Conducting Cost Analysis for USAID: Practical Steps and Tools

Group Submission Type: Pre-conference Workshop

Description of Session

This professional development workshop, designed for cost analysts, researchers, and evaluators in the international education sector, provides an overview of USAID’s guidance on cost measurement and engages participants in a guided practice of conducting cost analyses using real anonymized cost data sets from USAID activities and USAID templates for conducting cost-economy, cost-efficiency, and cost-effectiveness analyses of education interventions in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs). This approach has so far been applied to 18 programs in 15 countries and is expanding to cover the entire USAID education portfolio.

Participants will learn 1) about USAID’s cost measurement approach in the international education development sector; 2) how to analyze cost data from education projects in LMICs using USAID’s six-step protocol; 3) how to access and use the cost analysis templates for conducting cost analysis following USAID’s six-step protocol; 4) how to practically identify critical data gaps and analysis details; and 5) how to advise clients, including USAID and other donors, with appropriate use of cost analysis findings.

To reach these learning objectives, the workshop will be divided into four sections: 1) policy/activity objectives and cost questions, 2) cost capture, 3) data analysis, and 4) use of findings. The first section will demonstrate the critical and practical importance of aligning overall policy and activity objectives with the cost questions. This is the foundational first step. The second section outlines how to capture and report on expenditures and other essential inputs. The third section will give participants an overview of the USAID approach to Cost Analysis, including the 6-step protocol. After this introduction, presenters will walk participants through each of the 6 steps with realistic examples and hands-on examples. This portion of the workshop is not designed to be a deep dive into the details of the cost analysis methods but instead demonstrates the differences and uses of each. Finally, in the fourth section, participants will discuss how cost analysis findings can be used to help inform current and future projects. In sum, participants will experience the cost analysis process from initial receipt of data to the final reporting and documentation of findings.

Sub Unit

• Pre-Conference Workshops, Book launches, and Visual Art Exhibits / Pre-Conference Workshop

Chair

• Elena Walls, USAID

Workshop Organizer

• Christine Harris-Van Keuren, Salt Analytics

Presenters

• Emma Venetis, EnCompass LLC

• Kayla Hoyer, IRC