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    We are a mission-driven non-profit organization dedicated to using evidence to transform people’s lives. We collaborate with governments, foundations, NGOs, development and research organizations across the globe.

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  • About us

    About us

    We are a mission-driven non-profit organization dedicated to using evidence to transform people’s lives. We collaborate with governments, foundations, NGOs, development and research organizations across the globe.

    Explore About us
    • Team
    • Supporters
    • Members
    • At a glance
    • Governance
    • Partners
    • Institutional policies and reports
    • Contact us
  • What we offer

    What we offer

    We support governments and development partners to generate and use rigorous evidence that informs better policies, programs and investments. Our work spans the full decision-making cycle, helping identify what works, why it works, and how to improve outcomes.

    Explore What we offer
    • Theory of change development
    • Impact evaluation
    • Evidence Synthesis
    • Evidence gap maps
    • Impact evaluations scoping and design
    • Training Initiatives
    • Research grants administration
    • Transparency, research and ethics helpdesk
  • Our work

    Our work

    Our diverse evidence to policy portfolio spans all major development sectors and regions and represents the scale and depth of 3ie’s global programs and initiatives.

    Explore Our work
    • Education
    • Peacebuilding
    • Nutrition and Food Security
    • Gender and women’s empowerment
    • Mitigating and adapting to climate change
    • Innovations in data for impact evaluation
    • Research Commissioning Centre
    • WACIE
    • Rural India Livelihoods Project
    • Replication
  • Evidence Hub

    Evidence Hub

    We make high-quality development evidence publicly accessible through key databases, journals and repositories, which include studies produced by 3ie and beyond.

    Explore Evidence Hub
    • Development Evidence Portal
    • Evidence gap maps
    • Evidence impact summaries
    • Impact Stories Dashboard
    • Journal of Development Effectiveness
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Working papers
working paper 3

Theory-based impact evaluation: principles and practice

3ie Working Paper 3

Howard White

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Calls for rigorous impact evaluation has been accompanied by the quest for what works and why. Howard White identifies six principles for the successful application of the approach - mapping out the causal chain (programme theory), understanding the context, anticipating heterogeneity, rigorous evaluation of impact using a credible counterfactual, rigorous factual analysis and using mixed methods.

Download report (Chinese)

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Synthesis Report: Addressing Root Causes and Drivers of Irregular Migration

Synthesis report: Addressing root causes and drivers of Irregular Migration

Working paper 3ie 2026  
The authors of this report integrate key findings from the “Addressing Root Causes and Drivers of Irregular Migration: Evidence Gap Map 2025 Update’’ and the subsequent four evidence summaries.

Integrating Aquaculture–Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity in Malawi (IAAM): A Baseline Report

Integrating Aquaculture–Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity in Malawi (IAAM): A Baseline Report

Working paper 3ie 2026  
The authors of this report present findings from a baseline survey conducted to evaluate the Integrating Aquaculture-Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity in Malawi (IAAM) Project implemented by the Cooperative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada).

Development cooperation for food security and nutrition: Rapid evidence assessment on the effects of information, capacity strengthening, and behaviour change interventions on food security, nutrition, and environmental food system resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa

Development cooperation for food security and nutrition: Rapid evidence assessment on the effects of information, capacity strengthening, and behaviour change interventions on food security, nutrition, and environmental food system resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa

Working paper 3ie 2026  
The authors of this report present a summary of the evidence available on the effects of development cooperation on food and nutrition security.

Mapping the evidence on learning to earning interventions in low- and middle-income countries: A framework proposal and scoping review

Mapping the evidence on learning to earning interventions in low- and middle-income countries: A framework proposal and scoping review

Working paper 3ie 2025  
The authors of this paper have proposed a framework that categorises existing technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and skills interventions and labour market outcomes in L&MICs.

Impact of a COVID-19 emergency liquidity support package on bank performance and lending: a controlled interrupted time series (CITS) analysis

Impact of a COVID-19 emergency liquidity support package on bank performance and lending: a controlled interrupted time series (CITS) analysis

Working paper 3ie 2025  
The authors of this study evaluate the impact of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) Solidarity Package, which was a COVID-19 emergency liquidity support package.

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  • DOI : 10.23846/WP0003

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