The Collaborative for Development Action, Inc.

The Collaborative for Development Action, Inc. was founded as a small consulting corporation in 1985 by Mary B. Anderson and Catherine A. Overholt. Both economists, Anderson and Overholt had worked for some years in international development and health policy. They founded CDA, Inc. as a base from which they could initiate and develop new approaches, in collaboration with colleagues in the poorer countries and other international actors that would continually push the effectiveness of international assistance.

CDA, Inc. has been active in health policy, primary and secondary education, rural development, alternative technologies and evaluations.

CDA, Inc. worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to develop a comprehensive approach to programming for women refugees. Over a ten year period, and based on the gathering of extensive field-based experience, CDA, Inc. created what became known as the “People Oriented Planning Framework” (POP). POP has been widely used by UNHCR staff across many contexts to understand, and programme effectively for, gender differences among refugee populations. Following the development of this approach, CDA, Inc. developed a training program that enabled UNHCR to continue to integrate this framework into its operations without dependence on external consultants.

CDA, Inc. also provided the base from which the Do No Harm, Reflecting on Peace Practice, and Corporate Engagement projects originated.

As CDA, Inc. increasingly raised its funds from government and developed the methods of collaborative learning, it became clear that a non-profit entity would provide a better base for this kind of work. CDA Collaborative Learning Projects was created in 2003 as the continuing home for such efforts. CDA, Inc. continues on a small scale to carry out direct contract work, primarily in the area of strategic evaluations.

Catherine A. Overholt has retired from CDA, Inc. and continues her commitment to development by running a reforestation project in rural Mexico.