programs Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Karol V. Mason Delivers Remarks at the National Summit on Preventing Youth Violence By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 08:55:39 EDT The impact of this violence, and of our acquiescence, is greater than it appears on the surface. We can see the immediate physical damage it does, and we know it causes emotional trauma in the kids it touches. Full Article Speech
programs Justice Department Announces More Than $62 Million to Strengthen Reentry, Probation and Parole Programs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 13:20:41 EST The Justice Department has awarded more than $62 million in grants to strengthen efforts to help people returning from prison rejoin their communities and become productive, law-abiding citizens. Full Article OPA Press Releases
programs Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason, Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs, Delivers Remarks at the Warren Boys and Girls Club Press Event By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 16:08:24 EST The Honorable Karol V. Mason delivers remarks highlighting the importance of mentoring programs for young people in the Metro Atlanta Area. Full Article Speech
programs Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Karol V. Mason Delivers Remarks at the American Society of Criminology By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 13:54:59 EST Support for the sciences and emphasis on evidence comes from the very top of the Obama Administration. The President has set a management agenda that calls for a “smarter, more innovative, and more accountable government.” The Office of Management and Budget has emphasized the use of evidence to support budget requests by all federal agencies. Full Article Speech
programs Federal Advisory Committee Examines Juvenile Courts and Justice System Programs for American Indian Children Exposed to Violence By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 12:26:37 EST More than 30 tribal leaders, juvenile court judges, child advocates, juvenile justice system experts and community members from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community testified today in the second public hearing of the Advisory Committee of the Attorney General’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence. Full Article OPA Press Releases
programs Washington-Based Medical Device Manufacturer to Pay up to $5.25 Million to Settle Allegations of Causing False Billing of Federal Health Care Programs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:08:18 EST Medical device manufacturer EndoGastric Solutions Inc. has agreed to pay the government up to $5.25 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by misleading health care providers about how to bill federal health care programs for a procedure using a device manufactured by the company and by paying kickbacks. Full Article OPA Press Releases
programs Diagnostic Imaging Group to Pay $15.5 Million for Allegedly Submitting False Claims to Federal and State Health Care Programs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:35:57 EST Diagnostic Imaging Group (DIG) has agreed to pay a total of $15.5 million to resolve allegations that its diagnostic testing facility falsely billed federal and state health care programs for tests that were not performed or not medically necessary and by paying kickbacks to physicians. Full Article OPA Press Releases
programs Pharmaceutical Company to Pay $27.6 Million to Settle Allegations Involving False Billings to Federal Health Care Programs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:06:10 EDT Pharmaceutical manufacturer Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. and a subsidiary, IVAX LLC, have agreed to pay the government and the state of Illinois $27.6 million for allegedly violating the False Claims Act by making payments to induce prescriptions of an anti-psychotic drug for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Full Article OPA Press Releases
programs Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Karol V. Mason Delivers Remarks at the 30th National Symposium on Child Abuse By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:53:46 EDT More funding will be available this year, and I am also pleased that President Obama’s budget request for next year includes $11 million for programs to support responses to child maltreatment. This funding will potentially provide critical operational assistance to child advocacy centers and valuable training and technical assistance that will further strengthen the multidisciplinary response to child abuse cases. Full Article Speech
programs Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Karol V. Mason Delivers Remarks at the National African American Drug Policy Coalition 10th Anniversary Summit Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 10:44:28 EDT I believe that the only real, sustainable choice – the only safe and humane option – is the one that broadens opportunity and widens the path to success. Each of you is helping to lead us in that direction, and we are marching forward with you. And I am optimistic that we will continue to see an America that is safer, healthier, and more just. Full Article Speech
programs Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge and Local Businessman Indicted on Conspiracy and Federal Programs Bribery Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 29 May 2014 11:54:32 EDT A current Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge and Puerto Rico businessman were charged with orchestrating a criminal scheme in which the businessman paid bribes to the judge presiding over the criminal case against the businessman according to an indictment unsealed today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
