The "Realizing the Potential of Public Development Banks and Development Finance Institutions for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals”Research Project has five thematically-focused working groups that gathers together 28 researchers from 20 institutions around the world. 

1. Characterization of SDG-Compatible Investments: it aims to review the existing efforts in measuring SDG-compatible development impacts, to analyse pros and cons of alternative approaches, if any, and to explore the feasibility of DFIs to screen their portfolios and decision-making process to make SDG-compatible investments.

2. Business Models: it aims to examine the appropriate financial instruments, business models and strategies of development banks to meet diverse development needs in countries at different development stages.

3. DFI Governance: it aims to examine the governance structure of DFIs, the determinants of good governance of National Development Banks (NDBs), and the relationship between governance and performance of NDBs.

4. Financial Regulation of DFIs: it aims to examine the impacts of financial regulation on financing amounts and patterns. It also explores what can be done so that financial regulation do not constrain DFIs' role of supporting structural transformation in a sustainable and equitable manner, while ensuring financial stability and soundness.

5. Global Development Finance Architecture: it aims at addressing the basic research question of why DFIs are essential actors in the global finance architecture, with a particular focus on: What justifies government action in financial systems? What are comparative advantages of DFIs compared with alternative options of government intervention? How could the role of DFIs be adjusted to different stages of development?