The Policy Innovations Science Program Management team convened at the Haile Grand Hotel on September 22–23, 2026, for a strategic two-day retreat. Central to the discussions was a deep dive into the program’s Theory of Change, led by Clemens, focusing on defining policy change, sharpening the program’s unique comparative advantage, and identifying successful models to replicate. The team critically evaluated ways to strengthen linkages across Areas of Work (AoWs) and Strategic Priorities/Action Areas (SP/As) to elevate the upcoming 2027 Program Outcome Documents (PODs).
A major priority of the retreat was optimizing collaboration with country policy hubs. Participants mapped out two to three key priorities per hub for 2026–2027 while exploring concrete ways to improve information flows between the hubs and AoWs to capture higher-impact policy opportunities. Finally, the team conducted a detailed review of prospective PODs across each Area of Work to ensure a focused, high-impact selection for 2027.
