Letter from the Global Executive Director

January 2026

2025 was a year unlike any other. The dismantling of USAID set off a ripple effect for hundreds of millions of people whose wellbeing and access to opportunity depend on sustained investments. Hard-won progress in the fight against poverty suddenly felt more fragile.

As aid budgets contracted and scrutiny of development spending intensified, we heard a clear and urgent request from partners most affected: Tell a more compelling, concrete story of why development funding matters and how it delivers results. We responded by launching The Evidence Effect, a collection of more than thirty cost-effective, evidence-backed policy solutions ready for investment and scale. 

Despite the headwinds of this year, I’m proud of what we achieved. We strengthened our long-term partnerships with governments—the most important stakeholder in the development ecosystem. When evidence is embedded in public systems, influencing how priorities are set, programs are designed, and implementation is monitored, it can improve the lives of millions.

We deepened our investment in local research ecosystems and talent through the Alliance for Data, Evaluation, and Policy Training (ADEPT). Nine committed university partnerships to date are embedding training, mentorship, and access to funding. By strengthening these academic hubs, ADEPT helps ensure that rigorous, policy-relevant research is increasingly led by local scholars. 

As AI becomes more mainstream in development, we accelerated our efforts to measure its impact through Project AI Evidence and the AI Evidence Alliance for Social Impact. We are evaluating and helping scale innovative AI solutions by bringing together AI adopters, tech companies, and researchers in a shared mission to understand which AI solutions work or not, and why. 

2025 also marked two milestones for J-PAL, reminding us of what becomes possible when we dream big and invest in institutions and partnerships. J-PAL Middle East and North Africa marked their fifth anniversary, growing from a small regional office to a trusted partner for development organizations across the region. We celebrated five years of the King Climate Action Initiative, which has evaluated dozens of innovations in reducing pollution, cutting CO₂ emissions, and promoting inclusive economic growth.

I am deeply grateful to our funders, NGO and government partners, researchers, staff, alumni, and the communities we work with. Your commitment enables us to deliver on our mission to fight poverty with evidence. 

We are in a new era of development, shaped by reduced foreign aid, stressed government budgets, threat of AI on jobs, and mounting climate and conflict risks. Yet what this means for development outcomes is still in our hands. In this annual report, we lay out J-PAL’s ambitious agenda in response to these challenges. I hope you take the time to explore the digital report and I look forward to your feedback.

Lead photo credit: Career 180