Using evaluative approaches in design   (01-Sep-16)
This presentation, originally given at an evaluation conference, argues that evaluators and the process of evaluation should be central to c...

Engendering Accountability: Upholding commitments to maternal and child health   (01-Dec-15)
To better understand the landscape of MNH accountability programs, this report reviews key global and regional programs and processes and...

Systems science and systems thinking for public health: a systematic review of the field   (11-Nov-15)
This paper reports on findings from a systematic review designed to investigate the state of systems science research in public health. The ...

Systems Thinking and Institutional Performance: Retrospect and Prospect on USAID Policy and Practice   (01-Apr-15)
This paper examines how the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has applied complex adaptive systems thinking to strategy and ...

A causal loop analysis of the sustainability of integrated community case management in Rwanda   (07-Mar-15)
Expansion of community health services in Rwanda has come with the national scale up of integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) of malar...

General Relativity Comes to Global Health—thinking about sustain-scale in whole health systems’ interventions   (30-Jan-15)
This Discussion Paper by Eric Sarriot, Director of the CEDARS Center at ICF International discusses the linkages between sustainability and ...

What factors affect sustained adoption of safe water, hygiene, and sanitation technologies?   (20-Nov-14)
This chapter from the ePPI Centre (University of London) discusses the main findings of a literature review as well as the strengths and lim...

The Importance of Context in Implementation Research   (01-Nov-14)
This article describes the pertinence of context in HIV/ AIDS implementation research. Without attending to context and how it interacts wit...

Navigating Complexity: Adaptive Management at the Northern Karamoja Growth, Health, and Governance Program   (01-Oct-14)
The attached paper by Engineers Without Borders Canada under contract with Mercy Corps (MC) is a case-study regarding adaptive management pr...

Systems Thinking – what it is and how we incorporate it in to MEASURE Phase IV   (10-Sep-14)
The recorded webinar showcases the MEASURE Technical Exchange Meeting that was held in September 2014. Guest speaker Jim Thomas discusses Sy...

Cost-Effectiveness Measurement in Development: Accounting for Local Costs and Noisy Impacts   (01-Sep-14)
This policy research working paper from the World Bank Group, Africa Region, can help individuals think about cost-effectiveness within thei...

Advancing the application of systems thinking in health   (26-Aug-14)
Systems thinking provides an understanding of the complexity of health systems, which is fundamental for strengthening the design, implement...

Community Health Systems as Complex Adaptive Systems: Ontology and Praxis Lessons from an Urban Health Experience with Demonstrated Sustainability   (01-Aug-14)
The global health and development field, which has been reasonably dominated by linear models of planning, is witnessing increased interest...

Evaluating Systems and Systemic Change for Inclusive Market Development   (01-Jun-14)
This report summarizes key findings from a review of selected literature on evaluating systems and systems change. The purpose of the review...

Sustaining Ability   (15-Nov-13)
This website enables interested individuals to learn more about sustainability and the Sustainability Analysis Process through new and up-to...

The Sustainability Analysis Process: A Case of Physical Rehabilitation   (15-Nov-13)
This is a link to a guide on the Sustainability Analysis Process. Also included is a sustainability framework facilitator's guide, and a wor...

Localization of Health Systems - Globalization & Health Journal   (07-Oct-13)
Interesting paper by Sarah Dalglish, Melissa Poulsen, and Peter Winch -- we sometimes think of the environment's impact on health, and less ...

The dynamic sustainability framework: addressing the paradox of sustainment amid ongoing change   (02-Oct-13)
The authors examine the development of concepts of sustainability, and respond to two frequent assumptions— ‘voltage drop,’ whereby interven...

Presentation - Dynamic Sustainability Framework: addressing the paradox of ‘sustainment’ amid ongoing change   (02-Oct-13)
This presentation reviews the recent paper "The dynamic sustainability framework: addressing the paradox of sustainment amid ongoing change"...

