The Indian Council of Social Science Research, Ministry of Education, Government of India has recognised CMDR with effect from 1991, as one of its national level research institutions with regular funding on matching basis. The Government of Karnataka has also been providing regular grant to CMDR.
The notable national agencies which have sponsored research activities are :
- Aga Khan Foundation, New Delhi
- Akshara Foundation, Bangalore
- American Cancer Society, USA
- Asian Institute of Management Policy Center & International Development Research Centre, Makati City, PHILIPPINES
- Athena Infonomics, Chennai
- Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (RDW&SD) GOK, Karnataka
- Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK), Washington DC, USA
- Central Statistical Organization (CSO), New Delhi, (2007)
- District Child Protection Organization, Gadag
- Department For International Development (DFID), New Delhi
- Department of Planning, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore.
- Department of State Education Research and Training (DSERT), Govt. of Karnataka
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), United Kingdom
- ED CIL’s Technical Support Group New Delhi
- E-Governance, Department of Personal Administrative Reforms, Govt of Karnataka, Bangalore
- European Union, New Delhi
- Foundation Research for Community Health (FRCH), Pune
- GIZ, Germany
- Ecosan Services Foundation (ESF), Pune
- Government of Karnataka, (1998)
- Health Policy Development Network (HELPONET)
- Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
- High Power Committee for Redressal of Regional Imbalances, Govt. of Karnataka
- Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana, New Delhi
- Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, Hubli
- Dutch Programme for Alternative Development, Netherlands
- International Development Research Centre, Canada
- Improving Institutions for pro-poor Growth, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
- Indian Economic Association Trust for Research and Development
- Indian Oil Corporation, Bangalore
- International Growth Centre (IGC), London. U.K.
- International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Srilanka
- Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission (KAPC),
- Karnataka Historical Research Society
- Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigama (KBJNL), Bangalore.
- M.P.Birla Social Science Research Foundation and CMDR
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi
- Ministry of Higher Education, Government of India (formerly Ministry of Human Resource Development (MoHFW))
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, New Delhi
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Mumbai
- National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT),
- National Health Systems Resource Centre, New Delhi (2010)
- National Institute of Educational Planning & Administration, New Delhi,
- Rajiv Gandhi Rural Drinking Water Supply Mission, Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi.
- RITC International Development Research Centre, Canada
- Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Govt. of Karnataka
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan- Karnataka, Govt. of Karnataka
- South Asia Network of Economic Research Institutes (SANEI), Islamabad, Pakisthan
- South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), Nepal
- Sri Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai
- State Planning Board, Govt. of Karnataka
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Hyderabad
- University Manchester, U.K.
- University of California, Berkeley, USA.
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst
- North Carolina University, USA
- Healis Shekhsaria Institute of Public Health (Mumbai) (2005)
- World Bank, New Delhi
- World Wide Fund for Nature
- Zilla Panchayat, Gadag