USAID published the Capacity Assessment for Evaluation, Research, Statistics and other Analysis in 2022. The Capacity Assessment is a requirement of the Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018, which is intended to help agencies assess their ability and infrastructure to carry out evidence building activities like foundational fact finding, performance measurement, policy analysis, and program evaluation.
To assess USAID’s capacity for evidence building and use, USAID developed an Evidence Capacity Maturity Matrix to define USAID’s capacity to manage and use evidence across five domains : (1) Resources (2) Culture(3) Collaborating (4) Learning, and (5) Adapting.
As a result of the assessment findings, USAID expects to: (1) establish an annual peer-to-peer evidence exchange event; (2) provide updates on how evidence from evaluation, statistics, research, and other analysis are being applied in decision-making, (3) develop a Knowledge Management policy; and (4) develop training tailored to specific roles, including leadership and managers.