Using case studies to explore the external validity of ‘complex’ development interventions   (01-Oct-13)
Rising standards for accurately inferring the impact of development projects has not been matched by equivalently rigorous procedures for g...

Summary Note from Discussion 3: Organizational Capacity Development: How do we measure impact?   (17-Jun-13)
On March 13, 2013, USAID and the AIDSTAR-Two project launched a four-part discussion series under the theme, “Capacity Development and Count...

Capacity Development and Country Ownership Discussion series webcast: Organizational Capacity Development: How Do We Measure Impact?   (30-May-13)
As part of the USAID Office of HIV/AIDS and AIDSTAR-Two Project’s Capacity Development and Country Ownership Discussion Series, Eric Sarriot...

Modeling Impact of a Pro-Sustainability Investment Strategy in a Child Survival Project in Guinea   (23-Apr-13)
Presentation on Modeling Impact of a Pro-Sustainability Investment Strategy in a Child Survival Project in Guinea— Lessons for sustainabilit...

Introduction and overview on program sustainability   (23-Apr-13)
Introduction presentation for the symposium “Building Evidence for Sustainability of Food and Nutrition Intervention Programs in Developing ...

But We Will Always Be Here: Ensuring Sustainable Benefits of Food Aid Programs   (23-Apr-13)
Presentation on the Bolivia findings and conclusions of a study of sustainability of activities and impacts of Title II food aid programs by...

Building Evidence for Sustainability of Food and Nutrition Intervention Programs in Developing Countries   (23-Apr-13)
Presentation on sustainability of impact in terms of adoption and consumption of a biofortified orange sweet potato in Uganda by Daniel Gill...

Systems Approaches to Development Planning and Evaluation: Fad, Reinvention of the Wheel, or Necessity? A Discussion Paper   (26-Mar-13)
Everywhere you turn these days, there are discussions of ‘systems approaches’, ‘complexity’, ‘holism’ and ‘holistic approaches’. And that’s...

Food Security Revisited: Opportunities and Challenges for Monitoring Systems   (04-Feb-13)
This particular note attempts to describe what the elements of this complex challenge are, and what will be required to successfully monitor...

Sustainability---from Global Health to Integrated Programming   (23-Jan-13)
Presentation by Eric Sarriot at a USAID brown bag seminar series, titled "Sustainability-From Global Health to Integrated Programming: What ...

Sustainability of CBOs for HIV/AIDS in Zambia   (01-Dec-12)
Walsh, Muambia, Brugha et Hanefeld use the Sustainability Framework to evaluate whether the World Bank MAP program contributed to the sustai...

Selection of sustainability indicators for health services in challenging environments: Balancing scientific approach with political engagement   (24-Nov-12)
Sustainability evaluation has become a key component of international health. However, evaluators have faced a number of challenges linked t...

Sustainability in Development Cooperation: Preliminary Findings on the Carbon Footprint of Development Aid Organizations   (22-Nov-12)
This study assesses for the first time the environmental sustainability of development organizations involved in North–South cooperation by ...

Peak Oil and Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Impacts and Potential Responses (Winch, 2011)   (21-Sep-12)
Peak oil refers to the predicted peak and subsequent decline in global production of petroleum products over the coming decades. We describe...

Expecting the unexpected: applying the Develop-Distort Dilemma to maximize positive market impacts in health   (17-Aug-12)
Although health interventions start with good intentions to develop services for disadvantaged populations, they often distort the health m...

Family Planning Sustainability Checklist   (01-Aug-12)
This document is designed to assist community-based family planning project planners and implementers to identify key elements to incorpora...

Systems Concepts and Tools   (01-May-12)
Bob Williams provides training and consultancy support in the use of systems concepts in evaluation. This includes workshops, evaluation des...

Facilitator’s Manual for Sustainability Planning Workshop for Co-ops   (22-Mar-12)
Technical Assistance on Sustainability Planning to HealthPartners Uganda - CEDARS developed this manual in collaboration with the HealthPartners Uganda team as a supplemental ...

