Call for 2012 Nominations for the 2012 Global Go-To Think Tank Report

Greetings Colleagues and Friends:

I am pleased to announce the commencement of the 2012 Global Go-To Think Tank Report nominating process. The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania (TTCSP) is contacting you for

help in identifying the world’s leading think tanks for the 2012 Global Go-To Index. The primary objective of the index is to bring national and international recognition to the important role think tanks play in civil societies and governments around the world.

Please submit nominations on or before August 15th, 2012, by using the
following survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8G8J8C9. Please
help us make sure the think tanks in your country and region are properly
reflected in the annual global index of think tanks.

The process is simple, and we have provided the following tools to help complete the survey: a link to the online nominations survey, a list of the nomination categories, a definition of think tanks, a list of think tank ranking criteria, and a think tank assessment tool. I encourage you to make nominations only in the areas in which you have knowledge and experience, and for think tanks that you feel warrant consideration as centers of excellence on global, regional and national levels.

A few changes have been made to the ranking categories. First, two new functional research area categories, Energy and Resource Policy and Education Policy, have been created. Additionally, we have reorganized a number of the regional area categories. Within Asia, there is now one category comprised only of China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea; the other category consists of all of Asia, excluding the aforementioned countries. Additionally, we have restructured the categories for the countries within North and South America. Now, we have three categories consisting of South America, Central America and the Caribbean, and Canada and Mexico. As always, we will have an individual category for the United States. Lastly, we have also decided to add three new specialty categories: Best Independent Think Tanks, Best Advocacy Campaign by a Think Tank, and Best Policy Study Produced by a Think Tank 2011-2012.

We continue to strive to improve the process and welcome any comments or suggestions you might have for how we might improve the Global Go-To Think Tank Index. The annual global ranking of think tanks is conducted
without the benefit of a full time staff or budget so we need your help as we identify and rank some of the leading think tanks in the world.

THE 2012 THINK TANK RANKING SCHEDULE IS SUMARIZED BELOW:

Nominations: Expert Panel April 10 – May 31, 2012

In preparation for the 2012 Global Go To Think Tank rankings process,
a call for nominations was issued for qualified individuals to serve on the
Regional, Functional, and Special Areas of Distinction Panels for the 2012
Global Go To Think Tank Index.

Round I: Nominations June 30 – August 15, 2012

Call for Nominations is sent to 6500 plus think tanks and approximately 4000 plus journalists, public and private donors, and policy-makers from around the world. These nominations are tabulated and institutes with 5
or more nominations are included in the next step of the 2012 Think Tank Rankings process.

Round II: Peer/Expert Rankings September – November 2012

Think Tanks with 5 or more nominations will be placed in an electronic ranking survey. A letter announcing the second round is emailed to all the think tanks, journalists, public and private donors, and the policy maker groups who have agreed to participate in the process. The rankings are tabulated and the list of finalists is generated for the Expert Panel to review and make final selections. This year Regional and Functional Expert Panels have been created for every category and these specialists will be consulted to help assure the quality and accuracy of the nominations before they are placed on the final rankings survey. Individuals who served on last year’s Expert Panel as well as those who have been nominated this year will be invited to serve on the 2012 Expert Panel. Experts from every region and functional area will be represented on the Expert Panel. If you have not submitted nominations for the Expert Panels you can do so by email to dohertyc@sas.upenn.edu until July 26th 2012.

Round III: Expert Panel Selects 2012 Go To Think Tanks November – December 2012

The members of the Expert Panel receive information packets by email in order to facilitate the final selection process. Expert Panelists will submit their rankings and recommendations by Friday, November 9, 2012.

Launch: 2012 Global Go-To Think Tank Rankings Announced January 2013

The 2012 Global Go-To Think Tanks are announced at the United Nations in New York and at selected organizations in every region of the world.

 

Nomination Instructions And Procedures:

In Round 1, the Nomination Round, you can make up to 5 nominations per category. Please note that all nominations you make will be kept strictly confidential.

NO SELF- NOMINATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED.

