Centre for Budget and Policy Studies

What Centre for Budget and Policy Studies does

Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS) is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit research institution established in February 1998 in Bengaluru, India and registered under the Societies Registration Act. The organization conducts interdisciplinary research and capacity building focused on public policy, budgets, governance, and social development across six core domains: Education, Gender, Public Finance, Health, Governance & Accountability, and Livelihoods. CBPS specializes in budget analysis, gender studies, and decentralization research at all levels of government, producing extensive reports, policy briefs, toolkits, manuals, training materials, and documentaries. Its primary outputs are research publications and policy advocacy services, with a flagship Research Fellowship programme launched in 2023 and a policy festival called Neeti Habba for knowledge dissemination.

CBPS is funded entirely through grants from international foundations (Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Gates Foundation), multilateral organizations (UNICEF, World Bank), bilateral agencies (IDRC, British Academy, Commonwealth of Learning), and government departments (Government of Karnataka, Ministry of Women and Child Development). The organization does not develop commercial technology products; its core capability lies in research methodology, data analysis, budget analysis tools, and policy frameworks. It distributes all publications free of charge through its website (cbps.in) and engages directly with policymakers through workshops, consultations, and policy meetings. Its go-to-market motion is grant-driven, operating through grant applications, competitive bidding for research projects, and direct engagement with government ministries and development partners.

CBPS operates with 11-50 employees and conducts research across more than 16 Indian states including Karnataka, Bihar, Assam, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Delhi, with international research partnerships extending to Canada, USA, UK, Finland, France, Sri Lanka, and Commonwealth countries. The organization is led by Director Niveditha Menon and operates autonomously with no parent entity or controlling ownership structure.

Name

Centre for Budget and Policy Studies

Legal name

Centre for Budget and Policy Studies

Website

https://cbps.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS) is a Bengaluru-based non-profit policy research institution founded in 1998 that conducts interdisciplinary research on public finance, education, gender, health, governance, and livelihoods, serving government policymakers, international development organizations, and civil society across India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Public Finance Activities (921130)

akta.pro primary industry

Budgeting & Fiscal Planning (BPAIAEAA)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Budget analysis
• Governance studies
• Gender responsive budgeting
• Capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Donor Grants: Primary revenue from international foundations such as Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Gates Foundation that fund research projects and policy studies.
2. Government Project Funding: Contracts from government departments (state and central) for specific research studies, evaluations, and policy analysis.
3. Multilateral Organization Partnerships: Funding from UNICEF, World Bank, and other international organizations for research on public policy, education, health, and governance.
4. Institutional Partnerships: Collaborative research projects with universities and think tanks funded by various development partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS) is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit research society that conducts policy research, budget analysis, gender studies, and governance studies across six domains: Education, Gender, Public Finance, Health, Governance & Accountability, and Livelihoods. It produces reports, policy briefs, toolkits, manuals, and training materials, and delivers capacity-building programs for government bodies, NGOs, and academic institutions to support evidence-based policymaking in India.

Product overview

Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS) is a research institution established in Bengaluru, India in February 1998, offering a portfolio of policy research products and services. The organization produces extensive research publications including reports, policy briefs, toolkits, and manuals across six core domains: Education, Gender, Health, Public Finance, Governance & Accountability, and Livelihoods. CBPS complements its research output with capacity building initiatives for institutions and a twelve-month research fellowship program launched in 2023. The institution also engages in policy advocacy, collaborating with government bodies, international organizations, and civil society to strengthen governance through evidence-based research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Publications Extensive reports, policy briefs, toolkits and manuals, training materials, and documentaries addressing public policy challenges in education, gender, health, public finance, governance, and livelihoods across India. Distributed free of charge through the CBPS website for policymakers, researchers, and the public.
• Livelihoods Research Research exploring inclusive policies, social security, skill development, and informal sectors focusing on marginalised communities and sustainable development practices.
• Capacity Building Services Training initiatives and institutional capacity-building programs for government bodies, NGOs, and organizations with similar developmental goals, including multilingual workshops for stakeholders, partners, and staff.
• CBPS Research Fellowship A twelve-month research fellowship for young scholars to conduct research in education, gender, governance, health and nutrition, public finance, livelihoods, and social security, with monthly stipend of ₹25,000.
• Policy Advocacy and Advisory Services Advisory research informing policy makers by identifying challenges and proposing solutions through budget analysis, gender studies, and decentralisation research at all levels of government, delivered through workshops, consultations, and policy meetings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced extensive reports, policy briefs, toolkits and manuals, training materials, and documentaries to empower local actors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ROSHNI – Centre of Women Collectives led Social ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBPS Director Niveditha Menon participated in national Partners' Consultation organized by ROSHNI in collaboration with UNICEF India on Social and Behaviour Change programmes. CBPS presented findings from their five-state study on IEC and SBC activities.
• Feminist Policy Collective (FPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual pre-budget consultation held at United Nations House in New Delhi. FPC is an independent network of academic researchers, policy experts, and campaigners committed to strengthening gender transformative policies. CBPS participates in sessions on gender responsive budgeting.
• Government of KarnatakacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple government departments including Finance Department, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Education Department fund and collaborate on state-level research.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Policy Research (CPR): One of India's leading think tanks focused on governance, economic policy, and social policy. Direct peer given shared mandate on evidence-based policy research for Indian government, with CPR's Accountability Initiative working on adjacent budget transparency themes.
• Institute of Economic Growth (IEG): Delhi-based Indian academic policy research institute covering economic development, agriculture, and public policy. Comparable peer as an Indian policy research institution engaging government and international funders, with similar research methodology and target audience.
• National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP): India's premier public finance and policy think tank based in New Delhi. Direct peer because both organizations conduct budget analysis and public expenditure research targeting Indian government policy, though NIPFP is significantly larger and more established.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): UK-based global development think tank conducting research on international development, governance, and public finance. Directly comparable development research model serving multilateral funders, with similar programme evaluation and policy advisory functions.
• Centre for Development Studies (CDS): Kerala-based Indian research institution focused on development economics and social policy. Comparable as an academic-leaning policy research institution addressing similar themes of gender, education, and public finance in India.
• Accountability Initiative (Centre for Policy Research): India-focused budget transparency and accountability research programme. Direct peer given shared focus on government budget tracking, public expenditure analysis, and use of data for accountability advocacy in India.
• Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER): Top-tier Indian economic policy think tank conducting research on fiscal policy, trade, and development. Comparable to CBPS as a policy research institution serving government and international funders in India.

Broad incumbents

• National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): India's oldest and largest economic policy research institution, conducting broad-based economic and policy research. Broader incumbent with overlapping budget and governance research but covering a much wider portfolio of economic issues.
• Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS): UK-based leading microeconometric and fiscal policy research institute. Broader incumbent with substantially greater scale, but directly comparable in core public finance and budget analysis research methodology.

Regional players

• Institute of Public Affairs (IPA): Australia-based classical liberal think tank focusing on public policy research. Comparable as an independent policy research institution with similar funding model, though regionally focused on Australia rather than South Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-budget-and-policy-studies-cbps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre for Budget and Policy Studies