10-Year Strategy & Three-Year Priorities 2013-2022

CLOSING THE GAP

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INTRODUCTIONWith nearly a quarter-billion women around the world still lacking access to safe, effective family planning and reproductive health services, the mission of Population Action International (PAI) has never been more urgent or important.

Because of this unmet need for contraception, millions of people around the world—married and unmarried women, adolescents, and marginalized groups—are unable to exercise their basic sexual and reproductive rights. Because of this gap, maternal mortality rates remain stubbornly high. On multiple levels, the gap undermines the twin goals of maternal health and child survival, a cost borne by those least able to afford it. And lack of access to contraception drives up the rate of unintended pregnancies. This increases the need for abortion, many of which are performed in unsafe conditions, further threatening the lives of women.

By contrast, family planning offers profound societal advantages, especially in the developing world. Families where women have the ability to space births have much better outcomes in terms of health, education, and economic productivity. Child mortality among such families plummets; life expectancies increase; diets improve. These household-level improvements are the engines of national growth and prosperity. In these ways, family planning represents perhaps the most cost-ef-fective investment in long-term development. Every dollar invested in family planning has shown savings in other development areas ranging from $2 in Ethiopia, to more than $6 in Guatemala and Bangladesh, to up to $9 in Bolivia.1

PAI further recognizes that, in addition to the myriad benefits of family planning at both the household and national level, there is also a strong human rights rationale for increasing access to contraceptive information and services. In fact, both the principle of non-dis-crimination and the right to the highest attainable standard of health help provide the basis for our research and advocacy pursuits.

It is up to PAI, its partners and the broader development community to raise awareness of these interventions as life-saving for individuals, transformative for communities, and “multiplier” investments for nations. Despite the clear

case to be made, closing the gap remains a challenge.Fortunately, there is a path forward. Strong, effectively linked research and advocacy can make a lasting difference for family planning and, by extension, for women and their families.

There are numerous policy opportunities, especially at the national level, to dramat-ically reduce the unmet need for family planning. Concrete national and subnational plans can provide universal access; legal and regulatory barriers can be removed; high quality reproductive health commodities can be in sufficient and timely supply; and appropriately skilled and supervised health workers can be trained and supported in sustainable, high-quality facilities.

Along with policy, there is money. The interna-tional donor community has shown renewed interest in funding family planning and reproductive health programs in low-income countries. But monitoring the allocation and expenditure of these resources, both at the global and national levels, remains an enormous undertaking for advocates around the world. Given the state of the global economy and political realities in various donor countries, a big boost in overseas development assistance seems unlikely at best, so it is all the more important to leverage scarce aid resources to the greatest degree possible.

To make the biggest impact for women in this uncertain operating environment, PAI will concentrate on its core business: advocating with partners for money and supportive policies for family planning and reproductive health. The target of those advocacy efforts, heretofore primarily the US government and donor countries, will now be matched with similar efforts at the recipient country level. Donor governments and agencies remain key, and much work can and needs to be done to assess the impact of different streams of funding, competitive allocation processes, and other disincentives throughout the system. Going forward, however, PAI aspires to provide the best possible value for its size and scale of interventions. Accordingly, PAI plans to invest in a handful of high-priority countries in the developing world, where—with the help of local partners—we can make meaningful progress in closing the gap.

1 Family Planning: The Smartest Investment We Can Make.

Population Action International. 2012.

10-YEAR STRATEGY & THREE-YEAR PRIORITIES

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VISION

MISSION

Every person has access to

high-quality, effective and affordable

family planning and reproductive

health services.

Population Action International

promotes universal access to family

planning and reproductive health

services through research, advocacy,

and innovative partnerships. Achieving

this mission will dramatically improve

the health and autonomy of women,

reduce poverty, strengthen civil

society, and protect the environment.

Grounded in this premise and in the conviction that our mission matters, this strategic plan articulates a sense of common purpose and direction for PAI. Beginning at the aspirational level, with our vision and mission, it provides a framework for setting goals, allocating resources across the organization, and holding ourselves accountable. It consists of the following components:

●● VISION - what success over the long-term looks like for PAI

●● MISSION - a concise statement of what we hope to accomplish and our major approaches for getting there

●● TEN-YEAR GOALS - specific targets for funding and advocacy

●● THEORY OF CHANGE - how we get results; our model for impact

●● THREE-YEAR OBJECTIVES - specific, measurable outcomes for the short term that contribute materially to the 10-year goals

●● FUNDING MODEL - our priority audiences and value proposition

By aligning PAI’s institutional strengths around this integrated strategy, we believe that we can make a lasting difference for women at a uniquely challenging time. Our blend of advocacy expertise, field credibility, and research enables us to “punch above our weight”—to have disproportionate impact relative to resources expended. We owe as much to our donors and other supporters.Most of all, we are compelled to action on behalf of the women, children, and families in the developing world who don’t have access to these life-changing products and services. This singular focus sets us apart from others in the global health community. It serves as the anchor for our organizational values and the touchstone for the commitments we make to each other, our supporters, and the underserved women of the world.

