Governance Innovation for Security and Development (GISD) is a collaborative project that seeks solutions to the challenges of supporting governance in fragile environments.

GISD aims to develop a framework to promote peace and well-being through good governance—provision of essential services, political moderation and accountability, stewardship of state resources, and civic participation and empowerment.  GISD researchers address current issues and trends in stability sectors—social well-being, promotion of safe and secure environments, stable governance, rule of law, sustainable economies and infrastructure, and homeland integration—and the competencies needed when the military is called upon to support to civilians in those sectors.  GISD invites the international development community, including scholars and practitioners, to develop improved analytic methodologies and technological tools for the study and promotion of good governance.

GISD is funded by a government grant to support professionalization of the civil affairs community. The Principal Investigator is Professor Karen Guttieri from the Global Public Policy Academic Group of the Naval Postgraduate School.