Strategies and Guiding Documents

USAID’s programs to prevent child and maternal deaths are guided by both Agency and U.S. government strategies and initiatives. These strategies inform decisions, priorities, and investments for maternal and child health and nutrition programs to support USAID’s vision and values and ensure alignment across all U.S. government programs. 

USAID Global Health Guiding Documents

Preventing Child And Maternal Deaths: A Framework For Action In A Changing World 2022 – 2030
Framework | Executive Summary | Event Materials | Event Outcomes Document 
USAID envisions a world where all women, newborns, and children survive, are healthy, and able to develop and reach their full potential, contributing to the development of their communities and countries. This Framework for Action guides USAID programming toward that vision as the world strives to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 

Getting To 2030: Maternal And Child Health And Nutrition Technical Roadmap (2022-2030)
Roadmap Document
The Getting To 2030: Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Technical Roadmap guides USAID's maternal and child survival programs and activities. It serves as a foundational component of USAID’s commitment to Prevent Child and Maternal Deaths alongside the Agency’s investments in family planning, malaria, and health systems strengthening.

USAID Vision For Health Systems Strengthening 2030 (2021-2030)
USAID Vision for Health System Strengthening 2030 | Vision 2030 Executive Summary
USAID’s Vision for Health Systems Strengthening is rooted in approaches that are based on whole-of-society engagement, locally-driven solutions, and social and behavior change. This vision shifts the focus from strengthening individual functions of the health system to a focus on health system outcome goals of equity, quality, and resource optimization. It also sets priorities and direction for USAID’s investments in health systems strengthening.
 

USAID Policies and Strategies

USAID Policy Framework: Driving Progress Beyond Programs
Framework Document
The Policy Framework is USAID’s highest-level policy document. It lays out a collective vision for international development, translates U.S. national security and foreign policy goals into Agency priorities, and promotes coherence among our development, humanitarian, and crisis-response policies and the work we undertake to implement them. 

Localization at USAID: Vision and Approach
Vision and Approach Document | FY 2022 Progress Report | Progress Report Summary 
USAID is redoubling our commitment to shift more leadership for priority setting, project design, implementation, and measuring results to the people and institutions with the capabilities and credibility to drive change in their own countries and communities. The Localization Vision and Approach outlines the goals, adjustments, and changes we will pursue to make our programs and our broader engagement more inclusive, equitable, and responsive to local needs.

Local Capacity Strengthening Policy
Local Capacity Strengthening Policy Document | Learning Lab: Local Capacity Strengthening 
The Local Capacity Strengthening Policy guides USAID decisions about why and how to invest in the capacity of local partners to better achieve inclusive and locally led development. Through the policy, USAID is committing to a unified, cohesive, and systemic approach to our collaboration with local partners.

2022 Resilience Policy Revision
USAID has been in the vanguard of international momentum to support country and regional plans and build resilience to recurrent crises. Through this updated policy and program guidance, we will leverage the broad range of our institutional capabilities to implement innovative programmatic approaches to promote resilience that are broadly applicable across USAID’s work and inclusive of all geographies and technical sectors and well-being outcomes. 

USAID Climate Strategy 2022-2030
Climate Strategy Document | FAQ | Climate Change Homepage | Climate Change Resource Hub
USAID’s 2022–2030 Climate Strategy guides our whole-of-Agency approach to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, help partner countries build resilience to climate change, and improve our operations.

2023 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy
2023 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy Document
USAID affirms that gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment are fundamental for the realization of human rights and key to effective and sustainable development outcomes. This policy provides the vision for USAID’s work to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment around the world—establishing our strategic objectives and driving investments across our operations and programs in order to achieve these aims.

USAID Scientific Research Policy 
USAID Scientific Research Policy Document
Research allows USAID to develop, test, refine, and evaluate new and improved products, tools, approaches, and interventions that focus on the key concerns of developing countries. Research also helps inform policy, strategic direction of programs, and overcome barriers to implementation in developing country settings. The Scientific Research Policy consolidates USAID operational policies of particular relevance to the design and management of research activities and fills important operational policy gaps.

USAID Scientific Integrity Policy
USAID Scientific Integrity Policy DocumentPublic Access Plan: Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research
The Scientific Integrity Policy articulates the principles USAID will follow to ensure the integrity of its scientific and scholarly activities, including how they are supported and carried out, and research findings are used and disseminated.

USAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy (2014-2025)
USAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy Document | U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination Plan (2021-2026)
USAID’s Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy, 2014-2025, aligns with the 2025 World Health Assembly Nutrition Targets to guide nutrition-related programming and priorities at USAID. The strategy reaffirms USAID’s commitment to global nutrition and our role as a major international partner in the fight against malnutrition. 
 

