A New Paradigm for Aid: from buying results to supporting transformation - Activism Influence and Change Neil McCulloch argues that the search for coalitions of change makers should underpin a refreshed aid and development sector. Since the deliberate and malicious destruction of USAID in early 2025, and...

Aid is broken. This blog argues for a new model: ditch buying results, start backing locally-led transformation. It’s cheaper, smarter, and rooted in political realities. A timely rethink for a shrinking aid world.
📖 Read: blogs.lse.ac.uk/activism-inf...

🔍 Want to understand the forces shaping development outcomes?

Our Political Economy Analysis in Action course is back in September — 12-week online training course that unpacks the political dynamics behind policy and reform.

⚡ Early bird rate ends 13 June

thepolicypractice.com/sites/defaul...

The building blocks of issue-based programming. Source: Gareth Williams (2025), Nine lessons from issue-based programming.

Building on a recent report by Gareth Williams, director of @thepolicypractice.bsky.social, Diana notes that many of the building blocks of issue-based programming are well aligned to ACRC's approach – including the need for aid-financed interventions to be low cost, well-designed and locally led.

A great example of how ignoring politics affects your understanding of the economy… as applied to Yemen

@twpcommunity.org @neilmcculloch.bsky.social

Understanding and using smart technical assistance This technical note is for people working in international co-operation including supporting the capacity-building aims of counterparts.

For #governance and #development professionals: a short note from FCDO governance guru Alan Whaites on how to provide ‘smart’ technical assistance

@duncangreenlse.bsky.social @thepolicypractice.bsky.social @twpcommunity.org

www.gov.uk/government/p...

The Policy Practice Newsletter is now out

📝 New paper on Yemen's Economy by Richard Barltrop

📚 USAID publications on governance now in our library

🌍 Report on Climate & Institutions by Verena Fritz & Rachel Ort

🎓 Applications open for Sept 24 Political Economy course

mailchi.mp/0d0598fceb9c...

New Working Paper on Understanding Yemen's Economy This working paper, authored by TPP Associate Richard Barltrop, explores how the prevailing picture of Yemen’s economy is incomplete and misleading, in particular when it fails to take into account th...

Read the latest from TPP Associate Richard Barltrop on how the international community can improve its understanding of Yemen’s economy. #Yemen #politicaleconomy #datagaps #aidchallenges

thepolicypractice.com/new-working-...

E-mail us at contact@thepolicypractice.com if you have documents we should add - USAID material, lessons from USAID programmes etc

@twpcommunity.org @thepolicypractice.bsky.social

Kudos to the @thepolicypractice.bsky.social! It is important to preserve this #library and body of knowledge resource - hard to believe that this has been erased in the last 80 days of one U.S. administration.

In-person context analysis trainings are the most energising. Already missing challenging questions from SDC, Particip & Dansom in Nairobi about rent seeking, patronage, collective action… and your tips for field research! @neilmcculloch.bsky.social @thepolicypractice.bsky.social @twpcommunity.org

6. USAID documents

Rogue political decisions call for unexpected responses: creating a new USAID page on our @thepolicypractice.bsky.social online library to make accessible their excellent material on #politicaleconomy and #thinkingworkingpolitycally

thepolicypractice.com/6-usaid-docu...

ODI Global livestreamed event - The future of global humanitarian action. 23 April, 08:30-10:00 EST.

In a climate of sweeping aid cuts, the humanitarian sector faces drastic changes.

We're bringing together leaders in Washington, D.C. during the #SpringMeetings to discuss what a new humanitarian future could – and should – look like.

Sign up to watch online on 23 April: odi.org/en/events/th... 🔗

On 🌴 world forest day 🌳… have a look at one of our recent papers explaining the politics of forest policy in Nigeria👇

New Working Paper from Olly Owen and Sa'eed Husaini Nigeria’s forest policy is at a turning point, with a growing domestic push for conservation amidst environmental degradation. This working paper by TPP Principal Olly Owen and Associate Sa'eed Husain...

It’s #InternationalDayofForests !

Our recent working Paper by Olly Owen and Sa'eed Husaini looks at one country's forest policy which is at a turning point, with a growing domestic push for conservation amidst environmental degradation:

www.thepolicypractice.com/new-working-...

Totally agree, when it comes to achieving universal health coverage, leveraging equitable domestic public financing is the answer not more charitable aid be that multilateral or bilateral

Policy and Practice Brief 18 - Nine lessons from Issue-based programming This Policy and Practice brief from TPP Director Gareth Williams discusses Issues-Based Programming (IBP), a development approach which mobilises stakeholders to drive change around locally defined is...

Disruptive, locally led, & demonstrably effective: can focusing on single issues lead to broader systemic change?

Read our latest Policy and Practice Brief by Gareth Williams to explore evidence on this. We'd love to hear your thoughts!

www.thepolicypractice.com/policy-and-p...

The most worrying aspect of Trump's climate approach goes beyond the Paris Agreement says @neilmcculloch.bsky.social; it's that he has lit the touchpaper for a shift in the Zeitgeist about climate...

Anatomy of a Fall: What the Rise and Fall of the UK Aid Budget tells us about Making Change Happen - Activism Influence and Change UK aid advocacy veteran Katy Chakrabortty unpacks the implosion of UK aid, and the lessons for activists Snapshot 1: It’s a grey morning late in the winter of 2013. I am on the grass square outside the UK Houses of Parliament in an ill-fitting suit and wearing a plastic mask giving me the face of

Anatomy of a Fall: What the Rise and Fall of the UK Aid Budget tells us about Making Change Happen. Outgoing @oxfamgb.bsky.social advocacy director Katy Chakrabortty dissects the implosion, and the lessons for activists blogs.lse.ac.uk/activism-inf...

Musk is wrong – foreign aid is how countries show their character to the world The evidence shows international aid – when spent correctly – can bring tremendous benefits and save millions of lives, writes expert and author Stefan Dercon. But if helping people cope with deprivat...

"Foreign aid is what great nations do."

In his latest piece for @the-independent.com, Prof Stefan Dercon (@gamblingondev.bsky.social) argues that foreign aid is not only a reflection of a nation’s character - it’s a marker of global power.👇
buff.ly/hqdJQGV #ForeignAid #Musk

The implications of Trump for climate action - latest blog from TPP Director Neil McCulloch Trump’s rapid reversal of Biden’s climate agenda has shocked many. In one week, he dismantled decades of environmental progress by lifting oil and gas restrictions, scrapping decarbonization targets, ...

How does Trump’s rapid rollback of Biden’s climate policies—from lifting oil and gas restrictions to pulling out of the Paris Agreement—reshape the global fight against climate change?

New blog from TPP Director Neil McCulloch - read here:

thepolicypractice.com/implications...

How can development programming foster locally-led change and sustainable impact? Read our new Policy and Practice brief from TPP Director Gareth Williams on Issue-Based Programming and how the approach has been applied across multiple countries.

thepolicypractice.com/web/sites/de...