LIVING ROOTS FOUNDATION
ABOUT
Purpose
The Centre for Policy is a think‑and‑do tank based in Shillong.
It was created because everyday problems in the towns and hills of the North-Eastern region —livelihood insecurity, contested land and resource rights, fragile peace processes, and rapid ecological change—were not being met by distant policy processes.
These gaps demand a different kind of organisation: one that listens first, researches deeply, and builds solutions that can actually be put into practice on the ground.
Why we exist
We believe policy must begin with lived realities. The Northeast sits at a strategic crossroads of cultures and commerce, yet its people routinely face exclusion from national conversations that shape their futures.
The Centre was established to bridge that divide: to translate local knowledge into robust evidence and to bring local voices into national and international decision making.
Approach
We work from the ground up. That means placing affected communities at the centre of design and delivery—whether collaborating to provide a platform for a federation of village organisations in Meghalaya,
co‑designing grassroots programmes which involve youth in climate action, or hosting a panel before international audiences. Combining humility with technical rigour, we aim for solutions that are legitimate locally and feasible at scale.
Partnerships for Impact
We build sustained collaborations with UN agencies, state agencies, civil society networks, and universities.
These relationships let us surface grassroots evidence to national and international decision makers and bring technical resources back into the places that need them most.
Mission
01
Translate evidence into action — convert rigorous research into practical, locally led solutions that drive measurable impact.
02
Empower grassroots actors — build capacities, leadership, and agency among community stakeholders to shape policies that affect their lives.
03
Strengthen social protection — design and support inclusive welfare systems that secure rights, livelihoods and equitable access to services.
04
Conserve ecosystems — protect and sustainably manage the region’s environment through collaborative partnerships and stewardship-led approaches.
WHAT WE DO
01
Legislative drafting and legal design — We help produce clear, implementable statutes, model rules and compliance frameworks for governments
02
Research for legal and human rights processes — We conduct rigorous research and translate findings into formal inputs for legislative bodies, courts and international human rights mechanisms.
03
Capacity building and convening — We design workshops, training and multi‑stakeholder processes that strengthen institutional practice and civic participation.
04
Communications and public engagement — We translate technical material into accessible formats for media, communities and decision‑makers to improve uptake and oversight.
05
Partnerships for impact — We collaborate with local communities, government departments, international agencies and academic partners to pilot, scale and institutionalise solutions.
06
Policy research and advisory — Combine qualitative fieldwork with legal analysis to surface context‑sensitive recommendations that policymakers can adopt quickly.
Funding Transparency
The Centre for Policy is committed to rigorous, impartial research. It relies on targeted project funding from international development agencies, regional climate institutions, and government agencies to sustain our work.
As an independent think tank, the Centre maintains a strict separation between its funding partners and our research outcomes. Robust governance processes safeguard the impartiality of every analysis, recommendation, and programme it delivers.
The Centre does not accept funding from corporations whose core activities contribute to environmental harm. By excluding support from polluting industries, it protects its work from conflicts of interest and uphold the highest standard of integrity.
OUR 6 PRINCIPLES
Ethical Integrity - Accountability - Innovation - Community Impact - Dialogue - Cross-cultural Partnership- Resilience