Over the years, the number of researchers working at CBR has grown from 8 founding members to more than 32.

CBR recruits researchers from all walks of life, including institutions of higher learning, the media, government and non governmental organizations and the business community. Researchers join particular research programs on the basis of experience (academic and practical) and area of interest.

Originally all researchers at CBR were part-time with most of them resident in some private or public organizations such as universities. A bigger number of the researchers affiliated to CBR, are Ph.D. holders.Others have Masters degrees and only two have Bachelors degrees.

The recruitment process has gone through two phases. Initially new researchers were recruited through identification of brilliant individuals in a founder member's class at Makerere University. Others were recruited through public seminars and discussions. Beginning with 1997 CBR initiated a new policy of recruiting researchers through advertisement and interviews.

A researcher's affiliation to CBR is linked to specific research projects. While such a researcher is not salaried, CBR pays the cost of research and provides a stipend in the form of a monthly honorarium to cover part of the subsistence for the duration of the project.

Researchers enjoy autonomy and flexibility, and through peer review of their research work and the possibility of a scholarship to pursue further studies, they are able to develop their career paths while contributing to knowledge of societal significance.