Introduction
Around the world the link between democratic development and social and economic development is clear. Eager to promote democracy, many countries are establishing new institutions designed to support their move towards more effective and sustainable democracy. These entities can benefit from sharing knowledge, experience and resources. The newly created Institutions of Democratic Governance Network (IDG-Net) will share and promote knowledge, resources and experience, with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Founding members include the Institute of Governance Studies (Bangladesh), the Centre for Good Governance (India) and the Institute On Governance (Canada).

Why Join?
The network will help members to promote democratic development in their countries and regions by sharing resources and collaborating to enhance

• the quality, quantity and impact of the learning events which they offer to participants from government and civil society;
• the relevance and effectiveness of the research which they conduct;
• the technical assistance which they offer in support of initiatives which promote more democratic governance;
• the effectiveness of their internal governance and operating systems and structures.

Who Can Participate
Organizations eligible for membership in the network

• seek to strengthen democracy
• are engaged in at least two of the following: research, training, technical assistance;
• regularly involve both government and civil society organizations in their activities;
• seek to enhance one or more elements of governance and democratic development, ranging from accountable public institutions, to human rights, rule of law and open and accountable political systems.

Organizations and networks who are not eligible for membership, but which share some of IDG-Net's interests, are welcome to collaborate with IDG-Net through web-links and participation at IDG-Net events

What We Share
Initial activities on which founding members have agreed to collaborate include:

• a Leadership and Governance Colloquium for government, business and civil society;
• a Development and Governance MA program for public service officers;
• research and publication of a 'state of governance' report which can provide an annual benchmark for national governments and their citizens on their effectiveness in enhancing democracy;
• action research on topics such as social accountability and empowering youth as agents of change;
• collection and dissemination of 'best practices' and case studies to promote more effective democratic governance;
• submission of joint proposals in response to competitive bids for governance consultancies issued by international donors; and
• mentoring and support to new organizations being established to support their countries in their pursuit of more democratic governance.

How We Share
We share our knowledge and experience through:

• focused and well designed forums, workshops and conferences on specific topics;
• attachments where members of staff from one participating institute spend time at another institute;
• sharing and pooling of resources among members on a variety of governance initiatives, projects and competitive bids;
• a web-site linked to related web-sites;
• planning and management meetings which use technology creatively through video conferencing, skype, telephone, electronic bulletin board and email communication, supplemented by limited face to face meetings

Our Governance Structure
The network is guided by a Steering Committee, comprising heads of up to 6 member institutions, selected to ensure geographic representation from various continents and a balance of relevant skills and experience. Steering Committee members are nominated by a nominating committee, and approved by all members. They serve for a period of 3 years. Committees are created on both a geographic and functional basis. An Advisory Group has been created to support the network in its start-up phase.

Membership Responsibilities
During this initial start-up phase no membership fees will be charged. However, those wishing to join the network in the start-up phase will be expected to contribute actively to shaping and building the network and to identifying funding opportunities through which the network and its activities can be sustained over time.

Our Sponsors
The start-up phase of IDG-Net is led by the Institute On Governance (IOG) and sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). IDG-NET is currently seeking sponsors to support its continued sustainability as well as defined results of the network.

Contact Information
For further information on IDG-NET, and how to join or sponsor the network, please contact: