Two major foundations and the Canadian nonprofit International Development Research Centre (IDRC) have pledged to grant $30 million to 24 independent policy think tanks in East and West Africa.
Called the Think Tank Initiative, the funding program seeks to support development research to inform national policy in poor countries. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided major donations to support the initiative.
The partners made the announcement during the annual meetings of the African Development Bank and were joined by executive directors of two think tanks from Senegal and Tanzania.
Policy-makers in developing countries often lack credible, objective information to address increasingly complex social and economic issues, IDRC said.
The initiative will give core funding to local think tanks, helping them produce high-quality research that will lead to better policies and, ultimately, more equitable and prosperous societies, the nonprofit said.
"The value of providing think tanks with enduring, long-term support cannot be overstated," said Rohinton Medhora, IDRC’s vice president of programs. "Predictable core funding gives institutions the certainty and continuity they need to build skills that can lead to path-breaking work and constructive public policy influence."
The initiative received nearly 300 proposals from a wide range of African think tanks that focus on broad national, social and economic policy issues. Following a thorough and rigorous review process, 24 think tanks were selected from 11 East and West African countries.
The Think Tank Initiative is a long-term investment over at least 10 years. For the first five years, IDRC has made a commitment of US $10 million, while the Hewlett Foundation has committed US $40 million and the Gates Foundation has committed US $40 million.
In August 2009, IDRC will seek proposals from think tanks in Latin America and South Asia for similar sponsorship, the group said. 
