Social Impact, Inc.

12/22/2022

How to Support Secondary School Transitions: Social Impact-led Study under the USAID Middle East Education, Research, and Training Support (MEERS) Contract - Social Impact

How to support secondary school transitions? A recent study conducted by SI examines the question from five thematic areas: career guidance, including marginalized youth, skills development, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability and scaling.
Learn about career services and interventions supporting young people in the Middle East and North Africa successfully transition through (and beyond) their secondary school years in this lessons learned blog about a USAID-funded study lead by Dr. Amy Porter at Social Impact.

Social Impact conducted the Secondary School Transitions Study, which was commissioned by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Middle East Bureau in August of 2021. The aim was to investigate what has been done, and what is yet needed, to prepare secondary school-aged youth

12/22/2022

PSC Elects New Board Members and Executive Committee Leadership

NEWS: Professional Services Council Elects New Board Members and appoints Social Impact’s President and CEO, Shiro Gnanaselvam, to its Board of Directors:

PSC elected its 2023 Board Officers, along with 11 new Board members for three-year terms and six new Executive Committee members for one-year terms during its Board of Directors meeting on December 15, 2022.

12/15/2022

Moving the Needle on Local Ownership in USAID/Vietnam Programming - Social Impact

Local ownership is vital to sustainability and long-term success in Development, but how do we get there? SI's Learns has been supporting USAID/Vietnam in its push for locally-led efforts. The team designed a spectrum to measure progress and set up projects for success in growing toward local leadership. Check out part 1 of 2 in this blog series, where Learns' Monalisa Salib introduces the localization spectrum and offers examples of its use in the design and procurement phases of the Program Cycle. Learn more here:

Development requires local ownership for long-term success and sustainability. We all know this, and if we’re being honest, we also all know it is a struggle. We wanted to help USAID and partners push a little bit more to get to greater local ownership; so much is already happening, but can we ma

12/08/2022

Social Impact Celebrates 8-Years of MEL Support to USAID in the Asia Region - Social Impact

In September, Social Impact capped off 8 years of work under the Asia Learning and M&E Support (ALME) IDIQ for USAID - US Agency for International Development. SI's efforts provided 161 services in support of USAID and strategic partners in the Asia region and spanned 10 development sectors. Read more about the details of the work and what we learned through this partnership here:

From September 2014-September 2022, Social Impact (SI) provided critical monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) and advisory services to USAID through the Asia Learning and M&E Support Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract. As the sole holder of the IDIQ, issued by the USA

11/29/2022

Supporting Localization Through Learning Communities - Social Impact

Continuing the draft USAID - US Agency for International Development Policy Framework series, Maria Huerta from USAID/Mexico’s Civil Society Activity (CSA) and SI’s Elise Storck examine sustainability more closely and describe how multi-sector Learning Communities can advance localization. Read about lessons learned from CSA’s experience promoting localization and sustainability:

Blogs One and Two of this series noted how the draft USAID Localization Policy Framework provides opportunities to improve Program Cycle processes for sustained local ownership. This blog examines sustainability more closely and describes how multi-sector Learning Communities can advance localizatio

11/22/2022

Reframing Developmental Evaluation Cost Concerns - Social Impact

Donor and evaluation communities can often perceive developmental evaluations (DEs) as expensive. Cost was one of three frequently cited reasons for funders deciding against a DE, according to a study of all DEs conducted by USAID between 2010 and 2020. However, an examination of what stakeholders believe DE’s value to be, rather than its cost, reframes this approach as often cost-effective, worthwhile -- and for some programs -- indispensable.

Learn more about how reframing the conversation about cost around DE’s value introduces critical factors and ultimately enables funders and practitioners to make better-informed decisions about what type of evaluation fits their program’s needs in this blog previously published with USAID’s Learning Lab by Chris Thompson.

