As development and humanitarian actors increasingly shift from direct service delivery toward influencing systems, markets, and policies, understanding how these “catalytic” approaches create sustained impact has become a pressing need.
This white paper, “Measurement and Learning for Catalytic Programs in the Development and Humanitarian Sectors” defines catalytic impact as the sustainable improvements in people’s lives that result from systems change or replication at scale, rather than from direct interventions. It presents a practical framework for how organizations can measure, learn from, and strengthen these types of indirect, system-level effects.
What’s Inside
The paper, co-authored by individuals from R4D, CARE, and PSI, distills learning from two global convenings of organizations that fund, deliver, and evaluate catalytic programs and draws lessons from four case studies across health, housing, and agriculture. It introduces five guiding principles for measurement and learning in catalytic work:
- Select right-fit, credible, mixed methods that balance rigor with feasibility.
- Adopt locally owned and user-centered approaches that reflect participants’ priorities.
- Generate evidence for a defined purpose and use, tailored to decision-making needs.
- Approach measurement with a learning focus to support adaptation and improvement.
- Be iterative, innovative, and adaptive in methods, analysis, and use of data over time.
Why It Matters
Catalytic programs seek to influence complex systems through partnerships, scaling, and innovation. Traditional monitoring and evaluation methods are not designed to capture these indirect, long-term effects. This white paper calls for a shift toward adaptive, learning-oriented measurement practices that can illuminate how catalytic change unfolds and how organizations can better contribute to lasting, locally led impact.
Key Recommendations
To advance measurement and learning for catalytic programs, the paper offers targeted recommendations for implementers, donors, and the broader catalytic work community, emphasizing the need for organizational buy-in, realistic budgeting for measurement, investment in innovative approaches, and the creation of a shared community of practice.
Explore the full paper in the download link above.
Author Contact Information
- Katie Bowman – kbowman@r4d.org
- Seth McGovern – smcgovern@psi.org
- Caitlin Shannon – cataspencer@gmail.com (former CARE)
Suggested Citation:
Bowman, Katie; McGovern, Seth; Shannon, Caitlin. (2025). A White Paper on Measurement and Learning for Catalytic Programs in the Development and Humanitarian Sectors. CARE, PSI, R4D.
