Foreign aid has played a prominent role in Sri Lanka’s development strategies since independence. In recent years, however, South-South Cooperation has increased its significance through flows from China and India in particular. This project, through a series of case studies, compares the institutional and governance frameworks currently in place for development projects based on North-South (NSC) and South-South Cooperation (SSC). The case studies suggest that SSC initiatives have successfully emulated useful features of institutional structures in NCS projects. Getting local/beneficiary buy-in, establishing partnerships at the correct level of government and leveraging existing networks for project implementing agencies are three features that should be adopted by prospective SSC donors to ensure successful implementation of projects.