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Lessons Learned from COVID-19

Shock Agnostic Readiness and Response

During the COVID-19 pandemic, USAID and its partners learned from the evolving programs as they responded to the changing operating environment. This page provides resources, tools, approaches, and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic response and adaptations that can be applicable to any crises or shocks in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a rapidly evolving global crisis that exacerbated inequities across communities, countries, and sectors where USAID operates. Response priorities included protecting the safety and health security of the global workforce, ensuring that USAID can continue its life-saving mission across the world, and supporting partner countries in their response to COVID-19. 

During the period 2020-2023, the Bureau for Planning, Learning, and Resource Management (PLR) actively supported the Agency’s efforts to manage and adapt COVID-19 programming, generate evidence on the pandemic response, and capture key lessons to inform response to future emergencies. In these efforts, PLR collaborated closely with other bureaus across the Agency, especially with the Bureau for Global Health (GH) and Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). To ensure that learning informed the United State Government’s (USG) COVID-19 response, PLR led an Interagency Working Group of USAID COVID-19 stakeholders and their counterparts in the Department of State.

Resources

Introducing the Agency’s Official Knowledge  Management Portal for Readiness and Response!

The new Agency Shock Agnostic Readiness and Response Portal (SHARP) is a comprehensive repository that provides USAID’s Operating Units with access to the more than 85 operational and programmatic resources to help prepare for and navigate shocks and crises, including social fragility, public health emergencies, food insecurity, natural disasters, among others. SHARP is the culmination of three years of COVID-19 monitoring, evaluation, and learning efforts, including the COVID-19 Big Picture Reflection on pandemic responses and adaptations. It was developed by PLR in close collaboration with a number of Operating Units across the Agency. SHARP is currently managed and maintained by the Management Bureau’s Critical Coordination Structure (M/CCS) as an important addition to the operational readiness portfolio.

Lessons Learned

Guidance and Tools