Developmental evaluation (DE) can be perceived as expensive within the donor and evaluation communities.[1] In fact, a study of all DEs conducted by USAID between 2010 and 2020 found cost was one of three frequently cited reasons for funders deciding against performing such an evaluation. However, a

11/21/2022

Join Social Impact on December 13, 2022 for a webinar introducing the CLA Maturity Tool for Implementing Partners. This webinar is part of Social Impact’s Evidence for Impact webinar series and will feature Social Impact presenters Monalisa Salib and Jessica Ziegler. Additionally, the webinar will feature guest speakers Lauren Hinthorne from USAID’S CLA team, Brian Bean from Winrock International, and Van Anh Nguyen from FHI360.

The Collaborating, Learning & Adapting (CLA) Maturity Tool has been used by USAID operating units since 2015. The tool enables staff to self-assess their current CLA practice and plan ways to improve their internal and external collaboration, organizational learning efforts, and adaptive management practices. Recently, we built on this resource to create the CLA Maturity Tool for implementing partners (IPs) to provide a version that speaks more directly to the experience of international and local organizations.

Come learn more about this new version of the CLA Maturity Tool. You will hear more about the original USAID tool, how we updated it, and experiences from two partners who have used it. You will also experience it for yourself.

Space is limited so register below http://ow.ly/bXGW50LK4Eu

11/17/2022

We’re proud to be a Sponsor for the 2022 Annual Dinner hosted by the recently rebranded Society for International Development, United States! The evening will include a networking reception, a sit-down dinner, and remarks from Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the recipient of the SID-US Award for Outstanding Leadership in International Development. Looking forward to connecting with friends, colleagues, and partners working in the field!

11/09/2022

We’re proud to partner with to support the five-year USAID/Honduras Monitoring & Evaluation Support for Collaborative Learning & Adapting (MESCLA) 2.0 Activity. The project will provide USAID/Honduras with project/activity evaluation, performance monitoring, and learning assistance to inform activity design and strategy development under the Mission’s new Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2020-2025. The Activity will also track and analyze migration flows to respond to pivotal USG foreign policy priorities as they arise. Read more here: http://ow.ly/5P1p50LzaC1

11/02/2022

Introducing the Theory of Change Workbook: A Practical Guide for Making Theories of Change Locally-Driven and Context-Specific - Social Impact

When we posted the theory of change workbook to USAID Learning Lab, it was the site's most viewed resource of all time.

Given that interest, Social Impact is hosting a webinar titled “Introducing the Theory of Change Workbook: A Practical Guide for Making Theories of Change Locally-Driven and Context-Specific” on Wednesday, November 16th from 8:30 am-10:00 am EST as part of its Evidence for Impact Series. This webinar will explore how to create stronger theories of change that are locally-driven and context-specific.

In this webinar, Monalisa Salib from Social Impact will take you through a five-step process for theory of change development and Keith Symington of IUCN will provide a real-world example from a Vietnam coastal conservation program. Participants will be exposed to a practical how-to theory of change workbook created under the USAID Learns contract in Vietnam.

If you would like to learn more about this webinar and how to register to attend, please use the link below:

Date: November 16th, 8:30am -10:00am EDT Panelists: Monalisa Salib (Deputy Chief of Party, USAID Learns in Vietnam, Social Impact) and Keith Symington (Technical Specialist, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Vietnam) Theories of Change are foundational to program desig

11/01/2022

Reframing Developmental Evaluation Cost Concerns | USAID Learning Lab

What is the value of a Developmental Evaluation (DE)? SI's Chris Thompson breaks down the perceptions around the costs of DEs and reframes the conversation to center the impact and benefit to stakeholders in this blog for USAID Learning Lab. Read more here:

Developmental evaluation (DE) can be perceived as expensive within the donor and evaluation communities.[1] In fact, a study of all DEs conducted by USAID between 2010 and 2020 found cost was one of three frequently cited reasons for funders deciding against performing such an evaluation.

10/26/2022

Social Impact Completes Five-Year Middle East Education Research, Training, and Support (MEERS) Activity - Social Impact

SI recently closed a five-year initiative working with USAID - US Agency for International Development’s Middle East Bureau to conduct 28 multi-country research and technical support activities in the Middle East and North Africa region. The Middle East Education Research, Training, and Support (MEERS) activity was designed to improve the quality of education and increase accessibility in the region and supported strategic thinking for professional development and education programming.

