Global Philanthropy Forum

Development is a data-rich field, and the experience of striving toward the Millennium Development Goals has added greatly to our knowledge, as have experiments with new hybrid models. Related fields, like behavioral economics, also yield important insights. And, if behavior is communication, data are words. More and more intergovernmental agencies, foundations and nonprofits are sharing their findings to contribute to field-wide knowledge. At the same time, national governments and local communities have experimented with and learned from cross-sectoral partnerships aimed at spurring innovation to meet development challenges. Novel methods such as these allow public and private development actors to join forces, set targets, and pursue strategies to achieve them. The most effective development strategies take the beneficiaries and their actions into account, allow for continuous feedback and capture the ingenuity of citizens from all walks of life. Rachel Glennerster, Executive Director, Abdul Latif Jameel