Sustainability Planning Training of Trainers Manual   (22-Mar-12)
Technical Assistance on Sustainability Planning to HealthPartners Uganda - CEDARS developed this manual for use by the HealthPartners’ USAID-supported Health Collaborations Pr...

Sustainability Planning Training of Trainers Handouts   (22-Mar-12)
Technical Assistance on Sustainability Planning to HealthPartners Uganda - These handouts are a supplemental resource to the Sustainability Training of Trainers Manual. This m...

The Bark! Newsletter, January - March 2012   (21-Mar-12)
Periodic updates on CEDARS work and topics relevant to our focus on health and human development....

Global Fund-Supported Community Systems Programs in Cambodia: Evaluation Report   (01-Mar-12)
By providing support for Heath Systems Strengthening and Community Systems Strengthening, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Ma...

Community Systems Strengthening Programs in Cambodia: Findings from a Recent Evaluation for the Global Fund   (01-Mar-12)
By providing support for Heath Systems Strengthening and Community Systems Strengthening, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Ma...

OCVAT Implementation Guide   (15-Feb-12)
This implementation guide provides external facilitators with the tools and background necessary to lead the OCVAT capacity assessment proce...

Excellent publication on 'Capacity, Change and Performance.'    (12-Feb-12)
Link to one of the most thorough and forward looking document on Capacity, its nature and its development, including--but not exclusively--t...

Sustainability Focused Organizational Development: Tools and Resources for Foundation Affiliates   (01-Feb-12)
The Foundation supports efforts to eliminate pediatric AIDS by supporting independent organizations positioned to assist national government...

The Business of NGO Leadership   (01-Feb-12)
Reflections on leadership from NGO CEOs by the Centre for Development and Emergency Practice Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment (...

Emergence of Sustainability in a Complex System - Microlinks Presentation with Audio   (26-Jan-12)
CEDARS facilitated a dialogue with Microlinks on the relationship between complex health systems and food security. The informative presenta...

Capacity Building: The Proactive Dimension of Organizational Change   (01-Jan-12)
This is a link to a white paper, which presents information on the importance of being intentional and proactive in designing and implementi...

Assessment of Existing Food Security and Vulnerability Mapping Systems and the Adverse Effects of Rising Food Prices on Children and Women in the Middle East and North African Region: Morocco Country Report   (23-Nov-11)
UNICEF-MENA recognizes the seriousness of the recent food crisis and the paucity of information on its impact on vulnerable populations in ...

Vulnerability Mapping Systems and the Adverse Effects of Rising Food Prices on Children and Women in the Middle East and North African Region: Djibouti Country Report   (23-Nov-11)
UNICEF-MENA recognizes the seriousness of the recent food crisis and the paucity of information on its impact on vulnerable populations in ...

Assessment of Existing Food Security and Vulnerability Mapping Systems and the Adverse Effects of Rising Food Prices on Children and Women in the Middle East and North African Region: Final Summary Report   (23-Nov-11)
The food price crisis in the Middle East and Northern Africa region particularly affected populations who were already food insecure and dep...

AId on the edge of chaos   (18-Nov-11)
Looking at development assistance and development project as complex adaptive systems, where both donors or recipients adapt to each other a...

Publication by our FHI360 Colleagues in Zambia "From project aid to sustainable HIV services: a case study from Zambia."   (04-Oct-11)
This paper presents the experiences in operational sustainability of Family Health International's Zambia Prevention, Care and Treatment Pa...

2009 Index of African Governance and Ranking   (21-Sep-11)
You cannot deal with sustainability without a thorough look at the "environment". This is an attempt to do just that and create metrics--an ...

The Bark! Newsletter - August/September 2011   (20-Sep-11)
Monthly updates on CEDARS work and topics relevant to our focus on health and human development....

