On Think Tanks (OTT) is one of the leading global platforms focused on studying think tanks and analyzing their performance and impact on public policies. The platform has released its annual report for 2024 titled: State of the Sector: Think Tanks Around the World, which is considered one of the most comprehensive global reports on the landscape of think tanks in terms of funding, governance, institutional capacity, policy influence, and regulatory challenges.

The term "think tanks" refers to independent or semi-independent research institutions that produce knowledge and analysis to influence decisions and public policies. Their focus areas vary between economics, education, environment, social policies, and others. These institutions gain particular importance in countries that seek to base decisions on evidence and scientific expertise.

In its effort to enrich specialized knowledge in Arabic and facilitate access to global knowledge for professionals in the nonprofit and research sector, The Third Bank | The Knowledge Enrichment Encyclopedia for the Nonprofit Sector has translated this report into Arabic, utilizing the AI model GPT-4o to ensure the accuracy and fluidity of the translation, while considering the contextual privacy of the Arab region.

This translation aims to provide a knowledge window into the reality of think tanks worldwide and to offer a mirror through which ways to develop research platforms in the Arab world can be inspired, especially in light of the rapid transformations that the political, economic, and technological landscape is witnessing globally.

The On Think Tanks platform publishes this report annually to provide a comprehensive overview of the think tank sector around the world. This year’s report is based on data collected through a Global Think Tank Survey, conducted on behalf of On Think Tanks (OTT) by the Once Once organization, relying on the Open Think Tank Directory database, in addition to information provided by 21 partner organizations.

For the first time this year, participants have been allowed to maintain organizational confidentiality.

What does the 2024 report provide?

This report provides in-depth insights into:

  • Structural and organizational characteristics of think tanks,
  • Staff numbers,
  • Annual income,
  • Geographical scope of their activities.

It also highlights political and funding contexts, with the aim of understanding how these factors affect the independence of think tanks and their ability to influence public policies.

For instance, the report reviews the impact of different governance systems and levels of political polarization on research and communication efforts, and it assesses the priorities of think tanks, their agendas, and their ability to influence policy outcomes in diverse contexts.

Emerging Trends: Artificial Intelligence and Diversity

The report also addresses the extent to which think tanks engage with some emerging trends like:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI),

  • and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI),

    with an analysis of disparities in the adoption of these concepts between high-income countries and low-income countries, evaluating whether they are seen as opportunities or challenges.

Potentially Surprising Results

Readers may find some survey results unexpected or contradictory, and some may attribute this to the non-representative sample.

However, the core value of this report lies in the opportunity it provides for discussing and interpreting these results.

This report should be seen as a tool within a broader process, where stakeholders in the sector are invited to:

  • compare their local reality with global data,
  • generate precise analyses,
  • and discuss critical questions for the sustainability and success of think tanks in the future.

Partnerships and Local Analyses

To achieve this goal, the 2024 edition includes a new section featuring analyses and testimonials from our local partners, who provide their insights based on data related to their national or regional contexts.

You Can Participate Too

We invite you to use the open data attached to conduct your analyses and compare your local reality with the global landscape.

Finally, if you manage a research center, we encourage you to register it in the Global Think Tank Directory. The more participants there are, the more accurate and representative future "State of the Sector" reports will be.

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our deep gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the Open Think Tank Directory and the preparation of this report.

We thank the users of the directory who made our work relevant and valuable, and we appreciate the support of our extensive network of partners, friends, colleagues, and funders who assisted us in the survey and analysis processes and contributed to understanding the data.

We also express our appreciation to the data collectors, as well as the think tanks themselves for their engagement and response to our consultations throughout the process.

Funding

The development and maintenance of the Open Think Tank Directory has been made possible through the contribution of many donors and continues to be so today.

  • The Open Society Foundations provided the initial grant that enabled the launch of the directory in 2016.
  • The Energy and Climate Change Program in Latin America of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung e.V. funded a survey of think tanks in Latin America in 2017, with a specific focus on environmental issues and climate change.
  • UNICEF funded a survey in 2019-2020 of organizations working in priority areas and issues.
  • Robert Bosch Stiftung supported a global survey in 2019-2020 focusing on migration, peace and security, inequality, and the environment, and is currently providing long-term programmatic support to the On Think Tanks platform.
  • The mapping project of think tanks in strategic markets for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2021-2022 enabled the expansion of knowledge about this sector.
  • USAID supported a data survey of think tanks in the United States and Panama in 2021.
  • Finally, long-term funding from the Hewlett Foundation and the OTT Consulting platform is what makes it possible to continuously manage, develop, update, and analyze the Open Think Tank Directory.