CLOSING THE GAP

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TEN-YEAR GOALSBy 2022, PAI will work with its partners to mobilize the resources, policies, and political willpower necessary to close the global gap in family planning, an unmet need estimated at 222 million women. PAI will measure its progress toward this overarching aspiration along three dimensions: funding, policy change, and institu-tional sustainability, with specific targets or indicators of success listed for each of the major goals.

A. Double annual funding for family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) in low-income countries from the 2012 baseline of $12.7 billion2 to $25.4 billion

1 Increase U.S. Government (USG) funding for global FP/RH programs from a baseline of $610 million to the USG’s full fair share, which is $1 billion in 2012

2 Increase funding for FP/RH from interna-tional institutions and other global donors by 5 percent per year, to a total of $1.7 billion3

3 Move recipient countries to action in doubling government funding and resources (from a baseline of $9.5 billion),4 and in spending FP/RH budgets/ODA targeted to FP/RH; target is 100 percent of FP/RH funds actually spent on FP/RH programs

4 Double resources available for global FP/RH from non-traditional and emerging allies, including emerging economies, middle income countries, the private sector and social finance mechanisms from the 2010 baseline of 20.1 million5

5 Double annual bilateral donor funding for FP and RH from $2.54 billion to $5.1 billion6

B. Establish a supportive policy environment for family planning and reproductive health services

1 Improve policies and/or increase access to FP/RH services (e.g. donor restrictions, legal restrictions and obstacles, etc.) in 10 priority countries

2 Advocate with global donors and national governments for full implementation of existing policy commitments (such as those articulated in Every Woman, Every Child, The London Summit’s FP2020, and the Muskoka Initiative)

3 Advocate with global donors for new and related policies supportive of FP/RH (e.g., climate change adaptation platforms, emerging development frameworks such as Sustainable Development Goals)

4 Advocate with global donors and national governments to change polices that inhibit access to FP/RH services (e.g., conscience clauses, gag rule, abortion laws, anti-prostitution pledge)

C. Build PAI’s organizational capacity

1 Increase PAI’s organizational budget to support the Priority Country strategy, taken to full scale, based on funding trends evaluated at the three-year mark

2 Become the best known and most respected organization pursuing a comprehensive approach to global advocacy for FP/RH

3 Leverage PAI’s board to open doors and mobilize personal or institutional resources for the organization

4 Invest in appropriate staffing, skills, and systems to support a high-performing organization

2 Baseline figure includes $8.7 billion in maternal (reproductive)

and newborn health costs plus $4 billion in FP costs. The MH

estimate is taken from the 2009 edition of Adding It Up, while

the FP figure is based on the 2012 publication of Adding It Up.

3 Based on 2010NIDI data requested by PAI. International

institutions and other global donors are conceptualized as the

UN System, Foundations/NGOs and Bank Grants. A compound

interest formula was applied (5% increase per annum over 10

years) to obtain the goal figures. Data source: UNFPA/NIDI.

2012. Expenditures by Donor Type and ICPD Category 2010.

Unpublished.

4 Data on domestic expenditure includes government funds spent

on FP, RH and basic research/policy analysis (HIV excluded).

Estimate derived by multiplying global government expenditure

on population activities in 2010 ($13.6 billion) by 70%, roughly

the proportion of funds spent on non-STD/HIV/AIDS treatment

and prevention activities. Data source: ECOSOC. 2012. Flow

of Financial Resources for Assisting in the Implementation of

the Programme of Action of the International Conference on

Population and Development. New York: UN ECOSOC.

5 Based on 2010 NIDI data requested by PAI. Estimate includes FP

and RH-specific expenditures of South Korea only. Baseline data

for the FP and RH expenditures of Brazil, Russia, India, China,

South Africa and others is not easily accessible. Data source:

UNFPA/NIDI. 2012. Expenditures of Republic of Korea by ICPD

category (Million USD) 2010. Unpublished.

6 Baseline figure of FP and RH-specific expenditures of donor

countries. Data source: UNFPA/NIDI. 2012. Expenditures by

Donor Country and ICPD Category. Unpublished.

