Webinar: Applying USAID’s Local Capacity Strengthening Policy in Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Work


This webinar covers two of the four pillars of the DRG sector implementation plan for the Local Capacity Strengthening (LCS) Policy: (1) increasing focus on relationships and (2) increasing participatory approaches across the program cycle. The DRG Bureau provides a brief overview of the LCS Policy and the DRG sector implementation plan. They then hear about two specific programming examples from Missions that demonstrate the two pillars in action. Selma Sijercic tells us how the Local Works program at USAID/Bosnia and Herzegovina used locally-led approaches during design; implementation; and monitoring, evaluation and learning. Next, Lucila Serrano speaks about USAID/Mexico’s Civil Society + Pro Bono activity, which focused on network strengthening and relationship building as a form of capacity. Both speakers discuss the successes and challenges they experienced in trying to strengthen local capacity. 

This webinar is the first in a series of three, which explores how Missions and Washington operating units are putting USAID’s LCS Policy into practice in the DRG sector. The first two webinars delve into specific examples that demonstrate how Missions are implementing the four pillars of the DRG sector LCS Policy implementation plan: improving measurement, increasing the appropriate use of assessment tools, increasing focus on relationships, and increasing participatory approaches across the program cycle. The final webinar examines the connections between the LCS Policy and the new DRG Policy. The series provides DRG Officers with guidance and approaches to consider to enhance local capacity strengthening in their own contexts.