Economic Development and Research Center

What Economic Development and Research Center does

The Economic Development and Research Center (EDRC) is a Yerevan, Armenia-based nonpartisan, independent policy research think tank founded in 2001. It provides independent policy analysis and practical recommendations across macroeconomic modelling, public policy analysis, sector strategies, budget analysis, programme evaluations, public financial management (PFM) reform support, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), poverty and social impact analysis (PSIA), large-scale statistical surveys, and capacity building. Its primary customers are the Armenian central government (RA Ministry of Finance, line ministries, parliamentary committees, municipal authorities), civil society organizations (CSOs) across Armenian regions, and international development partners including the European Union, GIZ, the World Bank, DFID/Oxfam, and USAID.

EDRC delivers its services through a portfolio of analytical publications and training programmes rather than a unified software product. Core deliverables include the annual Armenia Economic Report, sector-specific Simplified Budgets (Health, Agriculture, Social Protection), Citizen Budgets, Policy Environment Briefs, and Budget Monitoring & Evaluation Resources, supplemented by training programmes on public budgets, budget programme monitoring, and MTEF/annual budget processes. Its work is recognized through distribution channels such as the World Bank BOOST initiative and the Open Budgets Portal. The organization has documented technical contributions to the introduction of Programme Budgeting reforms at the national level in Armenia (advisory engagement with the Ministry of Finance, 2018-2019, with GIZ support) and the design of an M&E System for State Budget Programmes (2020-2022).

EDRC operates as a non-profit NGO with revenue derived from grants, project-based funding, and fee-for-service contracts with government bodies and international development organizations; it does not sell a commercial product or service with disclosed pricing. Its work is delivered through direct advisory engagements, in-person trainings, workshops, conferences, and a bilingual (English/Armenian) website. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by Founding Chairman Mushegh Tumasyan, with day-to-day management handled by Executive Director Karine Harutyunyan, supported by a team of economists and policy analysts. EDRC maintains no subsidiaries, no external investors or parent organization, and operates independently in the Caucasus region with extension into Central Asia and select neighboring countries.

Name

Economic Development and Research Center

Legal name

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH CENTER NGO

Website

https://edrc.am

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EDRC is a Yerevan-based independent think tank founded in 2001 that delivers macroeconomic analysis, public finance management advisory, budget analysis, and monitoring & evaluation services to the Armenian government, civil society, and international development partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Yerevan

HQ country

Armenia

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EDRC is an independent policy research organization that provides socio-economic research, macroeconomic analyses and modelling, public policy analysis, budget analysis, programme evaluations, public finance management (PFM) reform advisory, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), poverty and social impact analysis (PSIA), large-scale statistical surveys, and capacity-building/training for government bodies, civil society organizations, and international development partners in Armenia and neighbouring countries. Deliverables include annual economic reports, simplified budgets, policy environment briefs, citizen budgets, and training programmes on budget monitoring.

Product overview

EDRC offers a portfolio of policy research and analytical services rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include the annual Armenia Economic Report publication, Simplified Budgets series for various sectors (Health, Agriculture, Social Protection), Policy Environment Briefs, and Citizen Budget documents. Supporting these publications are training programs on Public Budgets and Budget Programme Monitoring. All offerings are delivered as analytical content and capacity-building services, not as software products or platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Armenia Economic Report

Quantifiable outcome

• Simplified budgets and budget guides developed and made available to CSOs and government bodies for ongoing use
• +2 more outcomes

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center (Armenia): An Armenian NGO producing governance, transparency, and budget-monitoring research and CSO capacity building. It is a direct peer because it shares EDRC's funding base (EU, GIZ, USAID), Armenia focus, and mandate of strengthening civic oversight of public finances — a domain where EDRC also publishes simplified budgets and trains CSOs.
• Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC): A regional research network spanning Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan conducting social science research, household surveys, and policy analysis. CRRC is directly comparable to EDRC because both operate as independent think tanks in the South Caucasus providing socioeconomic data and policy research to government, donors, and CSOs.
• Civilitas Foundation: An Armenian non-partisan think tank focused on civic engagement, democratic governance, and policy research. Civilitas is a direct peer because both organizations are Yerevan-based independent NGOs producing analytical policy work and engaging the public, government, and international partners in Armenia.
• Armenian Economic Association: A professional association of economists in Armenia supporting economic research, conferences, and policy dialogue. It is comparable to EDRC because both promote evidence-based economic research in Armenia and operate within the same donor- and university-connected talent pool that EDRC draws its board members from.

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: A large US-headquartered policy research organization with an international development practice conducting economic, governance, and M&E work globally. RAND is a broad incumbent peer to EDRC because both deliver independent, evidence-based research commissioned by governments and donors to inform public policy and programme design.
• Brookings Institution: A large global policy research institution with extensive economic policy, budget, and development work. It is a broad incumbent peer because, like EDRC, Brookings produces influential independent economic analysis that shapes government policy and is cited in donor discussions, but at vastly greater scale and across many more geographies.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF): The IMF provides macroeconomic surveillance, fiscal analysis, and technical assistance to Armenia and similar economies. It is a broad incumbent peer to EDRC because both produce macroeconomic forecasts, fiscal analyses, and policy recommendations that inform Armenian Ministry of Finance and donor decision-making.
• World Bank Group: The World Bank conducts macroeconomic, public-finance, and poverty analysis globally and directly funds/facilitates EDRC's work via BOOST and the Open Budgets Portal. It is a broad incumbent peer because it operates in the same analytical domain (PFM, macroeconomic policy, M&E) and even surfaces EDRC outputs on its own platforms.

Others

• Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI): DAI is a global development consulting firm that implements donor-funded economic governance, M&E, and capacity-building programmes in emerging markets. It is an adjacent peer to EDRC because DAI both competes for and partners with organizations like EDRC on the same donor-funded PFM and M&E projects in the South Caucasus and beyond.
• Oxford Policy Management: OPM is an international development consultancy delivering policy research, M&E, and capacity building for governments and donors. It is an adjacent peer to EDRC because OPM both competes and co-implements with small specialist think tanks on PFM, PSIA, and M&E mandates in developing and transition economies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EDRC.Armenia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/economic-development-and-research-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Economic Development and Research Center