changing, and what needs to change. Bringing together researchers, funders, and think tank leaders from across the world is something we've done for over 15 years. This year's 10th edition brought 150+ participants from 50+ countries to our wonderful host organisation, the Policy Center for the New South, to explore think tanks and trust — and across more than 20 sessions, the conversations kept returning to the same core questions of credibility, resilience, and what it really takes to have influence in a fragmented world. I invite you to explore the keynotes and parallel sessions below! That same conviction — that think tanks thrive when they invest in their people and their practice — is what sits behind everything else OTT does. If you're looking for a flexible way to stay connected to sector knowledge and peer learning, the OTT Membership Programme is built for that. If you want something more intensive, the School for Thinktankers 2027 in Barcelona (1–5 February) offers a full week of hands-on reflection and skill-building. And if your organisation is navigating a deeper strategic challenge, our Advisory Programme offers tailored, high-level support. The conference is one moment in the year; the work continues well beyond it! Until next month, Enrique Mendizabal What’s new at OTT? Conference special — VIDEOS Watch live recordings of the keynote speeches → RESOURCES Access session summaries, articles, and resources → INITIATIVE Learn more about the  Women in Think Tanks Network→ Featured content New blogs: The knowledge was in the room: what participants took away from the 2026 OTT Conference and Trust, care, respect and humility: a new lexicon for think tanks, by Enrique Mendizabal Reflections on the State of the Sector survey session: when the data talks back, by  Camila Ulloa Torres Navigating funding restrictions: from transactions to relationships, by Fiorella Bianchi Beyond the logo: Why branding is now a strategic imperative for think tanks, by Andrea Cabrera OTT Conference in the news: Trust starts from within. Trying to unpack some of the nuance at the On Think Tanks Conference 2026 by Michael Onsando, Busara PEP's Model Draws Interest From Peer Organisations Southern Think Tanks’ Role in Global Policy Debates: Insights from the OTT 2026 Conference By Beatriz Pfeifer, Southern Voice FERDI at the OTT Conference 2026: Think tanks and trust Nkafu Policy Institute Calls for Locally Driven Think Tank Legitimacy at Global Rabat Conference - PAN AFRICAN VISIONS By Boris Esono Nwenfor Beyond Borrowed Legitimacy: Denis Foretia's Case for Trust-Centered African Think Tanks - PAN AFRICAN VISIONS By Joseph Besong Professor Li Gang's team from Nanjing University at the 2026 OTT Global Think Tank Conference 10th Annual Conference of On Think Tanks (OTT) by the International University of Rabat (UIR) APRI Armenia Highlights from the On Think Tanks Conference 2026 Ipea participates in international Think Tanks conference in Morocco 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 Capacity Development Partnership with the European Climate Foundation OTT has launched a structured partnership with the European Climate Foundation to strengthen think tanks across its grantee portfolio — combining senior advisory support, OTT membership access for 27 individuals, and a bespoke online course for smaller and younger think tanks in the portfolio. If you’re a funder looking to invest in the capacity of your grantees, get in touch. Explore OTT’s work with think tank funders → Support to think tanks June Masterclass: MEL for think tanks | 15 May 2026 The next OTT Members masterclass focuses on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning — and how think tanks can build MEL systems that genuinely serve their organisations. Facilitated by Dena Lomofsky, Partner and Senior Consultant at Southern Hemisphere, the session will be held on 15 June 2026 at 3 pm CEST. Join as an Essential member for $32/month to access live masterclasses, curated resources, practical tools, and more. Join as a Member → New project: Donor Mapping for Transparency International Asia-Pacific OTT is supporting Transparency International's resource mobilisation across Asia-Pacific through global and regional mapping of funding trends and landscapes in 12 countries, and translating findings into actionable fundraising recommendations for TI and its national chapters. If your organisation has similar needs, get in touch. Democracy Under Pressure: Supporting Pro-Democracy Think Tanks in Europe OTT is co-implementing an initiative with the European Policy Centre to strengthen pro-democracy think tanks' capacity to respond to rising radical-right and illiberal influence across Europe. The programme combines strategic forums, a shared resource centre, counter-narrative development, and a practical "How to Deal" manual for think tanks, funders, and civil society organisations. If your foundation is looking to support or coordinate responses to these pressures, get in touch. Learn more about our work with think tanks → Evidence use Updates from our study on evidence uptake in education OTT is starting a new phase in its Study on evidence uptake in education systems in the Global South for GPE/KIX. After identifying 8 cases, the OTT team will