Please submit your responses no later than August 15, 2011. A copy of the unabridged 2011 Global Go-To Report is currently posted on the TTCSP web page, which can be accessed at: http://www.gotothinktank.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2011-Global-Go-To-Think-Tanks-Report_FINAL-VERSION.pdf

We highly value your input and welcome any additional comments or suggestions you may have for improving the nominating and ranking processes, as well as how the findings are reported and disseminated.

Thank you for your assistance with the 2012 Global Go-To Think Tank Index.

James G. McGann, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, International Relations Program
Director, Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program
University of Pennsylvania
635 Williams Hall
255 S. 36th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6304

Main Office: 215 898-0452
Direct Line: 215 746-2928

2012 Global Go To Think Tank Nomination Categories

Please use the on-line survey instrument to submit your nominations so
they can be properly tabulated.

I. Top Think Tanks by Special Achievement
Please nominate 5 institutions for each of these categories and please include the date established:

Best New Think Tanks (established in the last 24 months)
Exemplary Policy-Oriented Public Policy Research Program
Best Use of the Internet and Social Media to Engage Policymakers and the Public
Best Use of the Media (Print or Electronic) to Communicate Programs and Research
Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program
Think Tanks with the Most Significant Impact on Public Policy
Think Tanks with the Most Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals
Please include the specific policy idea/proposal
Best University Affiliated Think Tanks
Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks
Best Political Party Affiliated Think Tanks
Best For-Profit Think Tanks
Best Independent Think Tanks (financially, structurally, and legally independent of government and political parties) (NEW CATEGORY IN 2012)
Best Think Tanks with an Annual Operating Budget of less than $5 Million USD
Best Advocacy Campaign
Please include the specific advocacy campaign
Best Policy Study/Report Produced by a Think Tank 2011-2012
Please include the specific policy study/report

II. Top Think Tanks by Area of Research
Please nominate 5 institutions for each of these categories:

Top International Development Think Tanks
Top Health Policy Think Tanks
Top Environment Think Tanks
Top Security and International Affairs Think Tanks
Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks
Top International Economic Policy Think Tanks
Top Social Policy Think Tanks
Top Science and Technology Think Tanks
Top Transparency and Good Governance Think Tanks
Top Energy and Resource Policy Think Tanks
Top Education Policy Think Tanks

III. Top Think Tanks by Region and Location
Please nominate 5 institutions for each of these categories:

Top Think Tanks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Top Think Tank in Sub-Saharan Africa
Top Think Tanks in China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
Top Think Tanks in Asia (Excluding China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea)
Top Think Tanks in Central America and the Caribbean
Top Think Tanks in South America
Top Think Tanks in Central and Eastern Europe
Top Thinks in Western Europe
Top Think Tanks in Mexico and Canada
Top Think Tanks in the United States
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (Non-US)
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (US and Non-US)
Think Tank of the Year 2011 – Top Think Tank in the World

Think Tank Definition

Think tanks or public policy research, analysis, and engagement institutions are organizations that generate policy-oriented research, analysis, and advice on domestic and international issues in an effort to enable policymakers and the public to make informed decisions about public policy issues. Think tanks may be affiliated with political parties, governments, interest groups, or private corporations or constituted as independent nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). These institutions often act as a bridge between the academic and policymaking communities, serving the public interest as an independent voice that translates applied and basic research into a language and form that is understandable, reliable, and accessible for policymakers and the public.

Structured as permanent bodies, in contrast with ad hoc commissions or research panels, think tanks devote a substantial portion of their financial and human resources to commissioning and publishing research and policy analysis in the social sciences: political science, economics, public administration, and international affairs. The major outputs of these organizations are books, monographs, reports, policy briefs, blogs, conferences, seminars, web-based reports and commentary, formal briefings and informal discussions with policymakers, government officials, and key stakeholders.

In an effort to help make sense of this highly diverse set of institutions we have created a typology that takes into consideration the comparative differences in political systems and civil societies around the world. While think tanks may perform many roles in their host societies, not all think tanks do the same things to the same extent. Over the last 85 years, several distinctive organizational forms of think tanks have come into being that differ substantially in terms of their operating styles, their patterns of recruitment, their aspirations to academic standards of objectivity and completeness in research and their engagement of policy makers, the press and the public. We believe, despite these differences, that most think tanks tend to fall into the broad categories outlined below.

Categories of Think Tank Affiliations

Autonomous and Independent: Significant independence from any one interest group or donor and autonomous in its operation and funding from government.
Quasi Independent: Autonomous from government but an interest group (i.e. unions, religious groups, etc.), donor or contracting agency provides a majority of the funding and has significant influence over operations of the think tank.
University Affiliated: A policy research center at a university.
Political Party Affiliated Formally affiliated with a political party.
Government Affiliated: A part of the structure of government.
Quasi Governmental: Funded exclusively by government grants and contracts but not a part of the formal structure of government.
For Profit: Public Policy research unit located within a corporation or operating as a free standing for-profit think tank.

Nominations and Ranking Criteria

It is essential that you consider a variety of criteria in making your
decisions. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Direct relationship between organization’s efforts in a particular area to a positive change in societal values such as significant changes in quality of life within respective country (amounts of goods and services available to
citizens, state of physical and mental health, quality of environment, quality of political rights, access to institutions)
• Publication of the organization’s work by peer reviewed journals, books and other authoritative publications
• Ability to recruit and retain elite scholars & analysts
• Access to elites in the area of policymaking, media and academia;
• Academic reputation (formal accreditation, citation of think tank, publications by scholars in major academic books, journals, conferences and in other professional publications)
• Ability to use electronic and print media to communicate research
• Ability to use the Internet and new media, including social media tools, to engage with policymakers and the public
• Media reputation (number of media appearances, interviews and citations)
• Reputation with policymakers (name recognition with particular issues, number of briefings and official appointments, policy briefs, legislative testimony delivered)
• Level of organization’s financial resources (endowment, membership fees, annual donations, government and private contracts, earned income)
• Ability of the organization to meet the demands of those that fund it or to meet the goals of its respective grant-making institution
• Overall output of organization (policy proposals, publications, interviews, conferences, staff nominated to official posts)
• Number of recommendations to policymakers, staff serving advisory roles to policymakers, awards given to scholars
• Usefulness of organization’s information in advocacy work, preparing legislation or testimony, preparing academic papers or presentations, conducting research or teaching
• The organization’s ability to produce new knowledge or alternative ideas
on policy
• Ability to bridge the gap between the academic and policymaking
communities
• Ability to bridge the gap between policymakers and the public
• Ability to include new voices in the policymaking process
• Ability of organization to be inscribed within issue and policy networks
• Success in challenging the traditional wisdom of policymakers and in
generating innovative policy ideas and programs

Think Tank Assessment Tool

Clearly, assessing the impact of think tanks is not an easy endeavor to undertake given the various and conflicting actors, events, and politics involved in the policy making process. Despite the significant challenges in establishing a causal relationship between knowledge and policy, it is
necessary for think tanks to understand and effectively respond to the growing chorus of questions being raised by donors, journalists, and the public about the role and influence of think tanks in civil societies and governments around the world.

According to the research of Donald Abelson, James McGann, and others, think tanks can utilize various measures to assess the impact of increases in their activities as well as to account for their contributions to the policymaking environment and civil society. McGann’s recent (2008) research has focused on developing a comprehensive assessment tool for evaluating a think tank’s impact. The impetus for this research, in part, was the apparent confusion that exists about the differences between outputs and impacts. In various studies and surveys that McGann has conducted over the years, researchers and think tanks responded curiously when asked about impact on public policy and how they measure it. The overwhelming response was to provide a list of research outputs (number of books published, conference held, web hits, media appearances, etc.). Outputs, however, are not the only way to measure impact.

