What Global Development Network does

Global Development Network (GDN) is a non-profit public international organisation founded in 1999 and headquartered in New Delhi, India, that supports high-quality, policy-oriented social science research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Its core mission is to strengthen the capacity of researchers, think tanks, and institutions in developing and transition countries to produce locally driven evidence that informs development policy. GDN operates across roughly 30+ countries through nine regional network partners (including AERC, CERGE-EI, EADN, ERF, EERC, EUDN, GDN-Japan, LACEA, ODN, and SANEI), with offices in New Delhi, Clermont-Ferrand (France, opened April 2024), and Arlington, Virginia (USA).

GDN's product surface consists of a portfolio of interconnected research programmes, competitive grant schemes, and knowledge platforms. Core programmes include the Doing Research Global Initiative (systematic assessment of national research systems), the Inclusive Digital Transformation Research Facility (launched 2025, covering DPI, Open Transaction Networks, Inclusivity Measurement, and Economics of DPI), the Fiscal Policy and Development Programme (serving governments in Angola, Ghana, Guatemala, Namibia), the AFD-GDN Biodiversity and Development Awards, the Savoirs Sahel think tank empowerment programme, and the Migration Collaborative Research Action with Belmont Forum and Future Earth. Flagship platforms include the Global Development Awards Competition (GDAC, 20+ year run, administered under the World Bank's PHRD trust fund with Japan MoF support), the Global Development Conference (annual, GDC 2025 in Clermont-Ferrand drew 600+ participants from 80+ nationalities), the GDN Working Paper Series (with DOI assignment and peer review), the GlobalDev blog, and the GDNews monthly newsletter. Underlying operational technology comprises a research management workflow (editorial screening, expert review, author revisions), a searchable awards database with ORCID/LinkedIn filters, and a unique three-way mentoring model pairing Scientific and Technical Advisors with grantees and GDN programme managers.

GDN's revenue model is grant-based rather than commercial: it is funded by government donors (France, Japan, USA), multilateral development institutions (World Bank/PHRD, AFD), bilateral agencies (GIZ, US NSF), and foundations (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Belmont Forum). It does not sell products or licences commercially; instead, it distributes funding downstream through competitive research grants, awards competitions, mentoring services, and regional partner channels. The organisation is governed by a six-sovereign-state International Assembly (Colombia, Hungary, India, Spain, Sri Lanka, Fiji) and operates under a 2025-2035 Strategic Framework.

Name

Global Development Network

Legal name

Global Development Network

Website

https://gdn.int

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Development Network is a non-profit public international organisation, founded in 1999 and headquartered in New Delhi, that funds and builds capacity for policy-oriented social science research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries through competitive grants, awards, mentoring, and regional partner networks spanning 30+ nations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Research and Capacity Building Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Comparative Education Policy Organizations (EDADADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG)

Keywords

• Policy-oriented research
• Research capacity building
• Development research grants
• Social science research
• Research mentoring programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant funding and institutional support: GDN is a public international organisation that operates through funding from government donors, development banks, foundations, and corporations. It supports research capacity through competitive grants, awards competitions, and institutional partnerships. Revenue is generated through donor funding rather than commercial products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Global Development Network is a public international organisation that supports high-quality, policy-oriented social science research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) through competitive research grants, awards competitions, mentoring programs, conferences, and research publications. It runs multi-year thematic research programs (Doing Research, Fiscal Policy and Development, Biodiversity and Development Awards, Migration CRA, Savoirs Sahel, Inclusive Digital Transformation Research Facility), an annual Global Development Awards Competition, knowledge platforms (GDN Working Paper Series, GlobalDev), and an institutional research capacity building program.

Product overview

Global Development Network offers a portfolio of interconnected research programs, awards, and knowledge-sharing platforms designed to build research capacity and promote evidence-based policymaking in developing countries. The core offerings include grant-based research programs (Doing Research, Inclusive Digital Transformation Research Facility, Fiscal Policy and Development, AFD-GDN Biodiversity Awards), the annual Global Development Awards Competition, the Savoirs Sahel think tank empowerment program, and the GlobalDev research communications platform. These are complemented by the GDN Working Paper Series, annual conferences, mentoring services, and evaluation programs. The organization operates through regional network partnerships across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Development Awards Competition (GDAC): GDN's largest and longest-running annual awards programme that identifies talent and supports career advancement of researchers in the Global South and funds innovative development projects.
• Global Development Conference (GDC)
• Inclusive Digital Transformation Research Facility
• GDN Working Paper Series
• GlobalDev
• Mentoring Programme