EGPAF Project Zingatia Maisha: Working Towards Sustainability of PLHIV Groups   (13-Jul-11)
EGPAF Project Zingatia Maisha: Working Towards Sustainability of PLHIV Groups - This is a brief presentation made by EGPAF on one of their projects in Kenya that focuses on improvi...

The Bark! Newsletter--June/July 2011   (01-Jun-11)
A one-pager sharing key updates and new resources on CEDARS....

ICARUS II Conference: Social Capital and Adaptation to GCC   (06-May-11)
Presentations from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment's ICARUS II conference (May 5 to 8, 2011). We le...

State of Sustainability Planning & Evaluation in Community Health (RECORDING)   (21-Apr-11)
IntraHealth hosted a “brown bag” event on Thursday, April 21st in collaboration with SHOUT. Eric Sarriot presented a 1.5 hour session in 3 s...

State of Sustainability Planning & Evaluation in Community Health (SLIDES)   (20-Apr-11)
Slides from the IntraHealth / SHOUT Group presentation. Full recording with audio is available at http://www.cedarscenter.com/resdetail.cfm?...

Organizational Capacity and Viability Assessment Tool (OCVAT)   (13-Feb-11)
This tool is designed as an assessment of NGO organizational capacity and viability across thirteen capacity areas covering technical and op...

Building local learning systems in community development efforts (health, food security, livelihood, risk mitigation) to support social capital formation and local resilience   (01-Jan-11)
Discussion paper: Whether development projects focus on health, food security, livelihood or risk mitigation against environmental threats s...

Assessing Provincial and District Health System Capacity to Sustain HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Services—A Literature Review    (31-Dec-10)
This literature review supports the effort to strengthen analytical approaches to assess provincial and district health system capacities to...

Global Health in Transition   (12-Nov-10)
K. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India gives an insightful look at the profound changes which Global Health wi...

IFPRI Global Hunger Index - Focus on Child Undernutrition   (05-Nov-10)
As the world approaches the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which include a goal of reducing the propo...

CORE Meeting Presentation 09/2010 - CEDARS intro and Climate Change Discussion   (10-Sep-10)
First presentation of CEDARS to the CORE Group. Overview of the Center and its resources, followed by presentation of the Climate Change Ada...

Pro-Sustainability Investments Maximize Children Lives Saved Per Dollar Spent   (09-Sep-10)
Health Policy and Planning publication: Based on benchmarks from the child survival project of Save the Children US in Guinea, this paper as...

Pro-Sustainability Choices and Child Deaths Averted   (08-Sep-10)
Health Policy and Planning publication: Based on benchmarks from the child survival project of Save the Children US in Guinea, this paper as...

Human Development and Sustainability   (06-Aug-10)
UNDP Human Development Research paper by Eric Neumayer, Professor of Economics and Political Science in London. Neumayer presents a proposal...

Social Infrastructure and Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change   (19-Jul-10)
Discussion paper on the necessity of building social capital to address enduring development challenges as well as the future threats on the...

Social Infrastructure and Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change - Discussion Summary   (18-Jul-10)
A brief 1 pager introducing the discussion on our first 'critical issues' discussion forum....

Literature Review   (28-May-10)
Assessing Provincial and District Health System Capacity to Sustain HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Services - This literature review supports the effort to strengthen analytical approaches to provincial and dis...

Les pressions exercées par l’abolition du paiement des soins sur les systèmes de santé   (01-Jan-10)
The abolition of User Fees in the health sector removes a critical barrier to health care for the recipient population and this is laudable....

A Facilitator's Guide to Developing OVC Program Sustainability and Transition Plans   (01-Jan-10)
The CRS Facilitator’s Guide to Developing OVC Program Sustainability and Transition Plans is a practical, participatory tool for program man...

Post-Project Sustainability Evaluation (Concern Bangladesh) at 5 Years   (02-Dec-09)
A 5 years post-project evaluation of the Concern project which first tested the approach....