Key Highlights of the Think Tank Sector – 2024

Based on 297 responses to the 2024 OTT Global Survey

1. Global Landscape of Think Tanks

  • Most think tanks are small

    • More than 60% operate on an annual budget of less than 500,000 dollars
    • Most employ fewer than 20 full-time staff
    • Funding is predominantly locally sourced

  • Relatively recent establishment

    • 34% were established between 2010 and 2019

  • Leadership

    • The majority are led by men from academic backgrounds
    • Female leadership is more common in Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Staff

    • Most staff are professionals with advanced degrees, aged over 35

  • Legal and functional structures

    • Most are registered as nonprofit organizations
    • Key functions include: communication, governance
    • Few have specialized teams in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) or fundraising

2. The Political Context

  • Concentration in electoral democracies

    • Think tanks in democratic systems do not show higher levels of independence compared to authoritarian systems
    • Challenges are similar in accessing decision-makers across different governance systems

  • Political polarization

    • 36% said that polarization affects their research and operational activities
    • The most affected regions: Latin America, non-European Europe, and the Anglosphere
    • Polarization hinders cross-ideological communication (39%) and limits funding diversity (29%)

  • Impact of Polarization

    • 3%: Severe impact
    • 21%: Significant impact
    • 32%: Moderate impact
    • 24%: Minor impact
    • 19%: No impact

  • Political aspirations

    • Think tanks in wealthy, democratic countries are more pessimistic

      • Only 21% expect positive political outcomes in the coming 12 months
    • The most optimistic: the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa
    • The most pessimistic: the European Union and Latin America

3. Funding Models

  • Funding Sources

    • Over 60% of funding is international in low and middle-income countries
    • 70% funding is local in high-income countries

  • Reliance on project funding

    • More dependent on international development agencies
    • While core funding allows for greater source diversity

  • Budget Size

    • Wealthy countries house centers with larger budgets
    • Small centers are more reliant on a single donor
    • Spend more time on reputation building and securing funding

  • Sustainability and Human Resources

    • Core funding is associated with long-term contracts and less difficulty covering indirect costs

4. Research and Impact Priorities

  • Political Impact

    • 77% of centers reported influencing policies through formal and informal channels

  • Factors of Impact

    • Organized teams, long-term contracts, higher budgets, media engagement, and low political polarization

  • Target Audience

    • The public sector (36%)
    • Civil society and community organizations (20%)
    • The academic and research community (20%)

  • Key Global Policy Issues

    • Economic policies
    • Governance

  • Who Determines the Research Agenda?

    • Government entities (29%)
    • Policymakers (23%)

5. Challenges and Emerging Trends

  • Major Global Challenges

    • Ability to adapt (73%)
    • Seeking new funding sources (59%)
    • Leadership transitions (44%)
    • Skill shortages (especially in mid-sized institutions)

  • Skills in Need of Enhancement

    • Fundraising skills (66%)
    • Research capabilities (37%)
    • Communication skills (37%)

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

    • An emerging focus in well-funded young institutions, especially in high-income countries

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    • Considered a potential transformative element for the future
    • Its use remains limited and in its early stages in most areas

About the Report

The annual report of On Think Tanks titled "State of the Sector" provides a comprehensive assessment of the think tank landscape worldwide. The 2024 edition is the fifth in this series. Based on responses from a survey that included nearly 300 organizations from 95 countries, the report provides a comparative perspective on the main factors shaping the sustainability, impact, and future prospects of think tanks.

In an era of increasing complex political challenges, economic disruptions, and rapid technological changes, think tanks can play a vital role as knowledge intermediaries in evidence-based decision-making. However, these centers face significant issues – ranging from financial fragility and political polarization to the necessity of adapting to new methods of working and communicating with their audiences.

The data presented in this report provides an overview of the reality of think tanks around the world and showcases key trends, challenges, and innovations in the sector across five main dimensions:

  1. The think tank landscape: An overview of the size, scope, and diversity of the sector, including differences in governance models, leadership characteristics, and geographic focus among regions.
  2. Political context: An overview of how levels of democracy, political polarization, and government receptiveness to evidence influence think tanks' ability to conduct research, gather diverse stakeholders, and engage in policy discussions.
  3. Funding models: An analysis of how funding sources and methods affect operational models, research agendas, and think tanks' sustainability, with a particular focus on regional disparities in these aspects.
  4. Research and impact priorities: An exploration of the key policy issues and target audiences that think tanks focus on; the strategies and channels they use to achieve policy influence; and the challenges related to measuring and communicating impact.
  5. Challenges and emerging trends: A presentation of the key operational and strategic challenges faced by think tanks, from talent retention and leadership transitions to the need to integrate principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as emerging developments such as artificial intelligence (AI).

The report does not aim to provide in-depth interpretative analysis of the results, but rather offers a rich and useful glimpse into the think tank sector at the global level. We invite readers to explore these insights and share their analyses, interpretations, and observations, whether through our social media channels, by writing an article for the OTT platform, or by participating in events where we will present the report.

Explore the State of the Sector 2024 report published by On Think Tanks to learn about the challenges, innovations, and impact of think tanks globally.

A Brief Note on Methodology

Regular readers of the