programs Nation’s Largest Nursing Home Pharmacy Company to Pay $124 Million to Settle Allegations Involving False Billings to Federal Health Care Programs By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 15:45:39 EDT Omnicare Inc., the nation’s largest provider of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy services to nursing homes, has agreed to pay $124.24 million for allegedly offering improper financial incentives to skilled nursing facilities in return for their continued selection of Omnicare to supply drugs to elderly Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, the Justice Department announced today Full Article OPA Press Releases
programs Policy Changes Could Bolster Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 07:00:00 -0400 High rates of opioid prescribing have contributed to the current U.S. opioid epidemic and the steady increase in overdose deaths across the country. Prescribers wrote an all-time high of 255 million opioid prescriptions in 2012, and though that rate has since declined. Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mar 31, 2020 Mar 31, 2020A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.” Full Article
programs Countering violent extremism programs are not the solution to Orlando mass shooting By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 In the early hours of Sunday June 12, 2016, a madman perpetrated the mass murder of 49 people in a nightclub considered a safe space for Orlando’s LGBT community. Politicians quickly went into gear to exploit this tragedy to push their own agendas. Glaringly silent on the civil rights of LGBT communities, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz repeated their calls to ban, deport, and more aggressively prosecute Muslims in the wake of this attack. As if Muslims in America are not already selectively targeted in counterterrorism enforcement, stopped for extra security by the TSA at airports, and targeted for entrapment in terrorism cases manufactured by the FBI. Other politicians reiterated calls for Muslim communities to fight extremism purportedly infecting their communities, all while ignoring the fact that domestic terrorism carried out by non-Muslim perpetrators since 9/11 has had a higher impact than the jihadist threat. Asking Muslim American communities to counter violent extremism is a red herring and a nonstarter. In 2011, the White House initiated a countering violent extremism (CVE) program as a new form of soft counterterrorism. Under the rubric of community partnerships, Muslim communities are invited to work with law enforcement to prevent Muslims from joining foreign terrorist groups such as ISIS. Federal grants and rubbing elbows with high level federal officials are among the fringe benefits for cooperation, or cooptation as some critics argue, with the CVE program. Putting aside the un-American imposition of collective responsibility on Muslims, it is a red herring to call on Muslims to counter violent extremism. An individual cannot prevent a criminal act about which s/he has no knowledge. Past cases show that Muslim leaders, or the perpetrators’ family members for that matter, do not have knowledge of planned terrorist acts. Hence, Muslims and non-Muslims alike are in the same state of uncertainty and insecurity about the circumstances surrounding the next terrorist act on American soil. CVE is also a nonstarter for a community under siege by the government and private acts of discrimination. CVE programs expect community leaders and parents to engage young people on timely religious, political, and social matters. While this is generally a good practice for all communities, it should not be conducted through a security paradigm. Nor can it occur without a safe space for honest dialogue. After fifteen years of aggressive surveillance and investigations, there are few safe spaces left in Muslim communities. Thanks in large part to mass FBI surveillance, mosques have become intellectual deserts where no one dares engage in discussions on sensitive political or religious topics. Fears that informants and undercover agents may secretly report on anyone who even criticizes American foreign policy have stripped mosques from their role as a community center where ideas can be freely debated. Government deportations of imams with critical views have turned Friday sermons into sterile monologues about mundane topics. And government efforts to promote “moderate” Muslims impose an assimilationist, anti-intellectual, and tokenized Muslim identity. For these reasons, debates about religion, politics, and society among young people are taking place online outside the purview of mosques, imams, and parents. Meanwhile, Muslim youth are reminded in their daily lives that they are suspect and their religion is violent. Students are subjected to bullying at school. Mosques are vandalized in conjunction with racist messages. Workers face harassment at work. Muslim women wearing headscarves are assaulted in public spaces. Whether fear or bigotry drives the prejudice, government action and politicians’ rhetoric legitimize discrimination as an act of patriotism. Defending against these civil rights assaults is consuming Muslim Americans’ community resources and attention. Worried about their physical safety, their means of livelihood, and the well-being of their children in schools; many Muslim Americans experience the post-9/11 era as doubly victimized by terrorism. Their civil rights are violated by private actors and their civil liberties are violated by government actors—all in retribution for a criminal act about which they had no prior knowledge, and which they had no power to prevent by a criminal with whom they had no relationship. To be sure, we should not sit back and allow another mass shooting to occur without a national conversation about the causes of such violence. But wasting time debating ineffective and racialized CVE programs is not constructive. Our efforts are better spent addressing gun violence, the rise of homophobic violence, and failed American foreign policy in the Middle East. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to prevent more madmen from engaging in senseless violence that violates our safe spaces. This article was originally published in the Huffington Post. Authors Sahar Aziz Publication: The Huffington Post Image Source: © Jonathan Ernst / Reuters Full Article
