Enhancing rural livelihoods in India: evidence-based policy evolution and innovation

One of India’s largest livelihoods programs—which 3ie is evaluating—and its transformation over time offer insights into how policies interact with and adapt to the changing ground realities and the vital role played by effectiveness evidence. This blog explains how the traditional approach has evolved to focus on new evidence-informed ways to address constraints and enable an environment for income generation and empowerment.

Using evidence in decision-making: Moving from commitment to practice by distinguishing evidence from any old data

The importance of evidence for decision-making is widely acknowledged, and an increasing number of organizations are stating this officially. This type of organizational signaling can be an important lever for improving the culture of evidence use. At the same time, acknowledging the importance of evidence is just the beginning; it does not entail any specific decision, action, or behavior.

State of the evidence on SDGs: Five key takeaways and reflections

As we crossed the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we examined the state of the evidence for all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Joining forces with DEval* – and with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – we did a deep dive into the effectiveness evidence in our Development Evidence Portal (DEP) to unpack the trends and themes across SDGs.

A roadmap for more TRIPS on the evidence journey

In October 2023, 3ie created the Global Evidence Commitment, a statement signed by seven leading international development institutions to date to improve their organizational use of rigorous evidence in decision-making. Today, we offer thoughts on the levers these and likeminded organizations can use to improve their culture of evidence use. We call this the TRIPS Framework.

How should evaluators respond to a changing global landscape? Ideas from the World Bank IEG's expert panel

To respond to a rapidly-changing global context, the evaluation community needs to adapt its methods and approaches, according to an expert panel assembled by the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group (IEG).

The evidence-to-policy conundrum and how to solve it

Does better evidence lead to better policies and programs? Massive amounts of reliable evidence, drawing on scientifically strong methods, including randomized controlled trials, mixed-methods approaches, and more, have been generated and disseminated in recent decades. A Nobel Prize has been awarded for that pathbreaking work. Yet the impact of that evidence – on what policymakers and program implementers think and do – has been far below expectations, even pitifully tiny according to some accounts.

Measuring and Improving the Impact of US Foreign Aid—A Look at Two Key Statutes

Over the years, US lawmakers of many stripes have embraced the value proposition of foreign assistance. While their precise motivations have varied, ensuring US international aid is transparent, accountable, and effective has been vital to this long-running bipartisan support.

Evolution or revolution? What MDB course corrections mean for evaluators

“Hard a starboard!” These were the orders of First Officer William Murdoch aboard RMS Titanic on the night of 14 April 1912 immediately after lookouts signaled a rather large obstacle ahead. Though still half a kilometer away, the gigantic ship nonetheless struck the iceberg that was in its way.

Major bilateral and multilateral organizations sign 3ie-led Global Evidence Commitment

Last week, during the high-profile IDB Knowledge Week, 3ie launched the Global Evidence Commitment, an opportunity for leading international development institutions – bilaterals, multilateral development banks, international NGOs, philanthropies – to come together to improve the culture and practice of evidence use in their institutions.

15 years of 3ie: "We need an effectiveness culture," panelists say

Opening the expert panel which convened last week in Washington to mark 3ie's 15th birthday, Inter-American Development Bank President Ilan Goldfajn made a pitch that would be echoed throughout the morning.