What is
‘Research for Impact’?
Across the development sector, organizations are doing critical work to improve livelihoods, strengthen climate resilience, and create lasting social and environmental impact. Yet, building strong evidence systems often takes a back seat due to limited time, capacity, or access to specialized research and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) expertise. At CoLab, we believe that high-quality research should be accessible to organizations working to create positive change. Research for Impact is our pro bono initiative designed to provide focused, time-bound research and MEL support to organizations with clearly defined evidence challenges.
Through this initiative, selected organizations will receive technical support to strengthen research design, monitoring and evaluation systems, data use, and learning, helping them generate meaningful evidence, inform decisions, and improve programmes. Beyond supporting individual organizations, we hope to contribute to a stronger culture of evidence and learning across the social sector by making research expertise more accessible.
What is ‘Research for Impact’?
Across the development sector, organizations are doing critical work to improve livelihoods, strengthen climate resilience, and create lasting social and environmental impact. Yet, building strong evidence systems often takes a back seat due to limited time, capacity, or access to specialized research and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) expertise.
At CoLab, we believe that high-quality research should be accessible to organizations working to create positive change. Research for Impact is our pro bono initiative designed to provide focused, time-bound research and MEL support to organizations with clearly defined evidence challenges.
Through this initiative, selected organizations will receive technical support to strengthen research design, monitoring and evaluation systems, data use, and learning, helping them generate meaningful evidence, inform decisions, and improve programmes.
Beyond supporting individual organizations, we hope to contribute to a stronger culture of evidence and learning across the social sector by making research expertise more accessible.
What Services Are Included In The Program?
These examples are illustrative rather than exhaustive. If your organization has another research, evaluation, or learning challenge, we encourage you to apply, we’re happy to explore whether this pilot is the right fit.
Deliverables will be finalized during the initial scoping phase and tailored to the organization’s needs and CoLab’s capacity.
What Is Not Included in the Program Now?
This initiative is intended for focused, short-term technical support and currently, we will not be able to include:
Who should apply?
This initiative is intended for non-profits, social enterprises, and mission-driven organizations working in areas such as:
Domains we are looking to work with
We encourage organisations working in these spaces to apply.
Climate resilience, conservation, and adaptation.
Domains
we are looking to
work with
Livelihoods and economic inclusion.
Other closely related development sectors.
You are encouraged to apply if you
Livelihoods and economic inclusion.
Process Timeline
4th September
12th August
14th September
Organizations notified
7th - 11th September
11th - 15th September
1st October
Engagement period
Item Title #1
4th September
7th - 11th September
14th September
15th - 11th September
1st October
Engagement period
Testimonials
Shared Stories of Success and Change

Pratima Kamble
Women's Education Project

Dr. R Narendar
IDO

Rudolf Batliner
LIECHTENSTEIN
LANGUAGES

Prateek Sinha
CENTRE FOR EXPONENTIAL CHANGE

Santosh Kumar
Mantra
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fee to participate?
No. Research for Impact is a pro bono initiative. Selected organizations will receive research and MEL support at no cost.
How many organizations will be selected?
As this is a pilot initiative, we anticipate supporting one or two organizations. Applications will be reviewed based on the selection criteria outlined above.
Will CoLab collect data on our behalf?
Primary data collection and fieldwork are outside of the scope of work.
What happens after I submit an application?
Applications will be reviewed against the selection criteria. Shortlisted organizations will be contacted for a follow-up discussion to better understand the challenge before final selections are made.
Can organizations outside the livelihoods and climate sectors apply?
For this time, eligibility is limited to organizations working in livelihoods, climate resilience, environmental conservation, and related development sectors.
For any additional queries, you reach out to one of us:
- swathi@colabglobal.org
- mugdha@colabglobal.org
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