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THREE-YEAR ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES By the close of 2015, global development frameworks such as the MDGs and ICPD Programme of Action will be revisited and renewed; a U.S. Presidential election will be on the near-term horizon; and the economic picture will have, at best, steadied and started to recover. For these and a host of other more practical, operational reasons, PAI has translated its ambitious 10-year goals into a set of three-year organizational priorities that will guide our annual planning process as well as represent the first installment of progress toward achievement of our plan. These priorities are internally focused in many respects, providing PAI the time and space to make exponential leaps, rather than incremental steps, in the years ahead. Converting our ambitious concepts to a sustainable reality will require a solid institutional base that we are focused on deepening and strengthening from 2013-2015, but it will leave us better poised than ever to execute on our goals, perform at a high level, and solve the big challenges. I Expand PAI’s global advocacy programs

to intensify focus in a portfolio of priority countries

II Increase funding and advance supportive policies for the movement

III Increase and diversify funding for PAI to implement the strategic plan

IV Rebrand PAI as “best in class” to reflect 10-year goals and organizational strategy

V Foster a trusting, nimble, high-performing corporate culture

I Expand PAI’s global advocacy programs to intensify focus in a portfolio of priority countries

1 Define and launch a portfolio of priority countries - 7-10 selected by 2015, with three funded and operational. Our country portfolio will most likely include six African countries, two countries from the Latin American/Caribbean (LAC) region and two from the Asia Pacific region

2 Reallocate and/or realign PAI’s financial resources in order to maximize efficiency and support the priority country strategy

3 Reallocate and/or realign PAI’s intellectual resources to support the priority country strategy

4 Based on portfolio analysis, work with partners to prioritize two policies in priority countries and support them to develop/implement a three-year strategy to change/implement the policies

5 Establish and document a PAI model for country presence, including a small grants program strategy

II Increase funding and advance supportive

policies for the movement

1 Donor governments and agencies disburse one-third of funding committed at the London Summit, or comparable global level commitments in three years

2 Two PAI priority countries are on track to meet their national FP/RH commitments as defined under existing global frameworks

3 Within three years, three non-traditional and emerging allies, including emerging economies, middle income countries, the private sector, sustainability platforms, and social finance mechanisms, make supportive policies or resource commitments on FP/RH and PAI develops a mechanism to track such commitments

4 Hold the line on USG appropriations for FP for the next three years

5 Reaffirm and/or realign centrality of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) to development

CLOSING THE GAP

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THREE-YEAR ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES processes and frameworks, for example ensuring progressive language on FP/RH included in post-MDG/SDG (Millennium Development Goals/Sustainable Development Goals) and Cairo +20 frameworks and national development plans

III Increase and diversify funding for PAI to

implement the strategic plan

1 Increase individual giving to $1.2 million in three years from baseline of $600,000

2 Achieve 100 percent Board giving by 2013 from baseline of 85 percent and increase level of Board support from $200,000 to $400,000 in three years

3 Raise $2 million unrestricted support from foundations from baseline of $1.1 million

4 Increase restricted foundation funding from a baseline of the five year average of $3.1 million to $5.4 million yearly in three years

5 Achieve a reserve of $2.2 million from baseline $1.8 million by increasing investment portfolio by $400,000

*Note: This equals a $9 million budget by 2015, with an additional $400,000 raised in operating reserve funds. Baseline figures for foundation support were determined using the average over the last five years, and all targets are by 2015.

IV Rebrand PAI as “best in class” to reflect 10-year goals and organizational strategy

1 Design and launch comprehensive rebranding initiative to shift unaided “top of mind” response about PAI by stakeholders from USG-specialist to best known and respected in global advocacy for family planning and reproductive health

2 Increase PAI’s visibility among target audiences, particularly funders and civil society partners

3 Support PAI program and advocacy agenda with communications strategies, products, and services

4 Within three years, communications infrastructure and capacity built to provide technical assistance to research and advocacy programs in three priority countries

5 Support fundraising strategy and develop suite of branded fundraising materials including collateral materials

V Foster a trusting, nimble, high-performing corporate culture

1 Implement, communicate and execute a three-year Strategic Plan that effectively aligns PAI’s work and workforce to achieve PAI’s mission, to include:

i Establish a quarterly planning and reporting system (measures progress in the work; ensures three-year plan remains aligned with mission)

ii Identify and fill key capacity gaps (technical, program, development, communications)

2 Implement effective organizational measures that support continuous quality improvement in performance of PAI’s work, to include:

i Expand use of RACI model of clarifying roles and responsibilities to resolve conflict and promote right placement of decision-making

ii Launch a comprehensive talent management plan

iii Implement nonprofit best practices for information technology, finance & administrations and knowledge management

iv Achieve annual 20 percent improvement in staff perceptions of and experiences with internal communications and cross-de-partment collaboration (measured by data mapping and surveys)

