VikasAnvesh Foundation (VAF) is an initiative of the Tata Trusts. Mounted in 2016, the initiative was hived off into a separate legal entity in 2017. VAF is now a Company registered under Section 8 of the Indian Companies Act. VAF aims to become a unique center focusing on key development issues faced by various communities and grass roots workers, by conducting high quality and high-intensity research on them and ensuring that the findings are taken up seriously in policy discussions. VAF works with a range of partners across India for identification, characterization, and advancement in such issues.

VAF research has two foci. The first pertains to scanning the environment of the social development situation and identifying hitherto unattended development issues for possible programming by the donors. The second is to explore and understand inadequately understood issues that cut across diverse thematic interventions. VAF primarily aims to contribute to action and practice while simultaneously contributing to knowledge creation. VAF chooses to work on issues concerning the voiceless and the disenfranchised especially the areas which may not be considered research worthy by more conventional research centers and universities. VAF thus focuses on the relevance of research to development fraternity rather than disciplinary or theoretical attributes. VAF expects over time to have a sound publication track but even more importantly expects to influence civil society, donor and Government action on chosen issues.