Learn more about the focal areas and tasks that took place under MEERS here:

Social Impact, Inc. (SI) worked with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Middle East Bureau to conduct a variety of multi-country research and technical support activities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The Middle East Education Research, Training, and

10/18/2022

Impact Series: Combatting Online Sexual Exploitation of Children in the Philippines - Social Impact

In the past decade, internet access in the Philippines has increased from 25 percent to 50 percent. While global connectivity has provided staggering benefits, the Philippines has also emerged in recent years as a hotspot for a related phenomenon—the Online Sexual Exploitation of Children.

Through a baseline study to identify gaps in case data collection, investigator coordination, and child trauma reduction measures, SI assisted the Child Protection Compact in targeting its countertrafficking programming. Learn more about how our evaluation team’s work helped instigate institutional change in the Philippines:

The Problem From 2010 to 2020, internet pe*******on in the Philippines grew explosively, from 25 percent to 50 percent of the population. While global connectivity has provided staggering benefits, the Philippines has also emerged in recent years as a hotspot for a related phenomenon—the Online Se...

10/12/2022

Social Impact to Support USAID/Liberia Data, Evaluation, Learning, and Technical Assistance - Social Impact

Following the 2021 closeout of our five-year monitoring and evaluation support program in Liberia, SI is thrilled to continue our mission of advancing development effectiveness in Liberia with the award of the USAID - US Agency for International Development/Liberia Data, Evaluation, Learning, and Technical Assistance (DELTA) activity in partnership with IBI. Read more:

Following the 2021 closeout of our five-year monitoring and evaluation support program in Liberia, Social Impact (SI) is thrilled to continue our mission of advancing development effectiveness in Liberia with the award of the USAID/Liberia Data, Evaluation, Learning, and Technical Assistance (DELTA)

10/11/2022

Sustaining Learning Organizations: The Role of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) and Organizational Development (OD) - Social Impact

In case you missed it, don’t forget to register for tomorrow’s Evidence for Impact Webinar to join our dialogic CLA-OD discussion on enhancing local ownership! Learn more and register here:

Dates: September 21st, 9:00 -10:30am EDT -- How do CLA and OD reinforce each other? October 12th, 9:00 -10:30am EDT -- How can CLA and OD be combined to enhance local ownership? Panelists for first webinar: Reena Nadler (CLA Practice Lead, USAIDPPL/LER) and Dr. Salman Jaffer (Senior

10/04/2022

Sustaining Learning Organizations: The Role of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) and Organizational Development (OD) - Social Impact

Social Impact invites you to participate in part two of our dialogic discussion on Sustaining Learning Organizations: The Role of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) and Organizational Development (OD).

Join our subsequent Evidence for Impact Webinar on October 12. Our experts will explore how CLA and OD can be combined to enhance local ownership.

Learn more about this webinar and how to register here:

Dates: September 21st, 9:00 -10:30am EDT -- How do CLA and OD reinforce each other? October 12th, 9:00 -10:30am EDT -- How can CLA and OD be combined to enhance local ownership? Panelists for first webinar: Reena Nadler (CLA Practice Lead, USAIDPPL/LER) and Dr. Salman Jaffer (Senior

09/27/2022

Learning from PPR Key Issue Narratives - Social Impact

Key Issue Narratives (KINs) are often an overlooked tool across USAID’s learning and engagement process. SI’s Laura Ahearn and Eric Keys from USAID’s Digital Strategy team describe what KINs are, the valuable insights they carry, and how the Digital Strategy team has leveraged KINs for the implementation of USAID's Digital Strategy. Learn more about how to capitalize this underutilized resource for learning and decision making.