10-YEAR STRATEGY & THREE-YEAR PRIORITIES

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THEORY OF CHANGE/MODEL FOR IMPACTOver the next decade, PAI will help fill the unmet global need for contraception by advocating for funding and public policies that support increased access to family planning and reproductive health. Within this overarching advocacy frame, our model for impact focuses on three key elements:

●● Mobilizing influencers in the U.S., European Union (EU), and developing countries - PAI engages “grasstops” who influence, or might influence, family planning and reproductive health policies and funding. These include elected and appointed public officials, academics, private sector stakeholders and NGO thought leaders. PAI focuses on such high-level individuals in its advocacy with the U.S. Congress and administration; at the United Nations, through relevant agencies and country missions; in the EU and with international institutions; and in developing countries, through its partners.

PAI reaches these influential audiences through an array of tactics: in-person meetings, in-district events, coalition-based actions, reports and publications, earned media coverage, online communications, film, video and storytelling, and site visits to developing countries for high-level stakeholders, including policymakers and influencers. PAI does not accept funds from any government agency, enhancing its credibility as a convener and staunchly independent advocate.

●● Partnering with local institutions in developing countries - PAI works with a network of partners (typically local or indigenous organizations) in developing countries that are dedicated to key public health concerns, especially family planning and reproductive health but also HIV and AIDS, maternal health and sustainable development. PAI supports its local partners by providing seed funding for their targeted projects, translating and contextualizing donor country and agency policy for developing countries, advising on in-country political strategy, and offering research expertise, technical assistance, and communications assistance.

Equally, PAI learns from its partnerships, seeking to incorporate those lessons into its work and to share those lessons learned with other advocates. PAI brings partners to the global stage, supporting them to have an effective and respected voice where the opportunity might not otherwise have existed. PAI is guided by serving our partners’ needs and being responsive to their demands for in-country presence, visibility and advocacy.

●● Building a compelling evidence base -  PAI produces high-quality, nonpartisan research and analysis that underlies every PAI initiative—and increasingly, the advocacy initiatives of partners. PAI focuses its research agenda on data and information that is both relevant and actionable, to current policymaking and for influence. PAI aims to find the sweet spot between constant innovation in new research areas, and propagation of essential baseline policy research. PAI aspires to be anticipatory, strategic and innovative in establishing a research-to-policy nexus that is relevant to our issues and to practical policy opportunities.

A signature feature of a PAI-assembled evidence base includes rationale and justifi-cation for investments in family planning and reproductive health from across the development spectrum, including the environment and climate change, women’s economic empowerment, and demography. Additionally, we aim to be at the top of our field in creative and effective data use and analysis and help our partners to be the same.

The combination of these three components applied to a particular geography or policy challenge enables PAI to exert uniquely powerful influence in the policy arena, globally as well as locally. The elements are mutually supporting, and PAI cannot succeed without contributions from each. Depending on circum-stances, PAI will employ additional strategies and approaches to achieve its objectives, but will always rely on the combination of engaged influencers, effective partners, and unimpeachable evidence to get results.

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FUNDING MODELTo maintain its credibility as an impartial advocate and honest broker, PAI does not accept funding from any donor government. Instead, PAI has traditionally relied on support from foundations and a small number of committed individual donors to underwrite programs and operations. The large majority of these grants are restricted, giving PAI management limited flexibility.

A new approach will be required to fund the ambitious 10- and three-year targets in the strategic plan. Not only will PAI need to mobilize public resources on a sizeable scale to fund family planning, it will also need to bring in the funds to support a larger, more robust organi-zation. With government funding off the table and the foundation “market” relatively limited, PAI has few options for growing total revenue and diversifying sources of revenue.

The renewed emphasis on international advocacy offers some opportunities to engage with a new set of donors. It is possible that multinational corporations with extensive operations in PAI’s priority countries could

become supporters. Multilaterals and other international institutions (such as the World Bank) are also potential donors. But by far the largest and most lucrative opportunity market for PAI is individual donors. To get to the next level in organizational effectiveness and impact, PAI will need to identify, engage, and cultivate a cadre of major donors deeply committed and willing to invest in PAI.

To kickstart the long and delicate process of building a sustainable major donor program, PAI plans to launch a fundraising campaign designed to implement the agenda outlined in the strategic plan. A shared responsibility of the board and staff, this campaign will demand a new commitment to fundraising from everyone in the organization. As the campaign takes shape in the coming months, doubtless other institutional implications will emerge, but only with a concerted effort to diversify and increase revenue can PAI fulfill its promise.

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