The metric provided below is designed to serve as a catalyst for a discussion on how to effectively measure the impact of think tanks. It is provided here as background for the think tank ranking process in the hopes that it will help clarify the distinction between outputs and impacts and provide a useful tool as you prepare your rankings. We ask that you consider the following indicators when contemplating the impact of think tanks:

• Resource indicators: Ability to recruit and retain leading scholars and analysts; the level, quality, and stability of financial support; proximity and access to decision-makers and other policy elites; a staff with the ability to conduct rigorous research and produce timely and incisive analysis; institutional currency; quality and reliability of networks; and key contacts in the policy academic communities, and the media
• Utilization indicators: Reputation as a “go-to” organization by media and policy elites in the country; quantity and quality of media appearances and citations, web hits, testimony before legislative and executive bodies;
briefings, official appointments, consultation by officials or departments/agencies; books sold; reports distributed; references made to research and analysis in scholarly and popular publications and attendees at
conferences and seminars organized
• Output indicators: Number and quality of: policy proposals and ideas generated; publications produced (books, journal articles, policy briefs, etc.); news interviews conducted; briefings, conferences, and seminars organized; and staff who are nominated to advisory and government posts
• Impact indicators: Recommendations considered or adopted by policymakers and civil society organizations; issue network centrality; advisory role to political parties, candidates, transition teams; awards granted; publication in or citation of publications in academic journals, public testimony and the media that influences the policy debate and decision-making; listserv and web site dominance; and success in challenging the conventional wisdom and standard operating procedures of bureaucrats and elected officials in the country

Beyond this quantitative assessment, an effective evaluation of impact should also involve NGOs, as well as members of the government and policymakers, to ascertain the degree to which they have utilized the grantee’s research output. This participation can be obtained through interviews, surveys, questionnaires, and focus group meetings, utilizing the Outcome Mapping which “moves away from assessing the products of an activity or a program to focus on changes in behaviors and relationships (outcomes) which can lead to changes.” Impact can be viewed as positive if it “changes the behavior, relationships, activities, or actions of the people, groups, and organizations with whom a program works directly.”

Although this qualitative assessment is essential because it recognizes that policy impact can be successfully achieved even if policy prescriptions are not directly translated into actual policy, we recommend that this assessment should be translated into numerical rankings, thereby allowing comparisons with baseline data for effective monitoring and evaluation in the future.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COMPLETE THE NOMINATIONS AND SURVEY!

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Greetings Colleagues and Friends:
I am pleased to announce the commencement of the 2012 Global Go-To Think Tank Report nominating process. The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania (TTCSP) is contacting you for help in identifying the world’s leading think tanks for the 2012 Global Go-To Index. The primary objective of the index is to bring national and international recognition to the important role think tanks play in civil societies and governments around the world.
Please submit nominations on or before August 15th, 2012, by using the
following survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8G8J8C9. Please
help us make sure the think tanks in your country and region are properly
reflected in the annual global index of think tanks.
The process is simple, and we have provided the following tools to help complete the survey: a link to the online nominations survey, a list of the nomination categories, a definition of think tanks, a list of think tank ranking criteria, and a think tank assessment tool. I encourage you to make nominations only in the areas in which you have knowledge and experience, and for think tanks that you feel warrant consideration as centers of excellence on global, regional and national levels.
A few changes have been made to the ranking categories. First, two new functional research area categories, Energy and Resource Policy and Education Policy, have been created. Additionally, we have reorganized a number of the regional area categories. Within Asia, there is now one category comprised only of China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea; the other category consists of all of Asia, excluding the aforementioned countries. Additionally, we have restructured the categories for the countries within North and South America. Now, we have three categories consisting of South America, Central America and the Caribbean, and Canada and Mexico. As always, we will have an individual category for the United States. Lastly, we have also decided to add three new specialty categories: Best Independent Think Tanks, Best Advocacy Campaign by a Think Tank, and Best Policy Study Produced by a Think Tank 2011-2012.
We continue to strive to improve the process and welcome any comments or suggestions you might have for how we might improve the Global Go-To Think Tank Index. The annual global ranking of think tanks is conducted
without the benefit of a full time staff or budget so we need your help as we identify and rank some of the leading think tanks in the world.
THE 2012 THINK TANK RANKING SCHEDULE IS SUMARIZED BELOW:
Nominations: Expert Panel April 10 – May 31, 2012
In preparation for the 2012 Global Go To Think Tank rankings process,
a call for nominations was issued for qualified individuals to serve on the
Regional, Functional, and Special Areas of Distinction Panels for the 2012
Global Go To Think Tank Index.
Round I: Nominations June 30 – August 15, 2012
Call for Nominations is sent to 6500 plus think tanks and approximately 4000 plus journalists, public and private donors, and policy-makers from around the world. These nominations are tabulated and institutes with 5
or more nominations are included in the next step of the 2012 Think Tank Rankings process.
Round II: Peer/Expert Rankings September – November 2012
Think Tanks with 5 or more nominations will be placed in an electronic ranking survey. A letter announcing the second round is emailed to all the think tanks, journalists, public and private donors, and the policy maker groups who have agreed to participate in the process. The rankings are tabulated and the list of finalists is generated for the Expert Panel to review and make final selections. This year Regional and Functional Expert Panels have been created for every category and these specialists will be consulted to help assure the quality and accuracy of the nominations before they are placed on the final rankings survey. Individuals who served on last year’s Expert Panel as well as those who have been nominated this year will be invited to serve on the 2012 Expert Panel. Experts from every region and functional area will be represented on the Expert Panel. If you have not submitted nominations for the Expert Panels you can do so by email to dohertyc@sas.upenn.edu until July 26th 2012.
Round III: Expert Panel Selects 2012 Go To Think Tanks November – December 2012
The members of the Expert Panel receive information packets by email in order to facilitate the final selection process. Expert Panelists will submit their rankings and recommendations by Friday, November 9, 2012.
Launch: 2012 Global Go-To Think Tank Rankings Announced January 2013
The 2012 Global Go-To Think Tanks are announced at the United Nations in New York and at selected organizations in every region of the world.

