Image by World Bank/Lakshman Nadaraja

Partnerships and collaboration

We think of partnership as a relationship where all parties share a common purpose and collaborate to create value greater than the sum of their parts.

Why we partner

Data alone will not bring about the world we want to see. We must put it in the hands of those who can use it, and ensure they are equipped to do so. That is why our mission is centred around partners, and why collaboration runs through our work.

What we offer

We empower our partners to make effective decisions by increasing the availability and accessibility of data on poverty, inequality and resilience. We do this by training others on how to access and use this data, and by distilling it into digestible and actionable insights.

How we partner

We work with others who together want to increase impact, influence, skills and financing in our areas of focus. All our partnerships, across all our areas of work, contribute to one or more of these four goals.

We take a considered approach to partnering, working with organisations of all scales and types in a wide range of contexts. We especially understand the value of local actors, and seek to ensure that they are in a position of leadership when we partner – their voices are meaningfully heard and their needs understood and met.

Developing our partnership framework

Because partnerships are so central to the way we work, we chose to develop our Partnership Framework with The Partnering Initiative (TPI). TPI has worked with hundreds of international NGOs, UN entities, multinational companies, foundations and governments, helping take their partnering to the next level. Collaborating with TPI means we are confident that we have the leadership, skills, systems and processes to make us an effective and inclusive partner.

If you have an idea for collaboration, or would like to work with us, please email [email protected].

Examples of our current and past partners are provided below.

Global partnerships

We are part of a number of partnerships set up for organisations working on global development to collaborate around key issues. These include:

The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) – DI is a partner in the GPSDD and a member of its Technical Advisory Group. The GPSDD was established in 2015 to help stakeholders across countries and sectors to fully harness the data revolution for sustainable development.
International Open Data Charter – DI endorses the International Open Data Charter, a collaboration between governments and organisations working to open up data based on a shared set of principles.
Bond – DI is a member of Bond, the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond aims to connect, strengthen and champion a dynamic network of diverse civil society organisations to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.

Supporting others to publish to IATI

We also work with others in the IATI community to promote and support the use of IATI data. For example, we transform IATI’s machine-readable data into usable information through d-portal, which presents all published IATI data from the viewpoints of both a recipient country and a publisher, and enables users to access individual project details. Users can see what data exists, who publishes data and who does not. This is an important step in improving the use and quality of published data.

Visit d-portal

Project partnerships

We deliver a range of projects in formal partnership with other organisations, where their skills and expertise complement our own. These include:

Inclusive Futures – DI works with Sightsavers and 14 other organisations as part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, which is funded by UK aid and works to ensure that people with disabilities are able to represent themselves and make their own decisions. Our aim under the programme is to create and test innovative approaches to improve the long-term economic empowerment and inclusion of people with disabilities in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. In particular, DI's focus is on the quality and use of disability data in these four target countries.
Vulnerability and resilience in Somalia – DI works with national partners in Somalia to conduct research in the region. We worked with the Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis on our recent study of resilience and vulnerability in Somalia, with the Institute leading on data collection and contributing to the drafting of field reports, stakeholder validation and feedback.
Improving open data in Nepal – DI has worked in partnership with The Asia Foundation and a range of local partners to implement a programme funded by the UK’s Department for International Development. The programme aimed at helping national and local actors in Nepal to overcome the challenges around gathering, accessing and using data, and on raising awareness among all stakeholders of the impact that data can have.

Working together on blended finance

DI’s work on blended finance includes collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). We were invited to join other experts on the OECD’s Blended Finance Senior Advisory Group, which developed guidance for implementing blended finance, including on transparency and impact. With UNCDF we’ve taken forward the blended finance agenda through two roundtables that brought together a variety of stakeholders to discuss key policy priorities, with an emphasis on the least-developed countries.

Collaborations

We are an agile and collaborative organisation, and we make the most of every opportunity to work with experts and institutions that can help us to maximise our impact. Some examples include:

Overseas Development Institute (ODI) – DI has worked with ODI to examine how subnational financing from donors and governments targets poverty. In two recent reports we’ve looked at spending by both governments and donors to human capital and pro-poor sectors such as health and education in some of the poorest countries.
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) – we frequently collaborate with UBOS on the delivery of events. These have included the National Data Forum in 2017, a session at the World Data Forum in 2018 and Africa Statistics Week 2018 in Kampala, where we conceptualised, organised and presented a range of events across seven days. Working with UBOS has allowed DI access to the national statistical system in Uganda, and helped us to develop our Spotlight on Uganda.
Oxfam – We collaborate with Oxfam to deliver events and develop analysis on specific issues. This has included hosting a US roundtable to build engagement around our Investments to End Poverty work, and working together on two reports that examined the traceability of US aid to Ghana and Swedish aid to Tanzania using IATI data.

“We chose to work with DI because they are local and they have localised their data – you can get information at the regional, national, subnational and even district levels."
Africa Kiiza, Programme Officer, Trade Policies and Negotiations, SEATINI