LOCAL CAPACITY STRENGTHENING POLICY
Learning & Feedback Forum
One year after the launch of the Local Capacity Strengthening Policy, USAID hosted the first annual Learning and Feedback Forum in October of 2023.
The Learning and Feedback Forum took place virtually over six days between October 10 and 19. The Forum established a platform for constructive and transparent dialogue about the policy’s ongoing implementation and supported mutual learning and accountability. Overall, the Forum brought together 1,770 participants from 108 countries, including local organizations, global stakeholders, and USAID staff across all sectors to discuss the Local Capacity Strengthening Policy’s implementation progress and help guide future implementation.
Forum Objectives
Objective 1: Share USAID's progress on the Local Capacity Strengthening Policy implementation, reviewing available tools, resources, sector implementation guidance, and evidence with all stakeholders.
Objective 2: Establish a platform for USAID, local actors, and partners to have constructive and transparent discussions about the implementation of the Local Capacity Strengthening Policy and its priorities for the coming year.
Objective 3: Support mutual learning around technical advancements in Local Capacity Strengthening through the collection, dissemination, and sharing of evidence and innovative practices.
Session Recordings
All sessions included live interpretation into American Sign Language, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Kiswahili.
Opening Session
Graphic recording from the Opening Plenary interview between Ms Marcia Haywood and Counselor White
The opening plenary featured:
- Clinton White, USAID Agency Counselor
- Sheryl Stumbras, USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation (IPI)
- Mark Meassick, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation (IPI)
- Marcia Haywood, Regional Coordinator Caritas Antilles
- Lerato Mokomele, Differentiated Care Specialist from USAID/South Africa
- The Soweto Gumboots
Collaborative LCS Models for Global Health
This session was led by the Bureau for Global Health about their Local Capacity Strengthening Policy Global Health Implementation Guide and focused on different collaborative models to support local capacity strengthening in USAID activities. The session speakers included:
- Nompumelelo “Mpume” Khanyile, USAID South Africa
- Daniel Muralles Díaz, USAID Guatemala
- Victoria Nazitwere, USAID Malawi
- Teddie Mandala, Former ASAP Advisor, Malawi now a G2G Advisor
- Lamine Bangoura, USAID Guinea
- Eliane Mbounga, USAID Guinea
- Stefanie Evans, Global Health Bureau, U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative
- Callie Raulfs-Wang, Global Health Bureau, Office of HIV/AIDS
- Ariella Camera, Global Health Bureau, Office of Country Support
Local Listening Session
There were three Local Actor Listening Sessions scheduled at a range of times for maximum accessibility. The first portion of Listening Sessions was recorded and in plenary. The second portion was in breakout groups and was not recorded. This recording is from Local Listening Session 2. Each session followed the same structure and asked the same questions to create space and opportunity for local actors to share their experiences and perceptions of the implementation of the Local Capacity Strengthening (LCS) Policy to date and where they would like to see Policy implementation go next.
Breakout group discussions focused on the following questions:
- What examples of capacity strengthening in line with the LCS Policy can you share? What has worked well?
- What are examples of capacity strengthening support not in line with the LCS Policy? What has not worked well?
- What do you (local actors) want to see USAID focus on in the next year to be more aligned with the LCS Policy?
Implementing Local Capacity Strengthening in the Education Sector
This session was hosted by USAID’s Education team’s and focused on how local capacity strengthening contributes to USAID’s work in transformational education. The draft sector-specific LCS Policy Education Implementation Guidance was shared and feedback collected from participants. The Session speakers included:
- Joanie Cohen-Mitchell, Policy and Technical Leadership Lead, USAID’s Center for Education
- Aisha Hamdy, Director, University Center for Career Development, Faculty of Business, Alexandria University
- Mamadou Ly, Executive Director, Associates in Research and Education for Development (ARED)
- Andrew Meaux, Systems Strengthening, Governance, and Localization Specialist
- Stephanie Keller, Youth Engagement and Localization Specialist
Strengthening Capacity to Solidify Democracy
This session was hosted by the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) and focused on how local capacity strengthening contributes to USAID’s work in strengthening democracy worldwide. The new DRG Bureau LCS Policy Implementation Guidance was shared along with DRG LCS Case Studies:.