A pensive afterthought about the 5-year post project evaluation of Concern Bangladesh   (01-Dec-09)
This postface was scratched from the final report of the 5 year post-project evaluation, but we have Michelle Kouletio and Shamim Jahan's bl...

Mapping of Vulnerability in the Middle East & North Africa During the 2007-2008 Food Crisis   (11-Nov-09)
Presentation of a study (publication pending) reviewing the mapping systems to identify vulnerable communities and respond to the food price...

Taking the Long View: A Practical Guide for Sustainability Planning and Measurement in Community-Oriented Health Programming   (01-Aug-09)
This is a manual designed to assist project managers, planners, and evaluators in their efforts to improve their approaches to planning for ...

Taking the Long View: A Practical Guide for Sustainability Planning and Measurement in Community-Oriented Health Programming   (01-Aug-09)
Technical Assistance on Sustainability Planning to HealthPartners Uganda - ...

Capacity Development Results Framework   (01-Jun-09)
"A strategic and results-oriented approach to learning for capacity development"--World Bank...

Assessing Progress Toward Sustainable Mother & Child Health at District Level in Nepal (USAID)   (01-Apr-09)
Describes a unique pilot of the systematic use of the SF (Sustainability Framework) in five districts of Nepal supported by USAID through di...

Black Swans, Grey Swans, Sustainability   (07-Mar-09)
A first foray into the linkages between Complexity and sustainability planning, based on the NYT Best Seller "The Black Swan. The Impact of ...

Measurement Annex to Black Swan, Grey Swan, Sustainability   (06-Mar-09)
If you are into the nitty gritty of measurement, index construction and predictive values of indicator and indices, this provides a starting...

Sustainability science: an integrated approach for health-programme planning   (01-Nov-08)
Conceptual and empirical review of experiences about sustainability by Gruen et al., who propose that "sustainable health programmes are reg...

Assessing a Community's Capacity to Manage Change: A Resilience Approach to Social Assessment   (01-May-08)
By Maguire and Cartwright of the Austrailian Government Bureau of Rural Services. This document discusses the relationships between vulnerab...

The Role of Values in Assessing Child Survival Sustainability   (01-Jan-08)
As part of a technical assistance grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Child Survival Technical Support ...

Taking the Long View: A Practical Guide for Sustainability Planning and Measurement in Community-Oriented Health Programming - Manual Only   (01-Jan-08)
Taking the Long View: A Practical Guide for Sustainability Planning and Measurement in Community-Oriented Health Programming...

Taking the Long View: A Practical Guide for Sustainability Planning and Measurement in Community-Oriented Health Programming - Annexes Only   (01-Jan-08)
Taking the Long View: A Practical Guide for Sustainability Planning and Measurement in Community-Oriented Health Programming...

A simple guide to chaos and complexity   (01-Nov-07)
The concepts of complexity and chaos are being invoked with increasing frequency in the health sciences literature. However, the concepts un...

Sustainability Framework Workshop for the Malaria Communities Program   (01-Jan-07)
This workshop was designed to help the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) and Nkhoma Relief and Development (NRD) apply the S...

USAID/CSHGP Technical Reference Materials   (01-Jan-07)
MCHIP offers Technical Reference Materials to CSHGP Grantees, on technical issues but as well on cross-cutting issues, including here Sustai...

SF Implementation in Kenya (PLAN Int.)   (01-Jan-07)
Plan Kenya Child Survival - Comparison of baseline, mid-term and final values using the Sustainability Framework (SF)...

Planning for Sustainability in Malaria Projects   (01-Jan-06)
This is an online training that uses the Elluminate program. There are two separate sessions. Click on the link and then scroll down the p...

Maternal Social Capital and Child Nutritional Status in Four Developing Countries   (01-Jan-06)
By M. Da Silva et al. Abstract: Social capital has been shown to be positively associated with a range of health outcomes, yet no studies ha...

