This article examines the proliferation of civil society organizations in India that engage in applied budget research. The authors argue that budget work in India has not reached its potential, primarily because budget groups — like other civil society organizations in the country — have paid insufficient attention to documentation and dissemination strategies and their linkages with broader civil society organizations. This has limited their interaction with the media, academics, and policy makers, weakening their impact. The authors suggest that budget advocacy can be strengthened through the creation of a network of civil society organizations engaged in both budget work and social action.
