Program Research at FMSF has three fold objectives:

• Develop our Knowledge/Resource base
• Develop tools for the Voluntary Sector
• To act as a centre for providing support in Research to other like minded Agencies

The Research activities at FMSF are designed in line with the above mentioned objectives.

Over the years, FMSF has worked on many areas and developed material on various development related issues. Some of the major research projects undertaken at FMSF are as follows:

1.Social Accountability Standards: It has been the endeavor of FMSF to strengthen accountability & Reporting standards of Voluntary Organizations to various stakeholders. Unlike the corporate sector, which is regulated by a central Act, Companies Act, 1956, in the areas of governance, accounting & reporting, the whole voluntary sector does not have a central regulatory body and therefore, has been struggling with the issue of reporting and accountability standards which are suitable to their work. FMSF has been dealing with this issue in many of its workshops and consultations and hence decided to come out with a consolidated set of accountability standards. These eleven Social Accountability Standards are aimed at spreading awareness and understanding regarding the necessity of developing certain objective norms of accountability in the voluntary sector. To know more about the Social Accountability Standards, click here

2. Social Audit in NGOs: One of the objectives of the Research initiatives at FMSF is to develop tools for the voluntary sector. Following the above mentioned objective, a ‘Social Audit Tool Kit’ was developed. The Research on developing a methodology for conducting a social audit in NGOs was completed and published in the year 2006-07 as a ‘Handbook on Social Audit in NGOs’. This handbook deals with the process of social audit and also provides greater clarity to various concepts related to the process of social audit. It is divided into three major sections. The first section talks about social audit at a conceptual level. The second section deals with social audit –the process. It provides a clear and comprehensive methodology for conducting a social audit in an NGO. The processes of social book–keeping and social accounting are also explored in the second section. The third section covers some of the case studies. The book acts as a step by step guide for those who want to conduct social audit. To know more about social audit, click here

3. Study on ‘Scoping of Vulnerable children for Tearfund, UK: FMSF was approached by Tearfund, UK to commission a study on all Tearfund priority sectors including children at risk. The aim of this assignment was to provide information, analysis and recommendations to provide a basis for developing the vulnerable children. The focus of the assignment was restricted to

- Kolkata,
- Mumbai, and
- Delhi,
- Rural districts of Orissa,
- Jharkhand,
- Bihar,
- Madhya Pradesh and
- Uttar Pradesh.

The specific objectives of the Study were:

• Analyze the context of vulnerable children within specific geographical focus area.
• Make recommendations for Tearfund as it implements its high intensity area framework in India Central and North
• Recommend potential new partners, individuals and projects for Tearfund to explore further.

As a part of the implementation of the India HIAF in central and north India, Tearfund wanted to increase its understanding and capacity to support programmes addressing the issue of vulnerable children. In this respect, there was a need for further research in the particular districts and cities identified within the India central and north high intensity area. A need at looking at the causes and effects of vulnerable children, current emerging and hidden issues was felt.

4. Apart from the above mentioned various other papers have been developed through the internship programs at FMSF. They are:

• Financial Management of Local-Self Government Institutions;(synopsis/detailed paper)
• Methodology for Valuation of Peoples Contribution in Voluntary Organizations; (synopsis/detailed paper)
• Developing a Capacity Building Program in Financial Management of Local Self Government Organizations; (synopsis/detailed paper)
• Integrated Monitoring Tool; (synopsis/detailed paper)
• Cost-Benefit Analysis; ;(synopsis/detailed paper)