- Balkan Media Assistance Program
- Civil Society Innovation Initiative & the Greater Internet Freedom Projects
- Governance for Local Development
The following speakers shared their perspectives on the role of local capacity strengthening in DRG programming:
- Danijela Radosevic of NKD Serbia
- Moses Isooba of NGO Forum Uganda
- Valeria Scorza of Fundación Avina (Panama)
Plenary “Effective LCS” Highlighting Principles 1-3
Participants brought their tools and resources that support systems mapping and strengthening, capacity action planning, performance measurement, and risk management and mitigation. This interactive session explored the tools, resources, and experiences related to the first three principles of the Local Capacity Strengthening Policy focused on effective local capacity strengthening. The first three principles guide why and in what circumstances making strategic and intentional decisions to strengthen the capacity of local actors can contribute to broader systems change and sustainable outcomes. These principles also guide USAID understanding about why measuring performance is important. The session included crowd-sourced tools and the following speakers:
- Lucila Serrano, Project Management Specialist, USAID/Mexico
- Laura Alvarez, Local Capacity & MEL Specialist, USAID/Paraguay
- Sarah Ellison, Senior Policy Advisor, USAID IPI/LFT/LLDI
Side Event
Strengthening the Ecosystem for Locally-led Development
NOTE: This session was not hosted or organized by USAID. This was a side-event hosted by The Movement for Community Led Development (MCLD), a global consortium of over 2000 local civil society organizations and INGOs.
The new LCS policy identifies the need to take a systems approach to local capacity strengthening to minimize the unintended and undesirable consequences of USAID funding on local systems. The Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD) hosted a conversation that delved into the “how” of local systems strengthening.
The following champions of locally-led and community-led development started the conversation touching on a range of issues from full cost recovery to feedback loops and strengthening networks:
- Carol Maringa, Africa Capacity Alliance, Kenya
- Joanna Mbakulo, MCLD Uganda
- Her Excellency Christine Kilalo, Deputy Governor, County Government of Taita Taveta, Kenya
- Beranger Tossou, Youth Service Africa, Benin
- Hastings Nhlane, Acades Malawi
This session invited all participants to actively be a part of the dialogue.
What's the shift? Principles and Practices for Equitable Partnerships in Local Capacity Strengthening
This session explored the shifts in roles and actions needed to implement the last four principles of the Local Capacity Strengthening Policy focused on equitable partnerships. Participants heard from USAID staff and partners on what these principles look like in practice. The last four principles of the Policy guide how local capacity strengthening programming across different sectors and regions will be supported through partnerships based on mutual respect and reciprocity. Participants articulated the shifts required to align to these LCS Policy principles and heard from the following speakers:
- Ajay Das, Program Director for Civil Society and Media Program, The Asia Foundation in Nepal
- Zanele Kunene, Senior Policy and Program Analyst USAID/Eswatini
- Felesia Muyia-Odada, Project Management Specialist, Democratic Governance, Peace, and Security (DGPS) USAID/Kenya
- Beverly Mademba, WASH Specialist USAID/Kenya
- Sarah Ellison, Senior Policy Advisor, USAID IPI/LFT/LLDI
Side Event
Panel discussion “Local Capacity Solutions for Sustainable Development”
NOTE: This session was not hosted or organized by USAID. This was a side-event hosted by Pact, a global non-governmental organization.
Pact hosted a discussion on the roles and experiences of local capacity strengthening service providers in implementing the USAID Local Capacity Strengthening Policy, using the Capacity Development Marketplace and direct technical assistance. In this session, local organizations shared their experience in local capacity strengthening service provision, shared their visions for its future, and discussed how these experiences can be disseminated and adapted globally. Speakers for this session included:
- Carlos Gonzalez, Executive Director, MAKAIA (Colombia)
- Andriy Donets, Capacity Development Manager, ISAR Ednannia (Ukraine)
- Dmytro (Dima) Mykhaylenko, Director, Global Capacity Development, Pact (Global)
Strengthening Local Networks for Food and Water Systems Transformation
The Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) hosted a panel of global experts for a discussion about strengthening local networks for food and water systems transformation. The following speakers shared their perspectives:
- Mr. Anwar Faruque, Advisor, Bangladesh Seed Association
- Dr. David Ameyaw, President, International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED)
- Ms. Dorine Odongo, Senior Manager, Communications- African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)
- Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi, Chief Executive Officer, Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA)
- Mr. RK Srinivasan, Senior WASH Specialist, USAID/India
Closing Session
Graphic recording from the Closing Plenary Poem
Graphic recording from the Closing Plenary Panel Discussion
The closing plenary highlighted key themes from throughout the Forum with a focus on lessons from the three local listening sessions and featured a panel discussion responding to those themes and suggestions. Speakers from this session included:
- Mark Meassick, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation (IPI)
- Corbin Ford, Program Analyst, USAID IPI/LFT/LLDI
- Sarah Rose, USAID Senior Localization Advisor
- Angela Cardenas, USAID Senior Advisor, Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
- Karittha (Apple) Jenchiewchan, USAID Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, Regional Development Mission Asia
- Sangita Patel, Deputy Assistant Administrator on Localization USAID Bureau for Global Health
- Haris Kusmic, Senior Program Specialist, USAID/Syria
Prepare for the Forum
Contact Us
If you have any questions please contact the USAID Policy Implementation Team.