Insight Surveys: How a Global USAID Partnership Facility Takes CLA Outward, Supporting Partner-Led Learning

Learning is an important driver of business success and continued competitiveness in the dynamic markets in which USAID operates. But it can be difficult for many companies to set aside resources and time for intentional learning processes that improve their technical evidence base and inform important business decisions. 

Looking for a practical way to support learning, the Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships Activity (MSP) prioritizes embedding partner-led insight surveys as a standard milestone in each pay-for-performance grant; these have emerged as a key element in our efforts to embrace CLA within our partnership approach. MSP now has nearly 50 partnerships with local companies in 16 countries across a variety of agribusiness sub-sectors, waste management, and the care economy.

Insight surveys are short, 'good enough' market research exercises asking about the preferences, capacities, and motivations of producers/suppliers, customers, or workers. They generate insights to improve the likelihood of achieving a partnership's 'shared value' goals (business and development), by reducing risks from false assumptions or information gaps. Companies are in the lead role to design, conduct, analyze, and then adapt their business model accordingly, and MSP offers consultative support and the initial incentive or 'nudge' via the milestone. 

Insight survey findings have led to many tangible, strategic pivots by partners, including in the areas of supply chain management, win-win engagement of women, and targeting clients. The experience has also made believers out of many initial skeptics on the value of investing in more regular feedback loops.