Nomination Instructions And Procedures:
In Round 1, the Nomination Round, you can make up to 5 nominations per category. Please note that all nominations you make will be kept strictly confidential.
NO SELF- NOMINATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED.
Please submit your responses no later than August 15, 2011. A copy of the unabridged 2011 Global Go-To Report is currently posted on the TTCSP web page, which can be accessed at: http://www.gotothinktank.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2011-Global-Go-To-Think-Tanks-Report_FINAL-VERSION.pdf
We highly value your input and welcome any additional comments or suggestions you may have for improving the nominating and ranking processes, as well as how the findings are reported and disseminated.
Thank you for your assistance with the 2012 Global Go-To Think Tank Index.
James G. McGann, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, International Relations Program
Director, Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program
University of Pennsylvania
635 Williams Hall
255 S. 36th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6304
Main Office: 215 898-0452
Direct Line: 215 746-2928
2012 Global Go To Think Tank Nomination Categories
Please use the on-line survey instrument to submit your nominations so
they can be properly tabulated.
I. Top Think Tanks by Special Achievement
Please nominate 5 institutions for each of these categories and please include the date established:
Best New Think Tanks (established in the last 24 months)
Exemplary Policy-Oriented Public Policy Research Program
Best Use of the Internet and Social Media to Engage Policymakers and the Public
Best Use of the Media (Print or Electronic) to Communicate Programs and Research
Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program
Think Tanks with the Most Significant Impact on Public Policy
Think Tanks with the Most Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals
Please include the specific policy idea/proposal
Best University Affiliated Think Tanks
Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks
Best Political Party Affiliated Think Tanks
Best For-Profit Think Tanks
Best Independent Think Tanks (financially, structurally, and legally independent of government and political parties) (NEW CATEGORY IN 2012)
Best Think Tanks with an Annual Operating Budget of less than $5 Million USD
Best Advocacy Campaign
Please include the specific advocacy campaign
Best Policy Study/Report Produced by a Think Tank 2011-2012
Please include the specific policy study/report
II. Top Think Tanks by Area of Research
Please nominate 5 institutions for each of these categories:
Top International Development Think Tanks
Top Health Policy Think Tanks
Top Environment Think Tanks
Top Security and International Affairs Think Tanks
Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks
Top International Economic Policy Think Tanks
Top Social Policy Think Tanks
Top Science and Technology Think Tanks
Top Transparency and Good Governance Think Tanks
Top Energy and Resource Policy Think Tanks
Top Education Policy Think Tanks
III. Top Think Tanks by Region and Location
Please nominate 5 institutions for each of these categories:
Top Think Tanks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
Top Think Tank in Sub-Saharan Africa
Top Think Tanks in China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
Top Think Tanks in Asia (Excluding China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea)
Top Think Tanks in Central America and the Caribbean
Top Think Tanks in South America
Top Think Tanks in Central and Eastern Europe
Top Thinks in Western Europe
Top Think Tanks in Mexico and Canada
Top Think Tanks in the United States
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (Non-US)
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (US and Non-US)
Think Tank of the Year 2011 – Top Think Tank in the World
Think Tank Definition
Think tanks or public policy research, analysis, and engagement institutions are organizations that generate policy-oriented research, analysis, and advice on domestic and international issues in an effort to enable policymakers and the public to make informed decisions about public policy issues. Think tanks may be affiliated with political parties, governments, interest groups, or private corporations or constituted as independent nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). These institutions often act as a bridge between the academic and policymaking communities, serving the public interest as an independent voice that translates applied and basic research into a language and form that is understandable, reliable, and accessible for policymakers and the public.