Psychometric and Cognitive Validation of a Social Capital Measurement Tool in Peru and Vietnam   (01-Aug-05)
By M. De Silva et al. Abstract: Social capital is a relatively new concept which has attracted significant attention in recent years. No con...

Global Complexity - Web Site of Samir Rihani   (01-Jun-05)
Dr Samir Rihani is probably the leading thinker of how complex systems theory applies to global development. His site links to a number of p...

Strengthening the HIV/AIDS Service Delivery System in Liberia: An International Research Cpacity-building Strategy   (01-Jan-05)
Based on a study to identify research gaps and the need to propose changes for improving the health care delivery system in Liberia, this pa...

SF Implementation in Sierra Leone (CARE)   (01-Jan-05)
CARE Sierra Leone Child Survival - Baseline, endline, target comparison of scores in six components...

Lessons Learned from Implementation of the Sust Framework with 7 NGO projects   (01-Jun-04)
Lessons learned from applying the child survival sustainability assessment (CSSA) framework to seven maternal and child health projects pre...

Final Evaluation Report (2004) of Concern Worldwide Bangladesh Urban Health Project in Saidpur and Parbatipur   (01-Jan-04)
Concern Worldwide Bangladesh Urban Health Project in Saidpur and Parbatipur - The final evaluation of CWI urban health project, in 2004, which details its approach and achievemen...

Building Capacity and Sustainable Prevention Innovations: A Sustainabiliyt Planning Model   (01-Jan-04)
This article present an informed definition of sustainability and an associated planning model for sustaining innovations within organizatio...

Qualitative Research to Make Practical Sense of Sustainability (Int J Health Plan and Mgt)   (01-Jan-02)
The Sustainability Initiative 2000-2001 initial research in peer publication...

Sustainability assessment in NGO-implemented primary health care programs (IJHPM)   (01-Jan-02)
The peer journal version of the CSSA document(before it became the Sustainability Framework). Describes the first implementation of the Sust...

Sustained positive deviant child care practices and their effects on child growth in Vietnam   (01-Jan-02)
This paper from Mackintosh et al. makes a strong case that the community/household level is a key place for the sustainable production of he...

Measuring Social Capital within Health Surveys: Key Issues   (01-Jan-02)
By T. Harpham et al. Abstract: With growing recognition of the social determinants of health, social capital is an increasingly important co...

Measuring Social Capital: Towards a Theoretically Informed Measurement Framework for Researching Social Capital in Family and Community Life   (01-Feb-01)
By Wendy Stone. Abstract: In Australia, as in other nations, ‘social capital’ is being looked to as a means of stemming the tide of perceiv...

The Child Survival Sustainability Assessment (CSSA)    (01-Jan-01)
Presents the CSSA tool in some detail. It also starts with a quick overview of the background volume, and can serve as a "fast read" on the ...

Sustaining Child Survival: Many roads to choose, but do we have a map?   (01-Jan-01)
This original research will provide you with a detailed description of the original Sustainability Initiative, which served as a base to dev...

IPPF/USAID Sustainability Initiative   (01-Jan-01)
Around the time CSTS and CORE started the "Sustainability Initiative" which led to the Sustainability Framework, IPPF and USAID had another ...

Case Studies of Project Sustainability   (01-Jan-00)
World Bank's Economic Development Institute series of case studies on sustainability (1990)...

Measuring Capacity Building in Health and Population Programs   (01-Jan-00)
A reference in terms of thinking through the conceptualization and systematic measurement of capacity building in the health sector from our...

International short course on Making agricullture work for food and nutrition security   (01-Jan-00)
Making agricullture work for food and nutrition security - This course focus on how agricultural programs and policies can become nutrition sensitive to achiev...

International short course on Making agricullture work for food and nutrition security   (01-Jan-00)
Making agricullture work for food and nutrition security - ...