Through localization, USAID is shifting funding and decision making power to the local actors that are driving change in their communities. To measure our localization progress, USAID uses a suite of methods and metrics to capture changes to our business processes, monitor program performance, evaluate our outcomes and impact, and learn with partners and local communities.
Shift how USAID works with local Actors and systems
To measure progress in expanding direct funding to local and regional actors, USAID tracks:
- Direct acquisition and assistance (A&A) funding to local partners
- Direct A&A funding to regional partners
- Government-to-government assistance
Read how USAID measures local direct funding: Direct A&A Funding for localization
Explore the dataset for Direct A&A Funding for localization.
To measure progress on elevating local leadership of USAID programs, USAID tracks the use of “good practices” that create space for local leadership in the design, implementation, and measurement of its programs.
Read about how USAID measures the Locally Led Programs indicator, including an Overview and Fact Sheet.
Monitor results in USAID-funded programs and systems change
To monitor locally valued results, local perspectives, and systems change, USAID promotes using Complexity-Aware Monitoring Approaches, among other approaches and tracking:
- Changes in local capacity CBLD-9
- Local resource mobilization CBLD-10
- Sector specific results that matter to and were identified by local communities
Evaluate locally sustainable outcomes
To evaluate progress towards achieving locally valued and sustainable results, USAID promotes the use of practices including:
- Including questions to evaluate local ownership and sustainability when conducting evaluations of USAID programs
- Undertaking participatory evaluations
- Engaging local MEL capacity
- Conducting evaluations after activities end (ex post) to validate outcome sustainability.
Learn and adapt with local partners and stakeholders
To learn and adapt with local partners and stakeholders, USAID promotes:
- Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting with local partners and stakeholders.
- Prioritizing opportunities to pause and reflect on what locally led development means in practice.
- Contributing evidence to the Agency Learning Agenda to inform future localization efforts.