Over the last decade budget support has been championed by the international community. Supported by donors and recipient countries alike, it has grown in prominence forming significant shares of aid spend by many donors. Research has illustrated the effectiveness of budget support, but evidence gaps remain largely due to methodological difficulties in measuring its effects. Yet in the context of the growing political consensus around the results-based agenda, there is an expectation that unless Budget Support can be shown to work harder the donor preference for it may diminish. 

The purpose of this series of invite-only events is to allow prominent researchers and policy advisors more time to think through and discuss what are considered to be some of the key questions and themes surrounding budget support today, developing partnerships with the participating individuals and organisations and forming a consortium of budget support experts.

Each meeting is intended to be participatory and will focus around two to three carefully selected presentations, presenting the latest evidence in these areas. To encourage an insightful and evidenced-based debate, ODI has invited primarily UK and EU based experts who have spent a considerable amount of time establishing, researching and implementing Budget Support over the last decade, and ODI will attempt to reach out to both the proponents and opponents of budget support. The series will culminate in a public meeting to present to a wider audience the summary of the conclusions from the meetings.