Structured as permanent bodies, in contrast with ad hoc commissions or research panels, think tanks devote a substantial portion of their financial and human resources to commissioning and publishing research and policy analysis in the social sciences: political science, economics, public administration, and international affairs. The major outputs of these organizations are books, monographs, reports, policy briefs, blogs, conferences, seminars, web-based reports and commentary, formal briefings and informal discussions with policymakers, government officials, and key stakeholders.
In an effort to help make sense of this highly diverse set of institutions we have created a typology that takes into consideration the comparative differences in political systems and civil societies around the world. While think tanks may perform many roles in their host societies, not all think tanks do the same things to the same extent. Over the last 85 years, several distinctive organizational forms of think tanks have come into being that differ substantially in terms of their operating styles, their patterns of recruitment, their aspirations to academic standards of objectivity and completeness in research and their engagement of policy makers, the press and the public. We believe, despite these differences, that most think tanks tend to fall into the broad categories outlined below.
Categories of Think Tank Affiliations
Autonomous and Independent: Significant independence from any one interest group or donor and autonomous in its operation and funding from government.
Quasi Independent: Autonomous from government but an interest group (i.e. unions, religious groups, etc.), donor or contracting agency provides a majority of the funding and has significant influence over operations of the think tank.
University Affiliated: A policy research center at a university.
Political Party Affiliated Formally affiliated with a political party.
Government Affiliated: A part of the structure of government.
Quasi Governmental: Funded exclusively by government grants and contracts but not a part of the formal structure of government.
For Profit: Public Policy research unit located within a corporation or operating as a free standing for-profit think tank.
Nominations and Ranking Criteria
It is essential that you consider a variety of criteria in making your
decisions. These may include, but are not limited to:
• Direct relationship between organization’s efforts in a particular area to a positive change in societal values such as significant changes in quality of life within respective country (amounts of goods and services available to
citizens, state of physical and mental health, quality of environment, quality of political rights, access to institutions)
• Publication of the organization’s work by peer reviewed journals, books and other authoritative publications
• Ability to recruit and retain elite scholars & analysts
• Access to elites in the area of policymaking, media and academia;
• Academic reputation (formal accreditation, citation of think tank, publications by scholars in major academic books, journals, conferences and in other professional publications)
• Ability to use electronic and print media to communicate research
• Ability to use the Internet and new media, including social media tools, to engage with policymakers and the public
• Media reputation (number of media appearances, interviews and citations)
• Reputation with policymakers (name recognition with particular issues, number of briefings and official appointments, policy briefs, legislative testimony delivered)
• Level of organization’s financial resources (endowment, membership fees, annual donations, government and private contracts, earned income)
• Ability of the organization to meet the demands of those that fund it or to meet the goals of its respective grant-making institution
• Overall output of organization (policy proposals, publications, interviews, conferences, staff nominated to official posts)
• Number of recommendations to policymakers, staff serving advisory roles to policymakers, awards given to scholars
• Usefulness of organization’s information in advocacy work, preparing legislation or testimony, preparing academic papers or presentations, conducting research or teaching
• The organization’s ability to produce new knowledge or alternative ideas
on policy
• Ability to bridge the gap between the academic and policymaking
communities
• Ability to bridge the gap between policymakers and the public
• Ability to include new voices in the policymaking process
• Ability of organization to be inscribed within issue and policy networks
• Success in challenging the traditional wisdom of policymakers and in
generating innovative policy ideas and programs
Think Tank Assessment Tool
