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A Pandemic Response Based on Listening: Leveraging Customer Interviews to Understand COVID-19’s Impact in the Developing World
As COVID-19 spread around the world early this year, there was a flurry of data about its impact. But nearly all of it was gathered via online surveys, which omitted the 50% of the global population that lacks internet access. 60 Decibels responded by launching phone surveys with over 10,000 people in 13 developing countries to discuss their challenges and unmet needs. Kat Harrison discusses what they found.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment
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What’s Holding Back Off-Grid Solar – And How the Energy Access Sector Can Turn Things Around
Off-grid solar energy has become a $1.75 billion annual market, reaching 420 million users over the past decade – yet the sector is not on track to meet SDG7’s energy access targets by 2030. What's holding it back? Analysts at Sustainable Energy for All, Duke University and Solar Sister explore some key barriers to adoption, and how the off-grid solar ecosystem can address them.
- Categories
- Energy, Impact Assessment
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The Ripple Effects of Funding Global Health Innovations: How Philanthropic Capital and Impact Investing are Shaping Markets
The Saving Lives at Birth Grand Challenge for Development has leveraged nearly $80 million dollars in investment capital over the last decade to fund over 110 innovations targeting the maternal and neonatal health sector in emerging markets. Analysts at Duke University explore the program's impact in India and Kenya, two of the fastest-growing hubs of innovation in their respective regions.
- Categories
- Health Care, Impact Assessment
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A Vaccine Is Not the Only Answer to COVID-19: Why Strengthening Statistical and Data Systems Must Be Part of the Solution
The COVID-19 pandemic has been financially devastating, tightening budgets around the world. But Deirdre Appel and Shaida Badiee at Open Data Watch caution governments and development organizations against defunding the systems that provide accurate, real-time data. They explore why strong data systems are essential – not only to fighting the virus, but to responding to future needs and crises.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment
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Innovating on the Pay for Success Model: How ‘Social Derivatives’ Can Unlock Everyday Giving to Incentivize Greater Impact
Pay-for-success models have generated considerable excitement in the social finance sector. But according to Akhil Pawar and Geet Kalra at Yunus Social Business, the approach presents several challenges, mainly around the question of who will pay, and how to ensure an economical structure. They share a potential solution that leverages retail giving, substituting large donors with small ones by using "social derivatives."
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise
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India Needs More Non-Profit Unicorns: Here’s How Transparency and Disclosure Standards Can Help Build Them
India's non-profits are tackling huge social challenges, but they're facing a persistent problem: inadequate funding. According to Varad Pande and Rahul Bhide at Omidyar Network, this issue is driven in part by a lack of disclosure standards detailing the information non-profits should share about their impact. They explore how simple yet robust standards could boost transparency and increase trust among donors, bringing more capital and talent into the sector.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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New Era, New Data: Why ‘Financial Inclusion 2.0’ Will Require a Different Approach to Measurement
Financial inclusion is entering a new era, says Grant Robertson at FinMark Trust. The movement’s first era focused largely on boosting financial access – but its impact on poverty and wellbeing was limited. The new era – "financial inclusion 2.0" – will focus more on expanding real economic opportunity. But to support this goal, the sector will need a new approach to data.
- Categories
- Finance, Impact Assessment
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Research During a Pandemic: Leaner and Faster Poverty Measurement in the Time of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is pushing research projects around the world to move from face-to-face data collection to shorter, phone-based methods. But as Elliott Collins and John Branch at Innovations for Poverty Action point out, these changes can present challenges for researchers studying how the pandemic affects poor and vulnerable households. They explore some strategies for measuring poverty under these constraints, based on IPA’s experience with lean, remote research.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment
- Tags
- COVID-19, data, poverty alleviation, research