When we talk about policy research for NGOs, we’re really talking about one thing: learning how to shape the world beyond programs and campaigns.
If you work at an NGO, you already know that doing good isn’t enough. You need governments, funders, and the public to move with you. Research gives you a voice they can’t ignore. It helps you back your claims, track your impact, and push for real change—whether that’s rewriting a harmful law or improving how resources reach a community.
This guide is for you if you want your NGO to become a stronger, smarter force for change. We’ll break down the steps, the tools, and the strategies that work.
Understanding policy research
Policy research isn’t just about reading laws or writing reports. It’s about asking clear questions, gathering the right information, and making sense of how policy affects the people you serve.
As an NGO, you might look at how a law is written, how it’s being applied, and how it could be improved. That means reading policy documents, collecting stories from the field, analyzing data, and checking whether what’s on paper matches what happens in real life.
There are different kinds of policy research. You might be exploring a new issue (policy analysis), evaluating the impact of a policy already in place (policy evaluation), or predicting what might happen if a new rule is introduced (through, say, policy informatics). Each approach helps you uncover something useful.
Your outputs will depend on your audience. Sometimes it’s a short brief for a government official. Other times it’s a detailed report for donors. Either way, clarity and evidence are your tools for influence.
Why NGOs need policy research
If you’re working to change lives, you can’t ignore the systems that shape them. That’s where policy research comes in. When you have strong evidence, you can walk into a room with lawmakers or funders and speak with confidence. You’re not just sharing stories—you’re showing patterns, gaps, and missed opportunities backed by data.
Policy research helps you shape smarter campaigns. Instead of guessing what might work, you know what has worked elsewhere, what hasn’t, and why. This makes your programs more targeted and your funding proposals more convincing.
It also helps you build trust. When stakeholders see that your arguments are grounded in research, not just opinion, they’re more likely to listen. They might even come to you for insights.
And research keeps you sharp. Policies change. You need to know how those changes affect your community—and how to respond. Good research lets you stay ahead, not just react. That’s how you go from doing good work to changing the game.
Steps in conducting policy research for NGOs
Every solid research effort starts with a question. What’s the problem we’re trying to understand? What’s happening that shouldn’t be, or what’s missing that should be there? You don’t need to start big. Start specific. Maybe a community can’t access healthcare. Maybe a new regulation is hurting small farmers. You define the question so your research stays focused.
Next, you need to know who holds the power. This means mapping stakeholders—government agencies, private companies, community leaders, and anyone who can influence or be influenced by the policy. Understanding the landscape helps you know where to apply pressure and where to find allies.
Then comes the evidence. You collect data through interviews, surveys, reports, and government documents. Combine numbers with stories. Quantitative data shows the size of the issue. Qualitative insights show how people experience it.
With that, you move to analysis. What’s causing the problem? What’s been tried before? What are the options on the table? You compare policies and weigh the pros and cons of each path forward.
After that, you’re ready to make recommendations. What should change? What should stay? And finally, you share your findings. Whether it’s a report, a policy brief, or a presentation, you tailor it for the people who need to hear it—and act on it.
Tools and methods for NGO policy research
When it comes to methods, start simple. Surveys and interviews can give you the numbers and the stories. Focus groups help uncover group dynamics or shared frustrations. Desk research—reading existing reports, laws, and statistics—is where many NGOs begin, especially when budgets are tight.
Where do you find the right data? Public sources like national statistics agencies, government ministries, or research from global organizations like the World Bank are a great start. Many think tanks and universities also publish policy-related studies that are free to access. If you’re looking for a place to begin, sites like Our World in Data and Pew Research are full of reliable insights.
To make sense of what you collect, you’ll need tools. Excel works fine for most needs. But if you’re working with a lot of text, NVivo helps you organize interviews and notes. For bigger data sets, try Stata or R. What matters most is that the tool fits your skill level and budget.
Building an NGO policy research team
You don’t need a big team to start policy research, but you do need the right mix of skills. At minimum, you need someone who understands how to design research, someone who can analyze data, and someone who can connect findings to real-world action. Think of this as your research–to–impact pipeline.
If you don’t have all these skills in-house, don’t worry. You can partner with local universities, hire consultants, or even train your staff through online courses. What matters most is having people who are curious, organized, and committed to turning research into action.
Challenges and how to address them
Doing policy research as an NGO isn’t always smooth. The first big challenge is money. Research takes time and tools, and many NGOs don’t have the budget. You might have to get creative. Use existing reports. Work with students. And focus on small but powerful questions.
Accessing data can be just as tricky. Government reports might be outdated, hidden, or simply missing. That’s where Freedom of Information laws come in. You can also build relationships with universities or journalists to get better access.
Politics is another hurdle. If your findings challenge power, you’ll face pushback. That’s why framing matters. Keep your tone focused on solutions, not blame. Stay neutral in your wording, even if your goal is change.
Lastly, there’s the skills gap. Many teams just haven’t done this kind of work before. Invest in training, share what you learn, and start small. Experience builds fast when the work is grounded in real problems and real people.
Case studies of NGO research
In India, the NGO ARMMAN partnered with researchers to use automated phone calls delivering maternal health messages to pregnant women. They analyzed over 300,000 call records and applied machine learning to identify when participants were at risk of dropping out. In a real-world trial, they used a “restless multi-armed bandits” model to guide targeted follow-up calls. This approach reduced engagement drops by around 30% during a 7‑week period.
In Kenya, Evidence Action’s “Safe Water Now” program—originating from a randomized evaluation—used school-based chlorine dispensers. Results showed a 63% decline in child mortality, demonstrating how rigorous evidence and NGO delivery can influence national policies en.wikipedia.org.
These examples show that NGOs can lead research, test solutions, and influence systems when they ground work in solid data and strategic trials. In both cases, good research traveled further when it was shared clearly and strategically.
Measuring the impact of NGO policy research
You’ve done the research, shared the findings—now what? Measuring impact means asking whether your work led to real change. Did a policy get adopted? Did a decision-maker quote your report? Are more people engaging with your recommendations?
Start by tracking where your research shows up. Look for citations in government memos, news articles, or internal strategy documents. Follow up with partners to see how they’ve used your data in meetings or advocacy work.
And keep learning. Sometimes the first round of research doesn’t spark change, but it builds relationships or uncovers better questions. That’s still progress. Keep the loop going.
Final thoughts on NGO policy research
Policy research isn’t a luxury—it’s a core part of how NGOs create long-term change. When we take the time to ask the right questions, gather the right evidence, and share it with the right people, we don’t just describe problems. We help solve them.
If you want your advocacy to go further, your partnerships to grow stronger, and your programs to have deeper impact, then research has to be part of your work.
If your team needs support to build this capacity, we can help. Column works with NGOs to design and deliver practical, actionable policy research and briefs that drives change.
Mo is the founder and CEO of Column Content, a thought leadership content agency that helps leaders shape public opinion. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
