This week, I worked more closely with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women's strategic and partnership initiatives. I researched WE-Fi project by the EBRD and World Bank, examining their research, reporting structures, metrics, and potential areas for collaboration. I also conducted due diligence on potential donors and partners, including reviewing sanctions, regulatory issues, and public controversies, and mapped potential donor connections and organizations. These projects pushed me to think beyond collecting information and identify what information was actually relevant to a potential partnership.

Initially, I approached partnership research as an information-gathering exercise. However, I realized that simply knowing what an organization does is less useful than understanding where its priorities overlap with the Foundation's unique capabilities and where there are gaps that the Foundation could fill. In the future, I would approach similar projects by defining the strategic question first and researching it specifically.

The values of determined and curious were most visible this week. I had to investigate organizations from multiple angles and look beyond the most obvious information. I also exhibited character, as judgment was especially important during due diligence. Researching potential partners required taking a neutral and analytical position.

This week showed me that research can have consequences beyond the immediate project. A recommendation about a potential partner can affect the Foundation's reputation, resources, and relationships in the long term. I therefore became more aware of the responsibility involved in presenting information objectively and distinguishing verified facts from interpretations.

In the future, I will frame strategic research around a specific decision rather than simply trying to be comprehensive. I want to make my research more actionable by clearly identifying the implication of each finding.