DESIGNERS OF DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS
OUR EXPERTISE
Brain Trust: Knowledge and Options for Sustainable Development, Inc. (BTI) is a Filipino sustainable development think tank that draws from the collective experience of its founding fellows to craft innovative and integrative development solutions for public and private sector clientele.
We envision to be an organization of sustainable development professionals that is acknowledged and respected for the impeccable quality, practical applications and innovativeness of its products and services.
Planning
BTI has strong expertise in planning, using a wide range of processes and tools to develop various plans and frameworks. These include strategic socio-economic and area development plans, sectoral frameworks, sustainability plans, corporate plans, and business plans. The organization combines quantitative tools, such as the Philippine Regional Computable General Equilibrium Model and the Regional Econometric Model, with qualitative approaches like scenario building and community journey mapping. Through these methods, BTI aims to strengthen planning processes and support innovative developments in the field.
Policy and program Review, Evaluation and Advocacy
BTI specializes in policy and program reviews, employing both quantitative models, such as the Agricultural Multi-Market Model, and qualitative tools. Its work includes initiatives like the Strategic Review of the Food and Nutrition Situation in the Philippines, as well as assessments of sectoral programs. The organization also integrates policy advocacy through forums, publications, and presentations to advance and promote its recommendations.
Economic Modeling, Futures Thinking and Capacity Building
BTI excels in modeling, futures thinking, and capacity building. The organization has a team of skilled modelers who develop innovative economic models, which are complemented by multi-stakeholder scenario-building exercises to support a comprehensive understanding of development dynamics and future trends. In addition, BTI provides capacity-building support to government agencies—including DBM, NEDA, the Mindanao Development Authority, and ARMM-CPDO—covering areas such as planning, programming, monitoring and evaluation, and economic modeling.
Social Development and Protection
BTI is extensively engaged in social development and social protection initiatives. The organization has conducted assessments and developed recommendations for a wide range of programs, including food and nutrition initiatives, social development in mining communities, job and skills development programs, and the Agrarian Reform Program, as part of its work in plan formulation and policy and program review. BTI upholds a commitment to integrated development, ensuring coherence across social, economic, environmental, political, governance, and gender dimensions—an approach that reflects its established tradition and institutional identity.
Promoting Investments, Productivity and Competitiveness
BTI actively promotes investments, productivity, and competitiveness. The organization has contributed to key initiatives such as Business Risk Assessment for Climate Change in major cities, addressed skills gaps through the Job-Skills Mismatch Project, and supported investment promotion efforts in Mindanao. Notable projects include the Mindanao Economic Landscapes Project and Connection, Cooperation, and Commerce for Peace and Development in ARMM. BTI has also provided research assistance for city profiling, with a focus on investment and urban development issues.
Monitoring and Evaluation
BTI demonstrates strong expertise in monitoring and evaluation (M&E), as reflected in its collaborations with development institutions. Its work includes projects such as the Review and Inventory of Existing Community-Based M&E Systems in CPC 6 Focus Areas (UNICEF), monitoring of Typhoon Yolanda humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts, and the Independent Evaluation of Canada’s International Assistance Programming in the Philippines (Global Affairs Canada). In addition, BTI consistently integrates the design of M&E systems into the plans it formulates.