U.S. Government Strategies, Plans, and Initiatives

U.S. Government Global Water Strategy (2022-2027)
Global Water Strategy Document | Global Waters Knowledge Portal
The Global Water Strategy, 2022-2027, is the primary vehicle to operationalize the White House Global Water Security Action Plan launched by Vice President Kamala Harris on June 1, 2022. This strategy builds on and expands the scope and ambition of the 2017-2022 Strategy.

U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination Plan (2021-2026)
U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination Plan Document | U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination Plan 2021-2026 Fact Sheet
The U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination Plan is an interagency effort to strengthen the impact of the many diverse nutrition investments across the U.S. Government. Through coordination mechanisms, the U.S. Government is working to maximize its support to country-led programs, continue its global leadership and partnerships, and generate, share, and apply knowledge and evidence in the nutrition sector in order to accelerate progress toward shared nutrition goals.

U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy (2022-2026)
U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy 2022-2026
The Global Food Security Strategy presents an integrated whole-of-government strategy, with agency-specific implementation plans, that aim to end global hunger, poverty, and malnutrition through the Feed the Future initiative. This updated strategy serves as a vigorous response to new and persistent challenges, including  COVID-19, conflict, inequity, and climate change.

U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative Strategy (2021-2026)
U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative 2021 – 2026 Strategy: End Malaria Faster | Press Release
The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative Strategy for 2021-2026 aims to greatly reduce malaria deaths and cases in countries that account for 80 percent of the world’s malaria burden—contributing to the global goals of saving more than 4 million lives and averting over 1 billion cases by 2025.

Global Thrive Act Implementation Guidance
H.R.4864 - Global Child Thrive Act of 2020
The Global Thrive Act commits the United States to invest in early childhood development through foreign assistance programs and support parents and families as they nurture, love, and protect their children by establishing a coordinated and multifaceted response at the highest levels of government. 

U.S. Department Of State And U.S. Agency For International Development Joint Strategic Plan, FY 2022-2026
Joint Strategic Plan FY 2022 - 2026 Document
This joint strategic plan addresses urgent challenges while preparing for those to come. Under this plan, the U.S. government help nations respond to COVID-19 and prepare for health emergencies, adapt to climate change, fight corruption and authoritarianism, reduce poverty, enhance food security and nutrition, improve health and education, prevent conflict, protect human rights, promote equality, and provide lifesaving assistance during crises. 

White House Health Worker Initiative
The White House Health Worker Initiative prioritizes strategic and sustained investments in the global health workforce that are key to catalyzing the U.S. Government’s efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda

National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality
Fact Sheet: National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality
The National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality outlines an ambitious agenda to help our nation close pernicious gender gaps and propel us toward a world with equal opportunity for all people. This strategy addresses barriers faced by those who belong to underserved and historically marginalized communities that have long been denied full opportunity: women and girls of color, LGBTQI+ people, people with disabilities, and all of those whose lives are affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally 
U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally Document | Fact Sheet
The United States believes that preventing and responding to gender-based violence around the world is a matter of human rights, justice, equity, and equality. This Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally elevates the human rights of women and girls globally as a U.S. national security, diplomatic, and foreign assistance priority.

U.S. Strategy on Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity
Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity WebsiteAdvancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance (2019-2023)U.S. Government Monitoring and Evaluation System for Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity Programming
The U.S. Government envisions a world in which all children thrive within protective, loving families, free from deprivation, violence, and danger. This strategy outlines the U.S. Government’s whole-of-government commitment and approach to investing in the development, care, dignity, and safety of the world’s most-vulnerable children and their families. 

U.S. COVID-19 Global Response and Recovery Framework and USAID Implementation Plan
USAID Implementation Plan For The U.S. COVID-19 Global Response And Recovery Framework Document | Updated Global Response and Recovery Framework Summary, January 2023 
This framework outlines a whole-of-government response to COVID-19 and offers a roadmap for the world to beat the pandemic. The USAID Implementation Plan describes the strategic approach USAID will continue to undertake to advance the framework, outlining the assistance and technical expertise the Agency will provide to help combat the pandemic, strengthen public health capacity, provide urgent relief, and address compounding impacts that imperil recovery and sustained development.

U.S. National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan
This strategy and implementation plan serves as a foundational component of the U.S. President’s vision to create a world free from catastrophic biological incidents, laying out a set of objectives to effectively counter the spectrum of biological threats.