Effective governance and accountable institutions are critical to alleviating poverty and achieving sustainable results in all sectors. Governments, development agencies and policy-makers all work together to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Acumen Research partners with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), the independent media, and local communities to strengthen democratic governance systems. Through our work, we aim to increase inclusive, accountable and participatory planning and decision-making at all levels – contributing directly to SDG 16. 

Our approach to governance seeks to identify and foster engagement between citizens and their government, recognizing that both the supply of and demand for good governance is necessary to initiate change. In doing so, we empower leaders, recognizing that locally owned solutions have the greatest potential for sustainability.

Some of the services we offer include:

• Capacity and organizational development for CSOs, electoral bodies and parliaments
• Grant and fund management for CSOs
• Development of independent media
• Decentralization and local government management
• Institutional and policy reform aimed at enhancing sustainable performance and public
  service-delivery
• Improved public financial management and advance thought leadership on
  approaches to overcoming policy and institutional constraints to economic
  competitiveness, socioeconomic development, and poverty reduction. Our team of
  recognized PFM experts is one of the few who have carried out PEFA assessments.