What Are Key Issue Narratives? Key Issue Narratives (KINs) are an underutilized resource for learning and engagement across USAID. As part of the required annual Operational Plan (OP) and Performance Plan and Report (PPR) reporting process, KINs consist of narratives submitted by USAID operating un

09/23/2022

CLA for Evaluation Use: The Case for Stakeholder Engagement | USAID Learning Lab

The 2022 USAID CLA Case Competition winners are in! We are proud to announce our participation in a winning CLA case study. In collaboration with USAID, Social Impact’s evaluation team designed and conducted participatory stakeholder workshops to develop more actionable evaluation recommendations and catalyze evaluation use. Learn more here:

This case fits in the context of USAID prioritizing evidence

09/21/2022

Implementing the New USAID Policy Framework, Part 2 - Social Impact

In the second part of the two-part series on Implementing the Policy Framework, we reflect on guiding questions at each stage of the Program Cycle that can support localization efforts. Read more about how to help ensure we live into the USAID Policy Framework’s principle:

Part 1 of this blog series described how the draft USAID Policy Framework provides opportunities to strengthen Program Cycle processes for greater inclusion and results. That blog, available here, pointed out that an original Program Cycle principle was “Promote Sustainability through Local Owners...

09/12/2022

Sustaining Learning Organizations: The Role of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) and Organizational Development (OD) - Social Impact

Continuing our Evidence for Impact Webinar Series, Social Impact invites you to join the first of our two-part discussion on “Sustaining Learning Organizations: The Role of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) and Organizational Development (OD).”

On September 21st from 9:00am-10:30am EDT, our experts will explore how CLA and OD reinforce each other.

Learn more about this webinar and how to register here:

Dates: September 21st, 9:00 -10:30am EDT -- How do CLA and OD reinforce each other? October 12th, 9:00 -10:30am EDT -- How can CLA and OD be combined to enhance local ownership? Panelists for first webinar: Reena Nadler (CLA Practice Lead, USAIDPPL/LER) and Dr. Salman Jaffer (Senior

09/07/2022

Localization and the Future of Evaluation - Social Impact

As localization efforts ramp up in the international development space, we are proud to spearhead discussions with local MEL actors leading these power-shifting initiatives. SI’s Danielle de Garcia moderated the Localization and the Future of Evaluation Town Hall on August 4, engaging five panelists, implementers, and funders, to discuss the implications of shifting to locally led MEL and how that could re-shape evaluation more broadly.

Through the AEA 365 blog series, evaluators shared experiences and tools to shift power across the evaluation cycle.

To view the full recording of the webinar, visit this link:

Localization and the Future of Evaluation Thursday, August 4, 2:00 p.m. EDT Moderator: Danielle de Garcia, Vice President, Strategy, Performance and Learning, Social Impact Panelists: David Ameyaw, President/CEO of International Center for Evaluation and Development Amanda Satterwhite,

09/07/2022

Implementing the New USAID Policy Framework, Part 1 - Social Impact

USAID’s new draft Policy Framework provides opportunities to strengthen Program Cycle processes for greater inclusion and results, but it’s not the first time USAID has promoted localization.

“By optimizing Program Cycle processes – recasting them as opportunities rather than burdensome tasks – we can realize gains in localization and capacity development that have been on the development agenda for decades,” writes Elise Storck, Vice President and Senior Technical Advisor at SI.

In part one of the two-part series on implementing the new USAID Policy Framework, Elise interrogates each point in the Program Cycle to demonstrate how to expand the decision-making process to include key local players. Learn more: http://ow.ly/LB1b50KCR6N

The draft USAID Policy Framework provides opportunities to strengthen Program Cycle processes for greater inclusion and results. It’s time that we apply the lessons learned from 60+ years of development programming to deliver on localization. These lessons reflect: Benefits of local involvement

08/30/2022

USAID/Vietnam Learns' Framework for Stronger Locally-led Collaboration - Social Impact

According to a recent Vox article "thousands of innovative Global South-led and -based organizations — groups which may be more effective because they understand local context better and interact with local policy actors to make sure effective programs continue after USAID leaves — are not receiving funding because of bureaucratic issues". See this framework developed and being implemented by Social Impact's Vietnam Learns Team that is helping local organizations overcome barriers to entering the USAID market in Vietnam. http://ow.ly/jex050Kw8Nm

Vox article: http://ow.ly/u6wW50Kw95f

According to a recent Vox article, "thousands of innovative Global South-led and -based organizations — groups which may be more effective because they understand local context better and interact with local policy actors to make sure effective programs continue after USAID leaves — are not rece...

