Two years ago, the world’s largest bilateral aid agency opened an Office of Innovation and Development Alliances, and earlier in 2013, its inaugural leader announced she would leave her post at the end of June.
What can the rest of the U.S. Agency for International Development learn from the IDEA office? Should USAID be “remade” in its image, as some of the agency’s leaders seem to think?
We asked Maura O’Neill, chief innovation officer and senior counselor to USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, earlier this month on the fringes of the 2013 Global Diaspora Forum in Washington, D.C.
O’Neill also discussed in our conversation IDEA’s biggest accomplishments — from the Development Innovation Ventures to small grants programs — as well as how the agency chooses its partners and evaluates the success of a collaboration.
It’s a compelling look at an IDEA that is helping to change the business of development.
Join the Devex community and access more in-depth analysis, breaking news and business advice — and a host of other services — on international development, humanitarian aid and global health.
Read more:
About the author
Rolf RosenkranzRolfRosenkranz
Rolf Rosenkranz has worked as a Global Editor for Devex. Previously, Rolf was managing editor at Inside Health Policy, a subscription-based news service in Washington. He has reported from Africa for the Johannesburg-based Star and its publisher, Independent News & Media, as well as the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, a German daily.
