Prepare To Scale Up

STEPS

BEFORE YOU SCALE UP

Have a vision to scale up from the beginning of the project.
Determine the effectiveness of the approach.
Assess the potential to scale up.
Develop an evaluation plan
Build a consensus to scale up.
Advocate for supportive policies.

AS YOU SCALE UP

Define the roles, relationships and responsibilities of implementing partners.
Secure funding and other resources.
Develop the partners' capacity to implement the program.
Establish and maintain a monitoring and evaluation system.
Support institutional development for scale.

BEFORE YOU SCALE UP…

STEP 1: Have a vision to scale up from the beginning of the project.

From the very start of a new community mobilization program, your program team needs to envision how this approach could be expanded if it is successful. The team should think about and discuss the potential and possible steps for achieving scale from the very beginning of the project. Identify point people and provide them with adequate time and resources to ensure that these steps are followed or that new steps are taken, if necessary. For example, point people may help to ensure that the project design takes into account the potential to scale up. As a result, teams may develop less resource-intensive approaches than they might have had the project vision been limited to a specific site.

Point people may want to explore the implications of initial partnership, keeping in mind the possibility of eventual expansion. They should develop a strategy to include potential partners in the program even if they are not formal implementing partners during the pilot phase. Asking for and being open to suggestions from other organizations helps to improve the program and involves more people in the development of the approach. If the program is successful, scaling-up will be easier as more people have participated in it and are familiar with its history. Similarly, if it is not successful, the lessons that can be learned will be helpful to everyone.