Published on: 25/01/2023
As a think tank, IRC provides evidence, tools and approaches needed to drive change and enable countries and their partners to strengthen the national systems that deliver water, sanitation and hygiene services at scale. These services are aimed at global, regional and national audiences.
Recognition of IRC's think tank role is a key outcome of IRC's strategy. That's why we are proud to announce that On Think Tanks (OTT) has reviewed and approved IRC’s listing in their Open Think Tanks Directory. The directory includes over 3,600 independent, formally registered organisations that carry out research with the aim of informing public policies. As an open database, the directory supports sector transparency and information accessibility. It can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons license.
OTT provides information about and for policy research centres, including a jobsboard, an annual think tank review, an annual conference, and a School for Thinktankers. Since 2015 OTT receives most of its funding from the Hewlett Foundation. The OTT directory itself was initially funded in 2016 by Open Society Foundations. Other directory donors include the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V., UNICEF, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and USAID.
Next to OTT directory, the University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TCCSP) publishes the prestigious annual Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, drawing from a database of 11,175 entries. The index ranks the world’s leading think tanks in a variety of categories, one of which is water security. Publication of the index has been temporarily stalled following the untimely death of TCCSP Director James G. McGann in November 2021. Once the TCCSP resumes its activities IRC will submit its profile to their database.
Below you will find a list of ranked WASH-related think tanks appearing in the water security category of the last issued 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report. The list indicates whether or not the ranked think tanks appear in the OTT directory and are a member of the Sanitation and Water For All (SWA) Research and Learning Constituency.
| Name | TCCSP rank | OTT Directory | SWA R&L |
| Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) (Sweden) | 4 | N | Y |
| John Hopkins Water Institute (United States) | 5 | N | N |
| Deltares (Netherlands) | 12 | Y | N |
| Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) (India) | 15 | Y | N |
| Cranfield Water Science Institute (United Kingdom) | 18 | N | N |
| Center for Global Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (CGSW), Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health (United States) | 23 | N | Y |
| Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) (South Africa) [HQ in India] | 27 | Y | Y |
| Water Research Commission (South Africa) | 30 | N | Y |
| IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (Netherlands) | 35 | N | N |
| Global Water Institute (United States) | 36 | N | N |
| World Resources Institute (United States) | 41 | Y | N |
| Institute of Water (Water Aid) (United Kingdom) [assuming this refers to WaterAid not the UK Institute of Water] | 43 | N | Y |
| World Water Council (Brazil) | 45 | N | N |
| International WaterCentre, Brisbane (Australia) | 48 | N | Y |
| Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASH Institute) (India) | 50 | N | N |
| International Water Management Institute (Sri Lanka) | 52 | N | N |
| Pacific Institute (United States) | 64 | Y | N |
| Overseas Development Institute (ODI) (United Kingdom) | 69 | Y | N |
| Stockholm Environment Institute (Sweden) | 75 | Y | Y |
Sources:
