CASE STUDY: LEARNING FROM FAILURE TO ACCELERATE SUCCESS IN RESILIENCE-BUILDING INITIATIVES

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) case study outlines a framework for 'learning from failure' in resilience-building initiatives. By utilizing Challenge Funds to distribute risk and establishing a high-trust relationship between the GRP Secretariat and grantees, the organization encourages an iterative 'probe-sense-respond' approach. Key findings emphasize the need for flexible targets, a 'do no harm' principle in vulnerable contexts, and a systematic MEL process that captures not just what failed, but why. Case studies from Kenya, the Philippines, and the Sahel demonstrate how pausing unsuccessful pilots and redesigning products based on real-time evidence leads to more effective, scalable resilience solutions.

• The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) views failure not as a negative outcome or a reason for penalty, but as a critical opportunity to improve projects and share knowledge to prevent others from repeating the same mistakes. This approach is integrated across the GRP 'ecosystem', including donors, the Fund Manager, Secretariat, and grantees.
• GRP identifies several systemic barriers and enablers for learning from failure. Fear of penalty for not meeting original aims is a major barrier, while high levels of trust and close relationships between the Secretariat and grantees are essential. The use of Challenge Funds and Innovation Prizes helps distribute risk across a portfolio, increasing the appetite for risk among donors compared to traditional grant funding or payment-by-results modalities.
• Effective learning from failure requires a balance between flexibility and accountability. GRP manages this by agreeing on a 'tolerable degree of failure' and funding use in advance, allowing flexibility in activities and outputs while maintaining focus on overall outcomes.
• A systematic Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system is necessary to capture why things did not work. GRP utilizes a combination of experimental evaluations and frequent reflective exercises (every three to six months) and provides guidance notes that prompt grantees to report failures and subsequent adaptations.
• In development contexts, GRP emphasizes a 'do no harm' principle, noting that while the appetite for project failure may be high, the risk of introducing fallible innovations into food-insecure or vulnerable communities can have serious real-world implications.
• Case studies from GRP grantees demonstrate the practical application of learning from failure: Mercy Corps paused a livestock financial product pilot in Kenya when it became clear the original plan was not profitable; IFPRI redesigned a Risk-Contingent Credit scheme in Kenya after rainfall triggers failed to pay out during a harvest failure caused by poorly distributed rains; and Producers Direct pivoted to include in-person support after finding that digital-only tools for smallholders had limited success.

APA

Wilson, D., Robens, S., Verkaart, S., & Hornberg, J. (2020). CASE STUDY: LEARNING FROM FAILURE TO ACCELERATE SUCCESS IN RESILIENCE-BUILDING INITIATIVES. Global Resilience Partnership. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/case-study_learning-from-failure-at-the-global-resilience-partnership.pdf

Chicago

Wilson, Dave, Sarah Robens, Simone Verkaart, and Jesper Hornberg. CASE STUDY: LEARNING FROM FAILURE TO ACCELERATE SUCCESS IN RESILIENCE-BUILDING INITIATIVES. Global Resilience Partnership, 2020. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/case-study_learning-from-failure-at-the-global-resilience-partnership.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wilson |first1=Dave |last2=Robens |first2=Sarah |last3=Verkaart |first3=Simone |last4=Hornberg |first4=Jesper |title=CASE STUDY: LEARNING FROM FAILURE TO ACCELERATE SUCCESS IN RESILIENCE-BUILDING INITIATIVES |publisher=Global Resilience Partnership |date=March 2020 |url=https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/case-study_learning-from-failure-at-the-global-resilience-partnership.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wilson2020case, author = {Wilson, Dave and Robens, Sarah and Verkaart, Simone and Hornberg, Jesper}, title = {{CASE STUDY: LEARNING FROM FAILURE TO ACCELERATE SUCCESS IN RESILIENCE-BUILDING INITIATIVES}}, institution = {Global Resilience Partnership}, year = {2020}, month = mar, url = {https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/case-study_learning-from-failure-at-the-global-resilience-partnership.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }