U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council (OCDC) brings together ten organizations committed to building a more prosperous world through cooperatives. Its mission is to champion, advocate, and promote effective international cooperative development. The International Cooperative Research Group (ICRG) is a division of OCDC, and its purpose is to develop evidence and create knowledge about effective cooperative development in developing countries. Its research is focused on issues related to the impact and effectiveness of cooperatives in developing countries and emerging markets. The ICRG designs, directly undertakes, and partners with academic and practitioner organizations and experts to carry out rigorous research that helps to bridge the gap between theory and practice.