Kaizen supported USAID in identifying and engaging new, local, and nontraditional partners; provided capacity-strengthening assistance; and lowered barriers to partnerships with the Agency.
Development resources from USAID go to a limited number of organizations. In the fiscal year 2019, 75 implementing partners received approximately 80 percent of USAID’s obligations. Although these partners have delivered outstanding results, they cannot match the capacity and potential of thousands of new and underutilized organizations. Through the New Partnerships Initiative (NPI), the Agency seeks to diversify its partner base and elevate local leadership to bring increased innovation that will drive solutions to the world’s most pressing development challenges
Highlights
- Registered 2,500 new partners in the WorkwithUSAID.gov Partner Directory
- Created the How to Work with USAID training series
- Evaluated more than 2,000 new and nontraditional partners’ capacity for development
- Created a series of Spanish language webinars
- Provided training, resources, and capacity-strengthening services to 30 local partners
The Incubator is the NPI (New Partnerships Initiative) Gold Standard.
USAID/OSDBU Director
Kaizen supported this initiative by implementing USAID’s Partnerships Incubator, a global service hub that expanded the Agency’s capacity for partnerships and helped partner organizations work with USAID.
The Partnerships Incubator helped Missions and Bureaus to meet localization objectives by advancing the way Missions strategically approach local partnerships through efforts such as the NPI Action Plans; supporting partner landscape assessments to uncover local partnership possibilities for Missions; providing direct hands-on support for new partners identified by Missions to enable them to meet USAID expectations; and creating WorkwithUSAID.gov as a one-stop shop for potential, new, nontraditional, current, and local partners that need information and guidance on their partnership journey.
Our work helps empower local small businesses, nongovernmental organizations, faith-based organizations, minority-serving institutions, diaspora groups, and foundations to increase their impact.
At a glance
Client
Status
Active
Location
USA
Services
Innovation and entrepreneurship, organizational development