Clearly, assessing the impact of think tanks is not an easy endeavor to undertake given the various and conflicting actors, events, and politics involved in the policy making process. Despite the significant challenges in establishing a causal relationship between knowledge and policy, it is
necessary for think tanks to understand and effectively respond to the growing chorus of questions being raised by donors, journalists, and the public about the role and influence of think tanks in civil societies and governments around the world.
According to the research of Donald Abelson, James McGann, and others, think tanks can utilize various measures to assess the impact of increases in their activities as well as to account for their contributions to the policymaking environment and civil society. McGann’s recent (2008) research has focused on developing a comprehensive assessment tool for evaluating a think tank’s impact. The impetus for this research, in part, was the apparent confusion that exists about the differences between outputs and impacts. In various studies and surveys that McGann has conducted over the years, researchers and think tanks responded curiously when asked about impact on public policy and how they measure it. The overwhelming response was to provide a list of research outputs (number of books published, conference held, web hits, media appearances, etc.). Outputs, however, are not the only way to measure impact.
The metric provided below is designed to serve as a catalyst for a discussion on how to effectively measure the impact of think tanks. It is provided here as background for the think tank ranking process in the hopes that it will help clarify the distinction between outputs and impacts and provide a useful tool as you prepare your rankings. We ask that you consider the following indicators when contemplating the impact of think tanks:
• Resource indicators: Ability to recruit and retain leading scholars and analysts; the level, quality, and stability of financial support; proximity and access to decision-makers and other policy elites; a staff with the ability to conduct rigorous research and produce timely and incisive analysis; institutional currency; quality and reliability of networks; and key contacts in the policy academic communities, and the media
• Utilization indicators: Reputation as a “go-to” organization by media and policy elites in the country; quantity and quality of media appearances and citations, web hits, testimony before legislative and executive bodies;
briefings, official appointments, consultation by officials or departments/agencies; books sold; reports distributed; references made to research and analysis in scholarly and popular publications and attendees at
conferences and seminars organized
• Output indicators: Number and quality of: policy proposals and ideas generated; publications produced (books, journal articles, policy briefs, etc.); news interviews conducted; briefings, conferences, and seminars organized; and staff who are nominated to advisory and government posts
• Impact indicators: Recommendations considered or adopted by policymakers and civil society organizations; issue network centrality; advisory role to political parties, candidates, transition teams; awards granted; publication in or citation of publications in academic journals, public testimony and the media that influences the policy debate and decision-making; listserv and web site dominance; and success in challenging the conventional wisdom and standard operating procedures of bureaucrats and elected officials in the country
Beyond this quantitative assessment, an effective evaluation of impact should also involve NGOs, as well as members of the government and policymakers, to ascertain the degree to which they have utilized the grantee’s research output. This participation can be obtained through interviews, surveys, questionnaires, and focus group meetings, utilizing the Outcome Mapping which “moves away from assessing the products of an activity or a program to focus on changes in behaviors and relationships (outcomes) which can lead to changes.” Impact can be viewed as positive if it “changes the behavior, relationships, activities, or actions of the people, groups, and organizations with whom a program works directly.”
Although this qualitative assessment is essential because it recognizes that policy impact can be successfully achieved even if policy prescriptions are not directly translated into actual policy, we recommend that this assessment should be translated into numerical rankings, thereby allowing comparisons with baseline data for effective monitoring and evaluation in the future.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COMPLETE THE NOMINATIONS AND SURVEY!

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