Dear John,

It has already been one year since IPA published our landmark report, Best Bets: Emerging Opportunities for Impact at Scale. This report highlights 14 innovations—and the research behind them—that our experts identified as the most promising emerging innovations in development with the greatest potential for large-scale impact based on the strength of the current evidence if they receive further funding. In just one year, we are seeing exciting progress on a few of our Best Bets, driven by strong coalitions of researchers, implementers, and funders on the path to scale.

For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-inspired programs to reduce crime and violence are being replicated and scaled in different parts of the world, building on the more than 40 years of evidence in North America and particularly by the 10-year follow-up results of a successful program for young men in Monrovia, Liberia. This program evaluated by IPA, called “Sustainable Transformation of Youth in Liberia” (STYL), combined group-based CBT with cash transfers and was shown to reduce committed crimes and other antisocial behaviors. In the year since Best Bets launched, IPA has been supporting the scaling of STYL with our partners across Liberia and to adapt and pilot it in Nigeria.

In Zambia, we found evidence that Small-Quantity Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS)—ready-to-eat packets of food for children—can significantly improve child growth and development. SQ-LNS holds transformative potential, and IPA has been working with the Ministry of Health to implement, test, and further scale SQ-LNS to reach vulnerable children.

We are also collaborating with the Government of Sierra Leone to adapt the social signaling for childhood immunization intervention, to support efforts to increase coverage of second year of life vaccines and the newly introduced malaria vaccine. A previous evaluation of the intervention in Sierra Leone showed that color-coded bracelets signaling a child’s immunization status significantly increased timely completion of all first-year infant vaccines at an incentive cost of just US$1 per child. IPA is supporting the Government of Sierra Leone to scale and strengthen the program, and is beginning to implement the program in Liberia and other countries.

These are examples of progress on just three of the emerging opportunities. In the coming years, IPA will continue to strengthen and form new partnerships with researchers, implementers, and funders to move these innovations forward.

Will you consider supporting IPA as we work to discover and advance what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty by making a gift today?