USAID and Open Standards
October 8, 2014
Cynthia Gill
Director
USAID Office of Forestry and Biodiversity
Photo credit: Matt Erdman, 2014
Biodiversity @ USAID
• USAID is a development agency whose mission is to: Partner
to end extreme poverty and to promote resilient, democratic
societies while advancing our security and prosperity
• USAID invests over $210 million/year in biodiversity
conservation
• Increased focus on combating wildlife trafficking, anticipate $40
million investment FY14
• New Biodiversity Policy 2014, two goals:
– Conserve biodiversity in priority places
– Integrate biodiversity as an essential component of human
development
USAID and CMP
• Extensive, fertile debate and
discussion of priorities among
partners and USAID
• Conflicting terms and processes
• Came together between 19992002 to develop the Open
Standards across institutions
Photo credit: Matt Erdman, 2014
Why Open Standards?
• Approaches not analysis
• Assumptions rather than
measurement
• Narrow foci
• Lack of agreement on
funder/implementer goals
Photo credit: Matt Erdman, 2014
Moving Toward…
• Strategic analysis and
design
• Integrated programs (with
appropriate expertise)
• Adaptive management
• Quantitative evidence &
impact evaluation
Photo credit: Matt Erdman, 2014
Early Adaptive Management @ USAID
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2002-2013
Simple version of Open Standards
Applied approach to USAID/Washington programs
Promoted through
– a Biodiversity Handbook for all USAID biodiversity staff
– Mandatory trainings
– Technical assistance
• Main focus on identifying conservation targets, threats,
and aligning programs with these priorities in an
analytical manner
• Some focus on monitoring and evaluation
Next Gen Adaptive Management @ USAID
• Mapping USAID Program Cycle to Open Standards
• Situation models, Theories of Change, metrics
• Direct support through Measuring Impact contract to
missions with extensive workshops for missions/partners
• Working with Policy bureau and testing Open Standards for
broader Agency use across sectors
Measuring Impact Results to Date
• Helping 9 USAID Missions apply the Biodiversity Code,
using conceptual models, theories of change, and indicators
to inform systematic learning
• Improving implementation of conservation approaches by
establishing cross-Mission learning programs around shared
TOCs
• Developing evidence for the contribution of biodiversity to
good development outcomes in health and climate
adaptation
• For each of these areas developing for use by Missions:
– Guidance materials
– Training modules
– Evidence
Example: CARPE TOCs
• Identify clear and common interventions across landscapes
and policy
• Link interventions to impact—and articulate assumptions
• Define common indicators across partners, and better link
monitoring to impact
• Articulate the relationship between on the ground program
and policy program—in theory and in M&E
• Get everyone on the same page—USAID, partners, other
USG
Opportunities and Challenges
Opportunities:
• Power of conceptual modelling, especially beyond
sector
• Context for indicators—towards actual M&E
Challenges:
• Time-intensive
• Process as
product
• Selling the
investment to
management
Photo credit: Matt Erdman, 2014
Thank You!
Cynthia Gill: cgill@usaid.gov
Two Similar Processes: USAID Program
Cycle & CMP Open Standards
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