Products and services

• Global Development Awards Competition (GDAC) GDN's largest and longest-running annual award scheme identifying research talent in the Global South and funding innovative social development projects implemented by NGOs benefiting marginalized groups.
• Inclusive Digital Transformation Research Facility Global South-led research platform advancing studies on digital public infrastructure, open transaction networks, inclusivity measurement, and economics of DPI for researchers, governments, and practitioners in LMICs.
• Doing Research Global Initiative Program systematically assessing how characteristics of national research systems impact capacity to produce, diffuse, and use high-quality social science research, implemented through a network of Southern 'research on research' scholars in 30+ countries.
• Fiscal Policy and Development Programme Program working with governments, donor agencies, and researchers to encourage effective use of fiscal policy analysis tools and evidence on equity impacts of taxes and transfers, including implementation in Angola, Ghana, Guatemala, and Namibia.
• AFD-GDN Biodiversity and Development Awards Global competitive research program jointly launched by GDN and the French Development Agency (AFD), offering three-year research grants with scientific mentoring for biodiversity research projects in developing countries.
• Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis Program providing evaluation expertise, commissioning independent evaluations of projects and interventions, and supporting evidence-based research practices for development organizations and donors.
• Institutional Research Capacity Building (IRCB) Program focused on building institutional research capacity in Francophone Africa, currently implementing five projects in four countries under the 'Research in the South' framework.
• Savoirs Sahel Program empowering Sahelian think tanks through capacity strengthening, awarded projects, and stakeholder partnerships in the Sahel region.
• Migration Collaborative Research Action (Belmont Forum) Collaborative Research Action on Migration supporting five international research consortia focused on human migration and mobility, with support for translating research into stories for policy and practice impact.
• GlobalDev Research Communications Platform GDN's research communications platform publishing blog articles, special series on development topics, and hosting GlobalDev calls for public engagement on development research.
• GDN Working Paper Series Database disseminating cutting-edge research on development issues authored by researchers based in LMICs, with submission guidelines in English, French, or Spanish and DOI assignment.
• Global Development Conference Annual conference bringing together academics, policymakers, practitioners, and young innovators to discuss development themes, attracting 600+ participants from 80+ nationalities at GDC 2025.
• Mentoring Programme Program pairing Scientific and Technical Advisors (Independent Advisors) with grantees to support project design, implementation, evaluation, and personal/professional development through three-way structured conversations.
• Global Development Awards Platform Searchable database of GDAC winners from the last 25 years, with search filters for contacts or projects by name, year, ORCID, and LinkedIn.

Quantifiable outcome

• Network spanning 30+ countries through Doing Research programme
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development (FERDI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021FERDI is a key partner in the Pole Clermontois de Developpement International (PCDI) project. GDN collaborates with FERDI on research programs including the Global Development Conference 2022 on Tax Policy for Sustainable Development held in Clermont-Ferrand.
• Center for Studies and Research on International Development (CERDI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021CERDI is a partner in the PCDI project along with GDN and FERDI. The collaboration aims to consolidate and develop the Clermont area on issues of international development.
• Commitment to Equity Institute at Tulane UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing relationship including application and implementation of the Commitment to Equity Assessment fiscal incidence framework as well as joint development of related fiscal incidence tools and methods.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports fiscal analytical tools implementation in Angola, Ghana, Guatemala, and Namibia through the Fiscal Policy and Development programme.
• Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partner for the AFD-GDN Biodiversity and Development Awards programme (part of ECOPRONAT) and supporter of the Fiscal Policy and Development programme.
• French Development Agency (AFD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversees the PCDI project and provides funding for the Pole Clermontois de Developpement International alongside the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery, Government of France.
• Co-DevelopmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Inclusive Digital Transformation Research Facility, implementing pilot studies on socioeconomic impacts of DPI in Bangladesh, Benin and Ethiopia, and co-organising the Economics of DPI Conference.
• African Center for Equitable Development (ACED)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in DPI research facility, collaborating on pilot projects in Benin.
• Institute for Development Studies (IDS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on GlobalDev special series on digitalisation, launched by GDN's research communications platform.
• Future EarthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvening partner for migration research consortia through Sustainability Research and Innovation Summits, with GDN providing specialised support for research communications.
• Belmont ForummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Research Action on Migration supports five international research consortia focused on human migration and mobility in the context of rapid global change.
• Regional Network Partners (AERC, CERGE-EI, EADN, ERF, EERC, EUDN, GDN-Japan, LACEA, ODN, SANEI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNine regional network partners facilitate program delivery and research capacity building across Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Middle East and North Africa, CIS, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean, and South Pacific.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Institute of Development Studies (IDS): UK-based global development research and learning organization with a comparable LMIC-focused research mandate. GDN is already a collaboration partner with IDS on the GlobalDev special series, and the two share audience, methodology, and funding sources.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): One of the world's leading independent think tanks on international development and humanitarian policy, headquartered in London. Highly comparable in audience (policymakers, funders, LMIC researchers), research dissemination model, and funding mix.
• Center for Global Development (CGD): Washington, DC-based think tank that produces research and ideas on global poverty and inequality. Comparable in focus on evidence-driven policy advice for development funders and emerging economies.
• Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development (FERDI): France-based development research foundation and a strategic partner of GDN through the PCDI project in Clermont-Ferrand. Operates a similar applied-economics and policy research mandate with strong ties to Francophone African governments.
• International Growth Centre (IGC): UK-led research initiative providing evidence for inclusive growth in developing countries. Comparable model: demand-led research with LMIC researchers, direct policy engagement with governments, and donor-funded operations (FCDO, etc.).
• UNU-WIDER: United Nations University research institute focused on development economics in developing countries. Operates a comparable research-grants, working-papers, and policy-dissemination model targeting LMIC researchers and policymakers.
• African Economic Research Consortium (AERC): Nairobi-based consortium supporting economic policy research in Africa and one of GDN's nine regional network partners. Direct overlap in mandate, capacity-building model, and LMIC researcher base.
• International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie): Non-profit promoting evidence-informed policy in LMICs through funding impact evaluations and systematic reviews. Comparable in LMIC-focused evidence production, donor base (bilateral aid agencies, foundations), and capacity-building emphasis.

Emerging players

• Results for Development Institute (R4D): US-based non-profit working on health, education, and governance in LMICs. Comparable in delivering applied research and advisory to funders and governments, with partial overlap on fiscal policy and service delivery themes.

Broad incumbents

• J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): MIT-led global research network focused on evidence-based poverty alleviation. Operates a much larger scale but shares LMIC research, randomized evaluations, capacity building, and policy-engagement model with GDN's evidence-synthesis work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GDNint
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GDNcommunications
• Facebookfacebook.com/GDNint
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-development-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/globaldevelopmentnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Global Development Network