Despite the economic growth and importance of the Third Sector, research and data about it have remained sparse. The crucial need to overcome this lack of knowledge, in order to base policies pertaining to the Third Sector on reliable facts, rather than on ideology or mere impressions, led to the establishment in 1997 of the Israel Center for Third Sector Research. At the outset ICTR has set four major goals for its operation: Develop policy-relevant knowledge of the nature, structure and societal role of Israel’s Third Sector. Promote the study of the Third Sector and related subjects as a legitimate multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary academic field. Engage in policy analysis on the Third Sector and to make Third Sector issues a focus of the public agenda. Create  a resource center and database on Israel’s Third Sector and to make it available to researchers, policy makers and professionals in the field. Since its inception ICTR is successfully addressing all four of its goals