HICD was developed by USAID to shift thinking about capacity development from a point-in-time, one dimensional approach to a systems-thinking process. It provides a locally led and comprehensive framework for improving organizational capacity and performance by combining: 1) an analysis tool with six universally recognized performance metrics from the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), and 2) an actionable framework for local organizations to improve their capacity and performance in ways that are important to them and their constituents.

This synthesis of recommendations contributes to USAID’s efforts to reexamine its capacity development practice and articulate a clear policy vision under the Journey to Self-Reliance. Local capacity development is a longstanding area of USAID’s work that is practiced across every sector, country, and context. By providing data- and evidence-driven recommendations for capacity development that leads to locally owned and sustained results, this synthesis will help inform future policy development, which creates clarity and agreement on this fundamental aspect of USAID programming.

These exploratory analyses draw from two loosely interconnected efforts:

1. USAID’s Paper Series on Capacity and Capacity Strengthening, and
2. A synthesis of recommendations from nine evaluations and final reports for Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) activities posted on USAID’s Development Experience Clearinghouse.

Resources

• Recommendations on Development Practitioners' Own Capacities

• Recommendations for Improving Capacity Strengthening Approaches