The First Tranche

All Blog Posts

From fragmentation to focus: Revitalizing U.S. development strategy How can the U.S. redefine its role in global development amid rising fragility and great power competition? A new research volume from AidData explores strategic solutions to advance U.S. national interests and foster global stability. Sarina Patterson
2024-03-04

From fragmentation to focus: Revitalizing U.S. development strategy

How can the U.S. redefine its role in global development amid rising fragility and great power competition? A new research volume from AidData explores strategic solutions to advance U.S. national interests and foster global stability.

Liberian survivors of Ebola leave their handprints on a wall of the Bong County Ebola Treatment Unit, the USAID-run facility that saved their lives. Once recovered, several Ebola survivors returned to work alongside USAID staff treating patients. Photo by Adam Parr/USAID via Flickr, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED.
How we can use geospatial data and methods to better evaluate critical agricultural programs AidData researchers led a day-long training workshop in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe for ReNAPRI, the Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes. Jessica Wells, Katherine Nolan, Rachel Sayers
2024-02-19

How we can use geospatial data and methods to better evaluate critical agricultural programs

AidData researchers led a day-long training workshop in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe for ReNAPRI, the Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes.

Artist's rendering of terrain in sub-Saharan Africa. Image by Anton Balazh/Adobe, used under the Standard license.
AidData quantifies trillions in U.S. trade, aid, and investment in Indo-Pacific, world’s largest economic region New data and analysis tracks over a decade’s worth of U.S. government and private sector engagement across 46 Indo-Pacific economies. Sarina Patterson
2024-02-08

AidData quantifies trillions in U.S. trade, aid, and investment in Indo-Pacific, world’s largest economic region

New data and analysis tracks over a decade’s worth of U.S. government and private sector engagement across 46 Indo-Pacific economies.

Photo by Kalyakan via Adobe Stock, used under Standard license.
Opportunities and challenges for integrating Earth Observation into impact evaluations We’re making major leaps forward in integrating valuable data from new sensors and satellites into evaluations of urgently needed agriculture and climate programs. Ariel BenYishay, Kunwar Sigh
2024-01-22

Opportunities and challenges for integrating Earth Observation into impact evaluations

We’re making major leaps forward in integrating valuable data from new sensors and satellites into evaluations of urgently needed agriculture and climate programs.

An artist’s rendition of the Landsat satellite that launched in 2013. The Landsat program is the longest continuous global record of Earth observations from space. Image by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center via Flickr, in the public domain.
Young minds, global insights: The student experience on AidData’s TUFF Team Over 130 student research assistants contributed to our latest dataset and report on China’s development finance program. Fei Wang, Bradley C. Parks, Ammar A. Malik
2023-12-21

Young minds, global insights: The student experience on AidData’s TUFF Team

Over 130 student research assistants contributed to our latest dataset and report on China’s development finance program.

Prestin Tran ‘26, a student Research Assistant on AidData’s Tracking Underreported Financial Flows (TUFF) team, displays his research poster at the Global Research Institute Open House. Photo by Kyra Solomon for AidData, all rights reserved.
AidData and RAND release new dataset, report on China’s AI exports The dataset tracks projects worth nearly $4.5 billion in more than 50 countries over an 18-year period. Kyra Solomon
2023-12-11

AidData and RAND release new dataset, report on China’s AI exports

The dataset tracks projects worth nearly $4.5 billion in more than 50 countries over an 18-year period.

Photo of Chinese flag with artistic globe overlay. Photo by Pixels Hunter for Adobe Stock, #404531844, licensed under Adobe Standard license.
The role of human rights in Somaliland’s HIV/AIDS battle Addressing the profound challenges of HIV/AIDS demands more than medical interventions—it calls for a shift in societal attitudes and an overhaul of policy. Jillian Harrison, Hassan Mohammed Jim'ale, Carrie B. Dolan, Alexander Wooley
2023-12-01

The role of human rights in Somaliland’s HIV/AIDS battle

Addressing the profound challenges of HIV/AIDS demands more than medical interventions—it calls for a shift in societal attitudes and an overhaul of policy.

Photo of Hassan Mohammed Jim’ale, Director of Planning, Statistics, and Research at the Somaliland National AIDS Commission (SOLNAC). Photo by SOLNAC, used with permission.
AidData partnership works to promote gender-equitable AI applications The year-long collaboration with CDD-Ghana produced new research to inform AI developers, aid organizations, and decision makers. Sarina Patterson, Seth Goodman
2023-11-13

AidData partnership works to promote gender-equitable AI applications

The year-long collaboration with CDD-Ghana produced new research to inform AI developers, aid organizations, and decision makers.

Belt and Road bounces back, as Beijing seeks to future-proof its flagship global infrastructure initiative New AidData flagship report and dataset show China is refocusing time and money on troubled projects, distressed borrowers, and sources of public backlash in effort to de-risk its portfolio and out-maneuver G7 competitors. Alex Wooley
2023-11-06

Belt and Road bounces back, as Beijing seeks to future-proof its flagship global infrastructure initiative

New AidData flagship report and dataset show China is refocusing time and money on troubled projects, distressed borrowers, and sources of public backlash in effort to de-risk its portfolio and out-maneuver G7 competitors.

Worker at the site of the Grand Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia. The Grand Renaissance Dam is one of the largest infrastructure projects under construction in the country, with the support of Chinese investment. Photo by Davide Monteleone, used with permission.
Looking back at the GeoField 2023 Convening, and ahead to a Call for Papers for two academic journals Emerging from the successful GeoField Convening in September in Rome, two prestigious academic journals have issued calls for papers at the intersection of climate change, and agriculture. Alex Wooley
2023-10-30

Looking back at the GeoField 2023 Convening, and ahead to a Call for Papers for two academic journals

Emerging from the successful GeoField Convening in September in Rome, two prestigious academic journals have issued calls for papers at the intersection of climate change, and agriculture.

Dr. Carly Muir, a Geospatial Analyst at AidData, addresses the GeoField 2023 Convening in Rome.
How effective and accountable are international development organizations? Two recently released datasets provide the most comprehensive collections yet of donor performance ratings and accountability mechanisms, enabling new insights. Ranjit Lall
2023-10-10

How effective and accountable are international development organizations?

Two recently released datasets provide the most comprehensive collections yet of donor performance ratings and accountability mechanisms, enabling new insights.

Uprisen angle of the Hong Kong skyline. Photo by THANANIT via Adobe Stock, used under the Standard license.
AidData uses AI to code 2.7 million projects to the Sustainable Development Goals Analysis of a first-of-its-kind dataset shows many goals are neglected, with low-income countries falling behind. Sariah Harmer
2023-09-27

AidData uses AI to code 2.7 million projects to the Sustainable Development Goals

Analysis of a first-of-its-kind dataset shows many goals are neglected, with low-income countries falling behind.

The Sustainable Development Goals are presented during a celebration for the International Day of Rural Women. Photo by Happiraphael via Wikimedia, licensed under (CC BY-SA 4.0).