We are proud to announce that we have entered into an SBA-approved Mentor-Protégé Agreement with the Panagora Group. Together we will leverage our shared passion for turning evidence into action to grow, expand our work and impact with USAID, and help improve SDVOSB utilization at USAID.
CategoriesBlog PostAnnouncing the New Building Evidence for Decision-Making (BE4D) Program We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Building Evidence for Decision-Making (BE4D) program earlier this year, a ten-year initiative designed to advance evidence-based decision-making across USAID operating units and global Missions. This program is housed within USAID’s Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation (IPI) and […]
Evaluating Humanitarian Response in Rapid Onset Crises: The Power of Pre-Positioning Research When it comes to evaluating humanitarian programming and emergency responses, we have a conundrum. The urgency of humanitarian response is widely thought to be at odds with lengthy evaluation processes. In the case of a rapid-onset humanitarian crisis, such as a natural disaster or armed conflict, setting up […]
The Untapped Potential of Impact Evaluations in Humanitarian Contexts What is the right modality of program delivery? Does anticipatory action prior to a humanitarian emergency have a positive impact on a household’s ability to cope? Which methods are most cost-effective? Which methods lead to the most positive impact on long-term resilience? Are you interested in […]
Over the past twenty years, the use of cash transfers in development and humanitarian interventions has experienced exponential growth. Both evidence and ethics have contributed to its rise. Extensive research has demonstrated how cash transfers can serve as critical lifelines in both acute humanitarian emergencies and more stable development contexts, whilst also providing recipients with […]
USAID released a revised version of its policy on designing and implementing development projects and activities, governed by ADS Chapter 201. This is one of the largest revisions of the ADS in recent years and it includes some significant changes to the way USAID plans to operate its Program Cycle. One single sentence, in particular, stood out to us: All impact evaluations must include a cost-analysis of the intervention or interventions being studied (ADS 201.3.6.4) Economist Kristen Schubert discusses the changes, implications, and challenges for implementing partners…
Armed conflict and other situations of violence can lead to changes in both the formal and informal economic systems in any given country or region. These changes often create what scholars call a “war economy.” In the short term, the consequences of conflict include human casualties and the physical destruction of assets and infrastructure. In […]
The Navajo Nation Context The Navajo Nation is sovereign territory with over 250,000 Navajo people occupying 27,000 square miles of the Colorado Plateau—spanning the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Driving through Diné Bikéyah, or Navajoland, you will see stunning southwestern landscapes rich with a cultural history sacred to the Diné people. What you […]
CategoriesBlog PostCOVID-19 is proving calamitous, with over 250,000 deaths globally, including 70,000 deaths within the United States, and 50,000 across the continent of Africa. Its economic impact is in the never-before-seen realm, and uncertainty, even amid talk of ‘opening up,’ is growing, as new hot spots emerge and as everything from schools to professional sports contemplate next-steps.
Among the outcomes up in the air? State-society relations, everywhere, with long-term, potentially generational implications for the trajectory of post-pandemic health, development and prosperity.
CategoriesBlog PostThere is little about COVID-19 that is clear right now. It has torn through countries, though at varying rates. Death rates have varied, and as time has passed, initial assumptions about who is affected have been shredded, as even young, healthy people have succumbed to the disease. The uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 has been a challenge for everyone, whether a small business owner or public policy expert.
