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2020

-2020

Global Challenge Funds: Conducting a meta-evaluation of the USAID-supported platform

USAID

Global Challenge Funds

A multi-year partnership platform that requires a minimum investment of $15 million for USAID and its partners, and which focuses global attention on development problems.

USAID defines Grand Challenges as a multi-year partnership platform that requires a minimum investment of $15 million for USAID and its partners. The challenges draw global attention and resources on well-defined international development problems and promote innovative approaches to solve them. 

We undertook a meta-evaluation of 10 Grand Challenges implemented since 2011, to systematically reflect on the experience and generate an actionable evidence base to support future programming. The assignment included the development of practical strategies and frameworks to measure the impact and results of Grand Challenges; assessing the feasibility of measuring the cost-effectiveness of the Grand Challenge approach and comparing it to alternatives, and identifying the most effective ways of supporting scaling up of innovations.

Key Outcomes

  • Three funds supporting improvements in the efficiency of agricultural production processes provided benefits to
    over 7 million farmers in 28 countries and provided 1.2 million households with access to clean, off-grid energy
  • Two funds focused on the specific health challenges of Zika and Ebola surfaced new, leading technologies for
    improved public health, some of which were later applied in the management of COVID-19, while another focused on
    perinatal health reached 3 million mothers and babies, improved 155,000 lives, and saved over 11,500 lives
  • 2.2 million people in conflict-affected regions gained access to improved humanitarian services, and 600,000 marginalised
    children benefitted from access to improved educational resources

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Anand Roop

Anandroop Bahadur

Group Head – Human Resources

Expertise

Human Resource Expertise, HR Strategy, Oragnisational Design, Talent & Leadership Development, Policy Governance

Anandroop Bahadur is a seasoned HR leader and strategic advisor with nearly two decades of experience across the development, consulting, and social impact ecosystem. She brings a strong blend of deep technical HR expertise, organizational design acumen, and a people-centric ethos to her work.

At IPE Global, Anandroop leads the Group Human Resources function across IPE Global and its associated entities, including Triple Line Consulting and IPE Africa. Her focus is on strengthening organizational foundations, enabling leadership effectiveness, and building scalable people systems aligned with the organisation’s global growth ambitions. Her remit spans HR strategy, organizational design, talent and leadership development, compensation and performance frameworks, policy governance, safeguarding, and culture integration across geographies.

Over the course of her career, Anandroop has held senior HR leadership and consulting roles with organisations such as Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Ford Foundation, NASSCOM Foundation, Central Square Foundation, Amity Education Group, and other international institutions. She has advised leadership teams and boards through periods of scale, transition, and transformation, and has led HR operations in high-growth, high-complexity environments.

She holds an Executive Degree in Human Resources from XLRI Jamshedpur and is a SHRM–SCP (Senior Certified Professional), reflecting her grounding in global HR standards and best practices. She has also completed advanced executive and leadership programmes, including training in coaching and organisational transformation, and is an ICF-trained executive coach, currently working towards her ACC credential.

 

Nikos Papachristodoulou

Nikos Papachristodoulou

Director

Expertise

Urban, Infrastructure, Disaster and Climate Resilience, Inclusive Growth

Nikos has expertise in urban and regional economic development, infrastructure, disaster and climate resilience, and inclusive growth. He oversees and manages projects for Triple Line’s cities and infrastructure portfolio.

Nikos is an urban specialist, with principal areas of expertise in urban and regional economic development, infrastructure, disaster and climate resilience, and inclusive growth. Over the past 12 years he has worked for a range of clients including the World Bank, FCDO, EU, USAID, Cities Alliance, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and local authorities.

Nikos’s work has incorporated the full spectrum of the project cycle, from analytics and programme scoping and design, through implementation, and evaluation and learning.

He has a high level of familiarity with HMG business cases and ODA eligibility criteria having led and supported the development of FCDO’s urbanisation strategy and options for future investments in Somalia’s cities, Prosperity Fund Global Future Cities Programme (GFCP) scoping in Nigeria, and the development of the business case for an urban resilience programme in Tanzania.

Nikos also brings excellent understanding of World Bank latest trends and procedures as a result of his involvement in a number of analytics and technical assistance projects, including on informal settlements upgrading in Mogadishu, climate change adaptation planning in Latin American and Caribbean cities, assessment of the climate resilience of Dar es Salaam’s transport infrastructure, spatial development in Nigeria, and preparation of a handbook on integrated urban flood risk management.

Nikos holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Piraeus and an MSc in Social Development Practice from the Development Planning Unit at University College London (UCL).

 

Ricardo Pinto

Ricardo Pinto

Associate Director

Expertise

Private Sector Development, Regulatory Reform, Regional and Local Economy

Ricardo has 35 years´ experience in private sector development, regulatory reform, regional and local economic development in the European Union, Western Balkans, Easter Partnership Countries, Middle East, Africa, etc. He is tasked with developing our strategic operations in continental Europe and Ukraine.

Ricardo is a seasoned international development professional with over 30 years of experience designing and delivering Private Sector Development and economic growth initiatives across more than 50 countries spanning Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe, the CIS, Africa, MEDA, and Asia. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC).

Ricardo brings a unique combination of strategic insight and practical implementation expertise. He has led high-impact assignments for key development institutions, including the European Commission, OECD, GIZ, FCDO/DFID, UNDP, UNCTAD, EBRD, ILO, ADB, World Bank, USAID, and Danida.

With a deep and practical understanding of institutional architecture, policy environment, and post-conflict recovery dynamics, and a career spanning over 30 years across transition economies, Ricardo brings not only technical depth but also a trusted reputation among donors, policymakers and peers.He is leading Triple Line’s strategic expansion into continental Europe, including Ukraine, while strengthening our credibility across the broader region and beyond. Proven Expertise Across Our Core Pillars. Ricardo’s work focuses on the areas central to Triple Line’s evolving service offering: Governance & Institutional Reform: advising public institutions on regulatory impact, policy reform, and donor coordination, Private Sector Development: strategy development for SME ecosystems, innovation, and competitiveness, Infrastructure Enabling Conditions: support for investment climate improvement and regional/local economic development and Cross-cutting themes, including green transition, women’s economic empowerment, and inclusive growth

 
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