programs How can we know if social programs will work? By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 There is a great deal of inefficiency in social programs, and many simply don’t work. So yes, we should require a rigorous RCT before committing large amounts of public or private money on expanding a seemingly good idea. But we also need to encourage innovation, and that requires a more nuanced approach to collecting and analyzing data and fostering early success. Full Article
programs Improving youth summer jobs programs By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Thu, 14 Jul 2016 10:00:00 -0400 Event Information July 14, 201610:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDTFalk Auditorium1775 Massachusetts Ave., NWWashington, DC Register for the EventYouth summer jobs programs have experienced a resurgence of interest and investment since the Great Recession, driven by concerns about high unemployment rates among young people, particularly those who are low-income, black, or Hispanic. Recent research points to summer jobs programs as a positive lever for change by reducing violence, incarceration, and mortality and improving academic outcomes.They are often a jurisdiction’s most high-profile youth employment initiative. But good intentions do not always lead to results. Research has not yet linked summer jobs programs to improved employment outcomes, evaluations to date are silent on effective program design, and in the absence of agreed-upon standards and best practices, there is no guarantee of quality.They are complicated and labor-intensive to operate, and many jurisdictions had to re-build their programs after a long hiatus following the end of dedicated federal funding in the late 1990s. On Thursday, July 14, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program hosted an event that explored core elements associated with high-performing programs and made recommendations to strengthen summer jobs programs. The event featured a presentation on the finding of a new paper by Brookings fellow Martha Ross and co-author Richard Kazis, titled, “Youth Summer Jobs Programs: Aligning Ends and Means,” followed by a response panel, comprised of leaders from metro areas across the country. Join the conversation on Twitter at #SummerJobs Presentation by Martha Ross Photo From left to right: Richard Kazis, Nonresident Fellow, The Brookings Institution; Kerry Sullivan, President, Bank of America Charitable Foundation; Honorable Michael A. Nutter, Former Mayor, City of Philadelphia; Ana Galeas, Summer Camp Counselor, DC Scores, and Participant, Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program; Michael Gritton, Executive Directlor, KentuckianaWorks Video Welcome and presentation Panel discussionClosing remarks Audio Improving youth summer jobs programs Transcript Uncorrected Transcript (.pdf) Event Materials 20160714_youth_jobs_transcript Full Article
programs Youth summer jobs programs: Aligning ends and means By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Thu, 14 Jul 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Summer jobs programs for young people have experienced a resurgence of interest and investment since the Great Recession, driven by concerns about high youth unemployment rates, particularly among low-income, black, and Hispanic youth. Summer jobs programs typically last five to seven weeks and provide work opportunities to teens and young adults who otherwise might struggle to find jobs. They offer a paycheck, employment experiences, and other organized activities in the service of multiple goals: increasing participants’ income, developing young people’s skills and networks to improve their labor market prospects, and offering constructive activities to promote positive behavior. Most young people are placed in subsidized positions in the public and nonprofit sectors, although most cities also secure unsubsidized and private-sector placements, which typically come with higher skill and work-readiness requirements. Recent research finds that summer jobs programs have positive effects: reducing violence, incarceration, and mortality and improving academic outcomes. But a strong program does not automatically follow from good intentions. Program design and implementation carry the day and determine the results. Moreover, research has not yet linked summer jobs programs to improved employment outcomes; evaluations to date are silent on effective program design; and, in the absence of agreed-upon standards and best practices, there is no guarantee of quality. This paper is written to help clarify what is known about summer jobs programs and to provide information and guidance to city leaders, policymakers, and funders as they consider supporting larger and better summer efforts. Many jurisdictions are rebuilding their summer programs after a long hiatus that followed the end of dedicated federal funding in the late 1990s. Summer jobs programs are complex endeavors to design and deliver. Local leaders and administrators make a multitude of choices about program design, implementation, and funding, and these choices have a direct impact on quality and results. It is an opportune moment to assess the knowledge base and gaps about the operations and impacts of summer jobs programs. Downloads Summer Jobs Ross 7 12 16Press release Authors Martha RossRichard Kazis Full Article
programs Subsidizing Higher Education through Tax and Spending Programs By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: ABSTRACT During the past 10 years, tax benefits have played an increasingly important role in federal higher education policy. Before 1998, most federal support for higher education involved direct expenditure programs— largely grants and loans—primarily intended to provide more equal educational opportunities for low- and moderate-income students. In 1997 (effective largely for expenses in 1998 and… Full Article
