Why CLA Approaches Are Changing Development Programs

For decades, monitoring and evaluation in international development followed a familiar pattern: collect baseline data, implement the programme, measure end-line indicators, write the final report. This approach answered the question "did it work?" — but by the time the answer arrived, the programme had already ended.

Collaborative, Learning and Adaptive (CLA) approaches represent a fundamental shift in how we think about programme improvement. Rather than treating learning as something that happens at the end, CLA integrates reflection and adaptation into the core operating rhythm of a programme from day one.

What Exactly Is CLA?

CLA is a framework developed and promoted by USAID that encompasses three interconnected practices:

What makes CLA different from standard MEL is the emphasis on using information rather than simply collecting it. Many MEL systems are technically rigorous but practically inert — the data exists, but nobody changes anything based on it. CLA addresses this directly by creating explicit organisational processes for reflection and decision-making.

Why Now? The East African Context

Development programmes in East Africa operate in environments of significant uncertainty. Political transitions, climate variability, economic shocks and community dynamics mean that a programme design created in Year 0 is often substantially misaligned with reality by Year 2. The traditional MEL response — collect data, report to donors, continue regardless — is no longer fit for purpose.

"We designed our community health programme based on 2019 assumptions. By 2021, half of our target communities had shifted livelihood strategies entirely. Without a CLA mechanism, we wouldn't have caught this until the endline." — Programme Director, East Africa health NGO

Donors are also pushing for this shift. USAID, FCDO and many European development banks now explicitly require evidence of adaptive management in programme applications. Organisations that can demonstrate CLA capacity have a genuine competitive advantage in proposal processes.

How to Implement CLA Practically

1. Build Learning into Your Calendar

CLA doesn't happen through goodwill alone — it needs structure. The most effective programmes schedule quarterly learning reviews as non-negotiable calendar items, separate from routine reporting cycles. These sessions should have a specific format: what did we expect to happen, what actually happened, what does this tell us, what will we do differently?

2. Create Safe Spaces for Honest Reflection

The biggest barrier to CLA is organisational culture. Staff are often reluctant to report problems or failures, particularly with donor representatives in the room. Effective CLA requires separating internal learning sessions from external reporting — and explicitly framing "what didn't work" as valuable information, not a performance failure.

3. Use Rapid, Light-Touch Data Collection

CLA doesn't require full surveys every quarter. Pulse surveys, key informant interviews, and structured community feedback mechanisms can provide the regular signals needed to flag when something is off-track. The data needs to be good enough to inform a decision — not good enough to publish in a journal.

4. Close the Loop Visibly

Nothing kills a CLA culture faster than staff seeing that their learning contributions disappear without trace. Every adaptation decision should be documented — even briefly — and communicated back to the people who contributed the information. "You told us X, we tried Y, here's what happened" is powerful feedback that builds organisational learning capacity over time.

Where MEL Firms Add Value in CLA

Independent MEL firms like Welmah play a specific and valuable role in CLA-oriented programmes. Our independence from programme staff means we can surface uncomfortable findings without organisational risk. Our technical capacity means we can design the rapid feedback mechanisms that feed CLA processes. And our external perspective means we can help organisations see patterns that internal teams are too close to notice.

At Welmah, we've increasingly structured our MEL engagements around explicit CLA components — designing data collection tools with adaptation triggers built in, facilitating quarterly learning reviews, and supporting the development of adaptive management protocols that satisfy donor requirements without becoming bureaucratic exercises.

If your organisation is moving toward CLA and wants to understand what this means for your MEL system design, we'd welcome the conversation.