begin collecting data and developing case studies. Emerging findings will be published on our Evidence Use in Education page. Are you interested in documenting stories of evidence use from a political economy lens? Get in touch. Explore OTT’s work in evidence use → News & opportunities Latest updates, events, funding & job opportunities from the global think tank sector. Events European Think Tank leaders convening on radical right ecosystems and democratic resilience, 15–16 June 2026 | 📍 Brussels, Belgium This invitation-only convening will bring together senior think tank leaders from across Europe for a strategic exchange on the evolving policy and funding landscape shaping the sector. Hosted by the European Policy Centre and On Think Tanks, the meeting will focus on strengthening collaboration, resilience, and democratic values within Europe’s think tank community. Masterclass #3: Branding for Think Tanks | 15 July 2026 How think tanks can build a distinctive, credible brand that resonates with their audiences — facilitated by John Schwartz, Founder & CEO of Soapbox | Become a Member to join → Masterclass #4: Future-Proofing Your Think Tank | 19 August 2026 Strategies and frameworks to help think tanks anticipate change and build long-term organisational resilience — facilitated by Krizna Gomez, Co-founder of Rogue Union | Become a Member to join → School for Thinktankers 2027, 1-5 February 2027 | 📍 Barcelona, Spain Early-bird registrations for the 2027 School are open. Apply early to get a limited-time discount and secure your spot! RFPs, awards, and news from funders LEGO Foundation Fellowship by the LEGO Foundation & Social Science Research Council | Children in crisis, neurodivergent inclusion, and AI-enabled learning | USD 300,000 over three years | Deadline: 31 July 2026 Africa Fellows in Education Program 2026/2027 by the Partnership for Economic Policy | Education policy research for early-career researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa | USD 25,000 research grant + up to USD 25,000 in expenses | Deadline: 30 June 2026 Mercator Kolleg Fellowship 2027 by the Mercator Kolleg für internationale Aufgaben | Europe in the World 2030 — sustainable, inclusive, and secure futures | €2,200/month + travel and professional development funding | Deadline: 15 June 2026 Smart Thinking Think Tank Awards by Smart Thinking | Excellence in the UK think tank sector across 11 categories | Free to enter | Deadline: 31 July 2026 Institutional Challenge Grant by the William T. Grant Foundation | University–practice partnerships to reduce inequality in youth outcomes | Deadline: 9 September 2026 Smart Family Fund by the Smart Family Fund | Angel philanthropy for early-stage U.S. nonprofits with scalable impact potential | Rolling applications The Oak Foundation has released its 2025 Annual Report, spotlighting grantee impact across the year. Think tank news The Global South Policy Hub launched on 17 April 2026 in Washington, D.C., as a new nonpartisan think tank dedicated to embedding Global South expertise into U.S. and international policymaking. ODI Global has published its 2026–2031 strategy, committing to robust evidence, equitable partnerships, and the translation of research into actionable narratives amid growing global volatility. iNNOV8 has launched DARA — the Dynamic Analysis and Research Assistant — a human-supervised AI researcher based in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. It has published its first output, Between Knowledge and Algorithm: Generative AI in the Think Tank Environment, an AI-generated, human-supervised research paper about the use of AI in think tanks. Leadership appointments Jean-Claude Bidogeza, PhD, has been appointed Director of Research and Scientific Development at IPAR Think Tank. Dr Cheikh Oumar Ba, founding member and former Executive Director of IPAR, has been appointed Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock in Senegal. Kathrin Kirste and Rachel Wilkinson have been named Interim Co-Executive Directors of the International Civil Society Centre, following the departure of Wolfgang Jamann after eight years as Executive Director. Erika Schmidt has been appointed Deputy Director of the Dalan Fund. Tom Stratton FRSA has been appointed Chief Impact Officer at The RSA. OTT jobs board Senior Analyst – A Fairer Start, Nesta | 📍London, United Kingdom | £50,700 – £67,800 R Street Institute is hiring in Washington, DC, USA – Policy Communications and Editorial Manager, | $75,000 – $85,000 Fellow, Technology and Innovation | $80,000 – $90,000 People Operations Manager, Centre for the Governance of AI (GovAI) | 📍London, UK | £84,000 – £93,000 Multiple openings at Basel Institute on Governance in Jakarta, Indonesia – Programme Manager – Indonesia Senior Specialist, Financial Investigations – Indonesia Director of International Research, Institute for Economics & Peace | 📍Sydney, Australia | AUD $90,000 – $150,000 Associate Director – AI Policy, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) | 📍Washington, DC, USA | $110,000 – $155,000 Explore OTT’s Jobsboard Copyright (C) 2026 On Think Tanks. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: On Think Tanks 2nd Floor Stanford Gate South Road Brighton, East Sussex BN1 6SB United Kingdom