programs Predicting the impact of college subsidy programs on college enrollment By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2019 18:17:33 +0000 There is currently a great deal of interest in the potential of college subsidy programs to increase equitable access to higher education and to reduce the financial burden on college attendees. While colleges may be subsidized in a variety of ways, such as through grants to institutions, in our latest Brookings report, we focus on college subsidy programs that directly… Full Article
programs Scaling Up Programs for the Rural Poor: IFAD's Experience, Lessons and Prospects (Phase 2) By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:55:00 -0500 The challenge of rural poverty and food insecurity in the developing world remains daunting. Recent estimates show that “there are still about 1.2 billion extremely poor people in the world. In addition, about 870 million people are undernourished, and about 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiency. About 70 percent of the world’s poor live in rural areas, and many have some dependency on agriculture,” (Cleaver 2012). Addressing this challenge by assisting rural small-holder farmers in developing countries is the mandate of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), an international financial institution based in Rome. The International Fund for Agricultural Development is a relatively small donor in the global aid architecture, accounting for approximately one-half of 1 percent of all aid paid directly to developing countries in 2010. Although more significant in its core area of agricultural and rural development, IFAD still accounts for less than 5 percent of total official development assistance in that sector.1 Confronted with the gap between its small size and the large scale of the problem it has been mandated to address, IFAD seeks ways to increase its impact for every dollar it invests in agriculture and rural development on behalf of its member states. One indicator of this intention to scale up is that it has set a goal to reach 90 million rural poor between 2012 and 2015 and lift 80 million out of poverty during that time. These numbers are roughly three times the number of poor IFAD has reached previously during a similar time span. More generally, IFAD has declared that scaling up is “mission critical,” and this scaling-up objective is now firmly embedded in its corporate strategy and planning statements. Also, increasingly, IFAD’s operational practices are geared towards helping its clients achieve scaling up on the ground with the support of its loans and grants. This was not always the case. For many years, IFAD stressed innovation as the key to success, giving little attention to systematically replicating and building on successful innovations. In this regard, IFAD was not alone. In fact, few aid agencies have systematically pursued the scaling up of successful projects. However, in 2009, IFAD management decided to explore how it could increase its focus on scaling up. It gave a grant to the Brookings Institution to review IFAD’s experience with scaling up and to assess its operational strategies, policies and processes with a view to strengthening its approach to scaling up. Based on an extensive review of IFAD documentation, two country case studies and intensive interactions with IFAD staff and managers, the Brookings team prepared a report that it submitted to IFAD management in June 2010 and published as a Brookings Global Working Paper in early 2011 (Linn et al. 2011). Download the paper (PDF) » Downloads Download the paper Authors Arntraud HartmannHomi KharasRichard KohlJohannes F. LinnBarbara MasslerCheikh Sourang Image Source: © Andrew Biraj / Reuters Full Article
programs How to meet SDG and climate goals: Eight lessons for scaling up development programs By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 10 May 2016 09:30:00 -0400 To achieve the desired outcomes of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the global targets from the Paris COP21 Climate Summit by 2030, governments will have to find ways to meet the top-down objectives with bottom-up approaches. A systematic focus on scaling up successful development interventions could serve to bridge this gap, or what’s been called the “missing middle.” However, the question remains how to actually address the challenge of scaling up. When Arna Hartmann, adjunct professor of international development, and I first looked at the scaling up agenda in development work in the mid-2000s, we concluded that development agencies were insufficiently focused on supporting the scaling up of successful development interventions. The pervasive focus on one-off projects all too often resulted in what I’ve come to refer to as “pilots to nowhere.” As a first step to fix this, we recommended that each aid organization carry out a review to be sure to focus effectively on scaling up. The institutional dimension is critical, given their role in developing and implementing scaling up pathways. Of course, individuals serve as champions, designers, and implementers, but experience illustrates that if individuals lack a strong link to a supportive institution, scaling up is most likely to be short-lived and unsustainable. “Institutions” include many different types of organizations, such as government ministries and departments, private firms and social enterprises, civil society organizations, and both public and private external donors and financiers. The Brookings book “Getting to Scale: How to Bring Development Solutions to Millions of Poor People” explores the opportunities and challenges that such organizations face, on their own or, better yet, partnering with each other, in scaling up the development impact of their successful interventions. Eight lessons in scaling up Over the past decade I have worked with 10 foreign aid institutions—multilateral and bilateral agencies, as well as big global non-governmental organizations—helping them to focus systematically on scaling up operational work and developing approaches to do so. There are common lessons that apply across the board to these agencies, with one salutary example being