Clavis Research Consultancy

The Research Partner
That Stays Until The Work Is Done.

From evidence generation to programme design, implementation, and evaluation, Clavis manages the complete research cycle for NGOs, development organisations, governments, businesses, and international funders tackling the world's most complex challenges.

Commission Research See What We Do
20
Years of international research and strategy experience our team brings across four continents
150+
Organisations, businesses and programmes our team has supported globally
UN
Research produced by members of our team has been cited at the United Nations Human Rights Committee, Geneva

We do not hand you a report and walk away. We stay in the room for the whole cycle.

What We Do

Research with Consequence

We work across the full spectrum of research and programme development. From the first evidence question to the final evaluation that tells you whether it worked, we manage it all. Hover each service to see more.

01

Research and Evidence Generation

We design and execute research that produces evidence you can act on. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches applied to the full range of contexts where rigorous evidence is needed to make decisions, secure funding, and demonstrate impact.

  • Baseline studies and needs assessments
  • Environmental and social impact research
  • Market intelligence and sector analysis
  • Water, infrastructure and environmental systems research
  • Health systems and public health research
  • Composite index and measurement instrument construction
  • Financial sector and banking research
  • Feasibility and viability studies
  • Data science and computational analysis
  • Agricultural and rural development research
02

Programme Design and Development

We translate evidence into programmes, strategies, and frameworks. Whether you are an NGO building a community intervention, a business developing a CSI programme, or a government agency designing policy, we connect research findings to fundable, implementable action.

  • Theory of change and logical framework development
  • Social impact programme design
  • Business case and investment rationale development
  • CSI programme architecture
  • Policy framework development
  • Product and service development research
  • New market entry and feasibility analysis
  • Strategic roadmaps grounded in data
  • Community development programme design
  • Innovation and R&D scoping frameworks
03

Implementation, M&E and R&D

We stay through delivery. Our monitoring, evaluation, and applied research and development work provides the evidence infrastructure that makes programmes, businesses, and policies accountable, improvable, and ready for the next iteration.

  • Monitoring and evaluation frameworks and systems
  • Midterm and endline evaluations
  • Impact reporting for funders and boards
  • Corporate sustainability and ESG reporting research
  • Independent programme assessments
  • Return on investment and SROI studies
  • Technology and innovation assessment
  • Continuous improvement frameworks
  • Applied R&D for product and programme development
  • Longitudinal research and tracking studies
Who We Work With

Built for Organisations Doing the Hardest Work

If your challenge crosses disciplines, sectors, or borders and requires more than a generic report, Clavis is built for you.

NGOs and INGOs
International Funders
Development Organisations
Government and Public Sector
Private Sector and CSI
Universities and Research Institutes
Social Enterprises
Net Zero Programmes
SDG-Aligned Initiatives
2030 Agenda Programmes
Paris Agreement Programmes
Climate Adaptation and Resilience
WASH Programmes
Circular Economy Initiatives
Health Systems and Public Health
Education and Skills Development
Infrastructure and Urban Development
Financial Inclusion and Fintech
Biodiversity and Conservation
Disaster Risk Reduction
Child and Youth Programmes
Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion
Corporate Sustainability and ESG
Humanitarian Response
Our Model

The Complete Research Cycle

Most organisations touch one piece of this. Clavis does all of it, and the connections between the stages are where the real value is created.

01

Evidence Generation

Primary research, data collection, environmental and systems analysis, and the measurement instruments that make the problem legible and the solution defensible.

02

Programme Design

Theory of change, intervention architecture, and logical frameworks grounded in what the evidence actually shows, built to meet funder standards.

03

Implementation Support

Research-informed support during delivery, ensuring fidelity to the evidence base as real-world conditions evolve and decisions need to be made on incomplete information.

04

M&E and Impact

Monitoring, evaluation, and impact measurement that answers the question funders and boards actually need answered, not just the question that is easy to ask.

05

R&D and Iteration

The applied research that turns evaluation findings into the next generation of the programme, the product, or the policy. The cycle continues and compounds.

The cycle is continuous. Every evaluation generates new evidence. Every new evidence base enables better programme design. Organisations that stay in the cycle improve faster than those that treat research as a one-off activity.

How We Work

Four Principles. No Exceptions.

◆

Rigour

Every study is documented, every methodological decision is justified, and every output is built to a standard that allows independent verification. We work to international research standards because our clients need to be able to defend what we produce.

○

Reach

Our team has worked in more than 20 countries across four continents. Context is not a footnote in our research, it is the analysis. We understand that the same question produces entirely different answers depending on where and for whom it is being asked.

△

Relevance

Research that does not change decisions is an expense. Every engagement we take on is designed around the specific decision it must inform, for a funder, a board, a government department, or a programme team. We ask that question before we design a single research activity.

■

Responsibility

We take the ethical obligations of research seriously, particularly research involving marginalised populations, sensitive topics, and contexts where the stakes of getting it wrong extend well beyond an academic correction.

Our Research

Published and Forthcoming Work

Clavis is committed to research that contributes to the academic literature as well as to the organisations and communities it serves.

Featured Publication 2025

From Pilot to Instrument: The Sri Lanka LGBT Stigma and Discrimination Index

Available on Zenodo (Open Access) Submitted to Social Indicators Research (Springer) Kemone S-G Brown, Clavis Research Consultancy

The first validated composite index of LGBT stigma and discrimination in Sri Lanka, grounded in minority stress theory and OECD/JRC composite indicator methodology. A 2012 baseline instrument designed for longitudinal replication.

The SLSDI is a four-domain composite instrument built from the 2012 EQUAL GROUND national data. It produces a baseline score of 32.05 (Moderate band) that is stable across five weighting scenarios and designed for longitudinal replication. It is the first measurement instrument of its kind for Sri Lanka, and its methodology is directly applicable to any country where the stigma measurement gap exists.

32.05
2012 Baseline Score
4
Measurement Domains
119
Study Participants
64
Countries Where Methodology Applies
Access Preprint and Scoring Workbook
Our Team

The People Behind the Research

Our team brings together expertise in engineering, mathematical sciences, data science, banking, business analysis, and international research, a combination that allows us to take on research problems that cross disciplines, sectors, and geographies.

Kelebogile Tshabalala
Kelebogile Tshabalala
Chief Executive Officer

Strategic leadership, business direction, and institutional partnerships. Drives Clavis's growth and long-term positioning across sectors and geographies.

Kemone S-G Brown
Kemone S-G Brown
Head of Research

Nearly 20 years of international research experience. Mathematical sciences, data science, human rights, and M&E across four continents. Research cited at the United Nations.

Woudine Diergaardt
Woudine Diergaardt
Project Manager

With a background in civil engineering and operations, she brings systematic, process-driven project delivery to every research engagement from inception to final reporting.

Sada Mawisa
Sada Mawisa
Research and Data Analyst

Mathematical Technology, Data Science, Banking, and Business Analysis. Quantitative depth across research, financial, and commercial contexts.

Commission Research

Bring Us Your Most Complex Challenge.

We work with NGOs, governments, businesses, and international organisations that need more than a report. Bring us your problem and we will tell you honestly whether we can help, how we would approach it, and what it will take.

info@clavisrc.co.za
292 Surrey Avenue, 1st Floor Ferndale, Randburg, South Africa, 2194
Registered in South Africa. Operating internationally.
We conduct research in any country, in person and remotely, wherever the work needs to be done. All research is produced in English.
All enquiries receive a response within 48 hours
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