Center for International Development

Building a thriving world for all.

Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) conducts development economics research, training, and policy outreach. We aim to improve lives by designing, testing and enabling better policies worldwide. We work closely with policymakers to solve some of the most pressing policy problems through innovation, testing and iteration at all stages of solution development.

Building State Capability

Researching new strategies and tactics to assist public organizations struggling with incomplete or ineffective policy implementation.

Growth Lab

The Growth Lab works to understand the dynamics of growth and to translate those insights into more effective policymaking in developing countries. We place increased economic diversity and complexity at the center of the development story and uncover how countries move into industries that offer increased productivity.

CID Beyond COVID Response & Resource Page

COVID-19 is the greatest global disruption of the past century. Even as we work to recover, we have a window of opportunity to do more – but only if we make use of the lessons learned and capitalize on emergent innovations sparked by the pandemic. To address this urgent need, the Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University created the Beyond COVID initiative, a multi-sectoral approach, rooted in data and evidence, to effectively respond to the COVID development crisis and reimagine new opportunities in the post-COVID era.

Inside CID

Faculty and fellows are conducting research projects in 116 countries

Joint CID/Malcolm Wiener Center Prize for Completed Research on Inequality

We are pleased to announce the award recipients for the 2021 CID/Malcolm Wiener Joint Awards on Inequality Research recognizing exceptional, original research by Harvard undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students on issues of inequality, both domestically and abroad.

CID Expert Marcella Alsan wins MacArthur Fellowship

We are honored and delighted to congratulate Professor Marcella Alsan, CID Faculty Affiliate and Faculty Advisory Council member, for winning the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant” this past Tuesday, September 28th, 2021. Marcella is an economist, physician, and public health specialist, and a professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

Growth Lab Launches Data Viz Tool that Reveals Growth Opportunities for 1,000 Cities

Metroverse, the Growth Lab's Urban Economy Navigator, is designed to provide policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, business organizations, civil society, and the general public with unprecedented economic data for more than 1,000 cities in 79 countries. The platform vividly illustrates the technological capabilities that underpin a city's economy and its' opportunities for future growth.