the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which has tackled the scaling up agenda systematically and persistently. Following are eight takeaway lessons I gleaned from my work with IFAD: Look into the “black box” of institutions. It is not enough to decide that an institution should focus on and support scaling up of successful development interventions. You actually need to look at how institutions function in terms of their mission statement and corporate strategy, their policies and processes, their operational instruments, their budgets, management and staff incentives, and their monitoring and evaluation practices. Check out the Brookings working paper that summarizes the results of a scaling up review of the IFAD. Scaling needs to be pursued institution-wide. Tasking one unit in an organization with innovation and scaling up, or creating special outside entities (like the Global Innovation Fund set up jointly by a number of donor agencies) is a good first step. But ultimately, a comprehensive approach must be mainstreamed so that all operational activities are geared toward scaling up. Scaling up must be championed from the top. The governing boards and leadership of the institutions need to commit to scaling up and persistently stay on message, since, like any fundamental institutional change, effectively scaling up takes time, perhaps a decade or more as with IFAD. The scaling up process must be grown within the institution. External analysis and advice from consultants can play an important role in institutional reviews. But for lasting institutional change, the leadership must come from within and involve broad participation from managers and staff in developing operational policies and processes that are tailored to an institution’s specific culture, tasks, and organizational structure. A well-articulated operational approach for scaling up needs to be put in place. For more on this, take a look at a recent paper by Larry Cooley and I that reviews two helpful operational approaches, which are also covered in Cooley’s blog. For the education sector, the Center for Universal Education at Brookings just published its report “Millions Learning,” which provides a useful scaling up approach specifically tailored to the education sector. Operational staffs need to receive practical guidance and training. It is not enough to tell staff that they have to focus on scaling up and then give them a general framework. They also need practical guidance and training, ideally tailored to the specific business lines they are engaged in. IFAD, for example, developed overall operational guidelines for scaling up, as well as guidance notes for specific area of engagement, including livestock development, agricultural value chains, land tenure security, etc. This guidance and training ideally should also be extended to consultants working with the agency on project preparation, implementation, and evaluation, as well as to the agency’s local counterpart organizations. New approaches to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have to be crafted. Typically the M&E for development projects is backward looking and focused on accountability, narrow issues of implementation, and short-term results. Scaling up requires continuous learning, structured experimentation, and innovation based on evidence, including whether the enabling conditions for scaling up are being established. And it is important to monitor and evaluate the institutional mainstreaming process of scaling up to ensure that it is effectively pursued. I’d recommend looking at how the German Agency for International Development (GIZ) carried out a corporate-wide evaluation of its scaling up experience. Scaling up helps aid organizations mobilize financial resources. Scaling up leverages limited institutional resources in two ways: First, an organization can multiply the impact of its own financial capacity by linking up with public and private agencies and building multi-stakeholder coalitions in support of scaling up. Second, when an organization demonstrates that it is pursuing not only one-off results but also scaled up impact, funders or shareholders of the organization tend to be more motivated to support the organization. This certainly was one of the drivers of IFAD’s successful financial replenishment consultation rounds over the last decade. By adopting these lessons, development organizations can actually begin to scale up to the level necessary to bridge the missing middle. The key will be to assure that a focus on scaling up is not the exception but instead becomes ingrained in the institutional DNA. Simply put, in designing and implementing development programs and projects, the question needs to be answered, “What’s next, if this intervention works?” Authors Johannes F. Linn Full Article
programs Do social protection programs improve life satisfaction? Lessons from Iraq By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 10 Jul 2018 14:54:06 +0000 There is much debate now—in both developed and developing economies—on the merits or de-merits of universal basic income (UBI), with strong opinions on either side. Advocates clash with those who see targeted transfers to the poor—such as the conditional cash transfers first pioneered in Latin America—as better at providing incentives for long-term investments in health,… Full Article
programs Do social protection programs improve life satisfaction? By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:14:15 +0000 An extensive literature examines the link between social protection-related public spending and objective outcomes of well-being such as income, employment, education, and health (see Department for International Development [DFID], 2011; ILO, 2010; World Bank, 2012). Much less attention has been given to how government social protection policies influence individuals’ own sense of well-being, particularly in… Full Article
