There are various research institutes in Europe and North America that work on governance.

In Europe:

Governance and Social Development Research Centre: The Governance and Social Development Resource Centre (gsdrc) is a partnership of research institutes, think-tanks and consultancy organisations with expertise in governance, social development, humanitarian and conflict issues. It provides research and consultancy services, in addition to the regularly updated information resources available on the gsdrc website.

Institute for Development Studies (ids): The Institute of Development Studies (ids) is a leading global charity for international development research, teaching and communications.

Overseas Development Institute (odi): The Overseas Development Institute (odi) is the UK's leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues.

Brooks World Poverty Institute (bwpi): bwpi at the University of Manchester is an international centre of excellence established to create and share knowledge to end poverty, in both North and South, and to shape policies that deliver real gains for people in poverty.

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (unrisd): unrisd is an autonomous research institute within the UN system that undertakes multidisciplinary research and policy analysis on the social dimensions of contemporary development issues.

International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC): INTRAC aims to increase the effectiveness of civil society organisations (CSOs) in all parts of the world, providing research, training and consultancy services. They focus on aid policies, supporting and strengthening civil society, designing M&E systems, faith-based organisations and HIV/Aids in the workplace.

Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA): IDEA is an intergovernmental organization whose programmes aim to: provide knowledge to democracy builders; provide policy development and analysis, and; support democratic reform. Its areas of expertise are in electoral and constitution-building processes, political parties and representation and democracy and development.

In North America:

Center for Global Development: The CGD runs a series of initiatives to improve the policies and practices of high-income countries, international bodies, and others of means and influence to reduce global poverty and inequality. This is underpinned with research which is published through working papers, data, reports, books, and others.

The Center for International Development (CID): The CID, at Harvard University is a leading research hub focusing on resolving the dilemmas of public policy associated with generating stable, shared, and sustainable prosperity in developing countries.

International Development Research Centre (IDRC): The IDRC is a Canadian Crown corporation established in 1970 to help developing countries find solutions to their problems through research in agriculture and environment, global health policy, science and innovation, and social and economic policy.

Freedom House is an independent watchdog organisation dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy around the world.It provides research and advocacy to help amplify the voices of those struggling for freedom in repressive societies and counter authoritarian efforts to weaken international scrutiny of their regimes, and empower frontline human rights defenders and civic activists to uphold fundamental rights and to advance democratic change.

National Democratic Institute (NDI): The NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organisation working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

The North-South Institute (NSI): The NSI is is a policy research institution specializing in international development, focusing on fragile and conflict-affected states, natural resource goverance and governance for equitable growth.

World Bank Institute (WBI): The WBI is a global connector of knowledge, learning and innovation for poverty reduction. We connect practitioners and institutions to help them find suitable solutions to their development challenges in seven thematic areas: climate change, fragile and conflict-affected states, goverance, growth and competitiveness, health systems, public-private partnership and urban development.