Program Cycle

The Program Cycle is the operational model for planning, delivering, assessing, and adapting development programming in a given region or country to advance U.S. foreign and economic policy. First introduced in 2011 by the Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning (PPL), it improves the Agency’s ability to make decisions based on evidence to achieve more effective and sustainable results.

The Program Cycle is codified in USAID’s ADS Chapter 201 and understood and visualized through a number of different, interrelated components (see graphic). The cycle shows how the different tasks conducted throughout the Program Cycle come together to improve results. It establishes the linkages between the high level strategy for a country and region (articulated within a CDCS or RDCS), the project activity design that guides activity implementation, and the MEL and CLA frameworks that help the Agency improve and adapt programming throughout implementation. Underpinning the Program Cycle are four implementation principles:

• Apply analytic rigor to support evidence-based decision making.
• Manage adaptively through continuous learning.
• Promote sustainability through local implementation and financing.
• Use a range of approaches to achieve results.

There have been a number of changes to ADS 201 and the Program Cycle since 2011. USAID has a number of different resources on how the ADS 201 has changed. This video provides a clear overview of the Program Cycle. 

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For more information, please contact Paul Fekete.