programs How Promise programs can help former industrial communities By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 14:08:06 +0000 The nation is seeing accelerating gaps in economic opportunity and prosperity between more educated, tech-savvy, knowledge workers congregating in the nation’s “superstar” cities (and a few university-town hothouses) and residents of older industrial cities and the small towns of “flyover country.” These growing divides are shaping public discourse, as policymakers and thought leaders advance recipes… Full Article
programs World Environment Day highlights Barbados’ sustainability programs By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 17:04:19 -0400 The host country of the United Nations World Environment day is working to protect its natural resources and adapt to climate change. Full Article Business
programs Are "Green" energy and water savings programs in hotels really about the environment? By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:16:09 -0500 Are they good for everyone or just about making money and getting rid of workers? Full Article Business
programs Sears & Kmart Join Wal-Mart, Target In PVC Reduction Programs By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 07:28:53 -0500 Short design-life products made of PVC have been a common, inexpensive, and functional choice for almost 50 years. But, vinyl can also be a risky choice of material for objects often handled by consumers, posing a risk of lead exposure, especially if Full Article Business
programs Growing recycling programs help us inch closer to Zero Waste By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:00:00 -0500 Looking beyond traditional recyclables and the "blue bin", here are some of the organizations and companies seeking to redefine what we consider trash with alternative recycling initiatives and methods of reuse. Full Article Business
programs Frequent flyer programs should be abolished, report says By www.treehugger.com Published On :: Wed, 23 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0400 They incentivize air travel at a time when people should be flying less. Full Article Transportation
programs Extended Stay America Partners With The Noerr Programs To Create The "Official Hotel of Santa Claus" - Santa Claus’ Travel Secrets By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 03 Dec 2015 14:35:00 EST Santa Claus and Extended Stay America, “Santa’s Official Hotel,” Partner to ease holiday travel woes. In time for the holiday season, the ultimate holiday travel guru shares holiday travel tips. Full Article Entertainment Leisure Travel Hotels Travel Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions Hotels and Resorts Broadcast Feed Announcements MultiVu Video
programs Answers to your biggest questions about US stimulus programs for Covid-19 relief By www.cnbc.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 21:13:34 GMT The $2.2 trillion CARES Act has provided several programs to help combat the widespread economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, but Americans are still confused. Senior Personal Finance Correspondent Sharon Epperson provides the answers. Full Article
programs Vaccination Programs Curb HPV Infections (and) Precancerous Cervical Lesions By www.medindia.net Published On :: Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programs found to decrease the number of infections and precancerous cervical lesions caused by the virus significantly, Full Article
programs Research Unearths Publicly Funded Pregnancy-related Programs Can Improve Maternal Mortality Rates By www.medindia.net Published On :: The study conducted by FAU College of Business faculty members Patrick Bernet, Ph.D., Gulcin Gumus, Ph.D., and Sharmila Vishwasrao, Ph.D., and recently Full Article
programs Syringe Exchange Programs are Cheap Investments To combat HIV By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Syringe exchange programs prevented 12,483 new cases of HIV over a ten-year period, saving millions of dollars every year in Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to a new study. Full Article
programs Early Improvements in Preschool Programs Yield Long-term Benefits By www.medindia.net Published On :: Improving the quality of preschool programs can boost your child's overall wellbeing even after years, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in iChild Development/i journal. Full Article
programs Company Builders Are the New Accelerator Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 14:00:00 GMT With this market uncertainty, entrepreneurs are better off planning for long-term growth than the quick-scaling approach. Full Article Recovery
programs Company Builders Are the New Accelerator Programs By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 14:00:00 GMT With this market uncertainty, entrepreneurs are better off planning for long-term growth than the quick-scaling approach. Full Article Recovery
programs 10 affordable data science courses and programs you can take online — offered by Harvard, MIT, and companies like IBM, Google, and Amazon By www.businessinsider.in Published On :: 17 Apr 2020, 02:12 Full Article
programs States and cities are stepping up to help businesses survive. Here are the best funding programs nationwide to help you pay rent, keep employees, and restructure your debt. By www.businessinsider.in Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 22:26:22 +0530 States and city governments are offering millions in loans and grants to businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. California's IBank is offering up to $50,000 in direct loans and loan guarantees for companies with fewer than 750 employees, while Maryland is granting $100,000 to manufacturers that can quickly pivot to make personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical needs items. Most applications are submitted online and require basic business information as well as proof of how business revenue declined due to COVID-19.This piece will be updated as new information becomes available.Click here fore more BI Prime stories.As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt the lives and operations of millions of American business owners, more state and local governments are offering Full Article
