COLLABORATING, LEARNING AND ADAPTING. USAID/Ukraine is committed to obtaining stakeholder input to our activities, coordinating all implementing partners’ efforts for greater efficiency and effectiveness, and measuring high-level indicators in an effort to apply the following Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning objectives: • Evaluate the level of collaboration with other USG and other donor-supported programs (e.g., World Bank, GFATM, Other Bilateral donors, UN agencies in Ukraine) and improve synergies. • Use lessons learned to strengthen management systems and activity implementation. • Provide recommendations and improvement to adapt current activities and follow-on programs. To facilitate coordination, USAID/Ukraine may convene semiannual meetings with the contractor and a wider group of stakeholders which may include sharing of summary annual work-plans, bi-annual progress reports, best practices, and challenges. The contractor is required to attend the above mentioned meetings unless directed otherwise by the COR. Active outreach, knowledge sharing and dissemination efforts are crucial for achievements of the activity objectives and purpose.
COLLABORATING, LEARNING AND ADAPTING. USAID uses an approach called Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) to achieve better development results. This approach involves strategic collaboration, systematic and continuous learning, and adaptive management. CLA asks: ➢ Do you take the time to think critically about your work? ➢ Are you strategic in who you collaborate with, what you’re learning: and ➢ Do you use those learnings to change accordingly? While CLA is not a new approach, these practices often do not occur regularly, are not systematic, and not deliberate. CLA is not a different work stream or done for its own sake. It’s a different way of approaching activity design and making implementation as effective as possible to maximize development impact. Strong CLA practices vary with organizational culture, project contexts, and their enabling environments. CLA practices need to be tailored where investments at different levels of the health sector and the enabling environment are implemented by different implementing partners. The Contractor can achieve this intentionality by identifying knowledge gaps in their activity’s theory of change or by filling gaps in the evidence that designers used when creating the activity. The intentionality may be achieved by creating and taking opportunities for stakeholders to track progress, discuss challenges, opportunities, and changes in context. Another opportunity to be intentional emerges as collaboration opportunities are created or required, especially if USAID/Ethiopia or Washington stakeholders get involved. ADS 201.3.4.10.B describes potential approaches to CLA that include, but are not limited to: ➢ Having partners identify knowledge gaps in the theory of change for their activity or in their technical knowledge base and supporting them in identifying and implementing ways to fill these gaps; ➢ Planning for and engaging in regular opportunities for partners to reflect on progress, such as partner meetings, portfolio reviews, and after-action reviews. These opportunities may focus on challenges and successes in implementation to date, changes in the operating environment or context that could affect programming, opportunities to better collaborate or influence other actors, and/or other relevant topics; ➢ Encouraging or requiring partners under a project to collaborate, where relevant. Collaboration activities may include joint work planning, regular partner meetings that facilitate knowledge sharing, and/or working groups organized along g...
COLLABORATING, LEARNING AND ADAPTING. 5.1 SADES-K CLA Agenda In keeping with FHI 360’s best practice of incorporating CLA core principles into XXX systems, SADES-K’s AMELP is structured to promote learning and adapting by: creating a learning environment and inclusive team; fostering open dialogue; responsiveness to feedback; and, willingness to work with others. XXXXX-X will employ an adaptive management approach throughout the life of the activity. This CLA approach will support SADES-K in utilizing the evidence base at its disposal in decision-making and course correcting activities. SADES-K will xxxxxx both an internal and external-facing CLA culture to enable stakeholders to identify critical points to collaborate. To capture, analyze, and generate lessons learned and actionable items from the feedback and information elicited during the forums and learning events, SADES-K will implement specific CLA activities as highlighted below. The program will ensure that initiatives complement similar efforts by USAID and others to avoid duplication. Moreover, mechanisms will be designed to ensure that the SADES-K team, local partners, and USAID have regular access to program learning, and the ability to adapt as needed. This will increase SADES-K stakeholders’ ability to make use of opportunities and address challenges in a dynamic operation environment and thereby maximize impact. External-Facing CLA. This approach will ensure the participation of, and information- sharing with, SADES-K’s broader stakeholder group with representation from civil society, the media, the LOB, and the government. The goal of these activities is to share best practices and lessons learned amongst grantees while fostering a sense of collaboration between them. This will allow grantees to remain agile in their implementation, while maximizing the outcomes of their activities. Additionally, sharing CLA findings with the donor will help to inform USG priorities, funding allocations, as well as future USG-GoK dialogue. Internal-Facing CLA. To promote knowledge-sharing and collaboration, XXXXX-K’s XXX team will work directly with the program staff each day to ensure that learning leads to evidence-based decision making and agile programming. Additionally, a system of feedback loops will be developed to facilitate the reporting of XXX findings to the SADES-K implementation staff. Findings from internal CLA activities will help improve data utilization and real-time learning for increased programmatic outcomes and impacts ove...