08/22/2022

Knowledge Lives in People: Using 'Connect and Reflect' to Learn From Each Other - Social Impact

In a complex organization like USAID, effective knowledge management can be challenging. SI’s Laura Ahearn and Eric Keys from USAID’s Digital Strategy team describe how the Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub’s Technology Division has successfully instituted Connect & Reflect sessions to spur knowledge sharing and collaboration across Digital Strategy initiatives. Learn more about how these sessions create spaces to draw on useful knowledge living inside the minds of implementing staff. http://ow.ly/iUOt50KpMKv

Effective knowledge sharing is critical to the successful functioning of a complex organization like USAID. In the Innovation, Technology, and Research (ITR) Hub (formerly the Global Development Lab) in the Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI) Bureau we strive to be innovative and agile, and

08/11/2022

As localization efforts ramp up in the international development space, we are proud to spearhead discussions with local MEL actors leading these power-shifting initiatives. SI’s Danielle de Garcia moderated the Localization and the Future of Evaluation Town Hall on August 4, engaging five panelists, implementers, and funders, to discuss the implications of shifting to locally led MEL and how that could re-shape evaluation more broadly.

Through the AEA 365 blog series, evaluators shared experiences and tools to shift power across the evaluation cycle. Click to learn more: ow.ly/3Bba50KaCoF

08/03/2022

Localization and the Future of Evaluation

Thursday, August 4, 2:00 p.m. EDT

Moderator:
Danielle de Garcia, Vice President, Strategy, Performance and Learning, Social Impact

Panelists:
David Ameyaw, President/CEO of International Center for Evaluation and Development
Amanda Satterwhite, Senior MEL Specialist for USAID’s Local, Faith, and Transformative Partnerships Hub
Tanya Garnett, Co-Founder for Nunlai Research and Consulting
Jeff Juaquellie, Development Program Specialist for USAID/Liberia
Subarna Mathes, Senior Strategy and Evaluation Officer at the Ford Foundation

Locally-led monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) has been gaining momentum in recent years. While the principles have been around for some time, meaningfully implementing it is a whole other matter. Join us on August 4 for an interactive Town Hall discussing the implications of shifting to locally-led MEL and how that will re-shape evaluation more broadly.

We’ll look to panelists and participants to provide input on the gaps and opportunities of locally-led MEL in development; which will serve as the foundation for a Presidential Strand discussion at Evaluation 2022, taking place later this year.

If you would like to attend this webinar, please register via this link: http://ow.ly/Tyy650KaCoH

08/02/2022

Localization and the Future of Evaluation

Thursday, August 4, 2:00 p.m. EDT

Moderator:
Danielle de Garcia, Vice President, Strategy, Performance and Learning, Social Impact

Panelists:
David Ameyaw, President/CEO of International Center for Evaluation and Development
Amanda Satterwhite, Senior MEL Specialist for USAID’s Local, Faith, and Transformative Partnerships Hub
Tanya Garnett, Co-Founder for Nunlai Research and Consulting
Jeff Juaquellie, Development Program Specialist for USAID/Liberia

Locally-led monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) has been gaining momentum in recent years. While the principles have been around for some time, meaningfully implementing it is a whole other matter. Join us on August 4 for an interactive Town Hall discussing the implications of shifting to locally-led MEL and how that will re-shape evaluation more broadly.

We’ll look to panelists and participants to provide input on the gaps and opportunities of locally-led MEL in development; which will serve as the foundation for a Presidential Strand discussion at Evaluation 2022, taking place later this year. http://ow.ly/jBGU50Ka1Xj