What CDA Collaborative Learning Projects does

CDA Collaborative Learning Projects is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based non-profit organization founded in 1985 (under its predecessor name Collaborative for Development Action, Inc.) by Mary B. Anderson and Catherine A. Overholt. It was restructured into its current non-profit form in 2003 to accommodate growing government-donor funding. The organization operates as an applied research and collaborative learning entity focused on improving the effectiveness and accountability of peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian action in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. It is not a software or product company in the commercial sense; its core deliverables are methodologies, frameworks, research programs, publications, and virtual learning platforms.

CDA's core product portfolio is anchored by the Do No Harm Framework (developed in the 1990s and now adopted across the humanitarian sector), The Listening Project methodology, the Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP+) methodology, and the Stopping as Success (SAS+) consortium program — the latter delivered jointly with Search for Common Ground and Peace Direct across 30+ countries. Additional offerings include the Transforming Power Lab (organizational transitions), the Environment-Fragility-Peace Nexus research initiative (supported by Robert Bosch Stiftung), Humanitarian Risk Management (Risk III) research, and virtual platforms including the From Where I Stand learning forum and the CDA Perspectives blog. Distribution is primarily through free digital downloads, training programs (including over 1,000 people trained in conflict sensitivity for UNDP), and consortium-based advisory work.

CDA's revenue model is grant-funded non-profit operations with three primary streams: government grants (notably USAID through the Local, Faith, and Transformative Partnerships Hub), foundation grants (Humanity United, Robert Bosch Stiftung), and fee-for-service training and course delivery. All publications, frameworks, and resources are distributed freely under a freemium model to maximize sector adoption. The organization maintains a small staff (11-50 employees) and a global operating footprint via partnerships, with no equity investors, parent company, or public-market exposure.

Name

CDA Collaborative Learning Projects

Legal name

CDA Collaborative Learning Projects

Website

https://cdacollaborative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CDA Collaborative Learning Projects is a Cambridge, MA-based non-profit founded in 1985 that develops collaborative learning methodologies, frameworks, and applied research to improve the effectiveness and accountability of humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding practice in conflict-affected contexts for NGOs, donors, and policymakers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from government donors including USAID and bilateral development agencies. As CDA, Inc. increasingly raised funds from government donors, this became a core revenue stream leading to the establishment of the non-profit entity.
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from private foundations and philanthropic organizations such as Humanity United and Robert Bosch Stiftung.
3. Training and Course Delivery: Fee-for-service training programs including the Achieving Strategic Change in Fragile Contexts Course, conflict sensitivity trainings, and custom organizational capacity building.
4. Publications and Resources: Research publications, case studies, and practitioner guidance distributed freely to the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors. Resources available through downloads and the CDA website.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CDA Collaborative Learning Projects is a nonprofit organization that develops and disseminates collaborative learning methodologies, frameworks, and applied research to improve the effectiveness and accountability of peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian action in conflict-affected contexts. Its core offerings include the Do No Harm Framework, the Listening Project methodology, training courses, advisory services, consortium programs (SAS+), and freely downloadable publications and tools for humanitarian practitioners.

Product overview

CDA Collaborative Learning Projects is a non-profit organization that functions as an applied research and collaborative learning entity, not a software product company. Its offerings consist of methodologies, frameworks, research programs, publications, and virtual learning platforms focused on improving effectiveness and accountability in peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian action. The core products include the Do No Harm Framework, The Listening Project, various research initiatives (Environment-Fragility-Peace Nexus, Humanitarian Risk Management), the Transforming Power Lab, and the Stopping as Success program. These are complemented by knowledge products like the 'Time to Listen' publication and virtual platforms including the 'From Where I Stand' forum and the CDA Perspectives Blog. Together, these offerings provide practitioners and policymakers with practical tools, guidance, and evidence for working effectively in conflict-affected contexts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Do No Harm Framework A foundational framework for analyzing how humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding interventions affect dividers and connectors in conflict-affected contexts, ensuring interventions do not cause harm while promoting positive change. Used by humanitarian and development practitioners globally.
• Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP+) An updated methodology for mapping interconnections of social, political, economic, and environmental factors that reinforce cycles of climate vulnerability, conflict, and fragility. Used by practitioners and policymakers working on peace, stability, and transition programming.
• Transforming Power Lab A flagship initiative focused on shifting power dynamics in international decision-making, supporting organizational transformations and enabling transitions from international to local leadership. For humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding NGOs and donors.
• Environment-Fragility-Peace Nexus Collaborative learning initiative applying CDA's approach to the intersection of environmental challenges, fragility, and peacebuilding, building evidence-based tools that integrate local knowledge for resilience. For humanitarian and development practitioners.
• Humanitarian Risk Management (Risk III) Collaborative research initiative that created the most robust dataset on risk management in humanitarian response, developing practitioner tools and organizational change guidance centered on people in decisions.
• Achieving Strategic Change in Fragile Contexts Course Fee-for-service training program for humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding practitioners on leading organizational change and improving effectiveness in fragile contexts.
• Time to Listen Publication Cumulative research publication from the Listening Project presenting evidence from 20 aid-recipient countries, documenting what communities on the receiving end of international aid experience and what changes are needed in the sector.
• Responding Amid Uncertainty and Managing Risk in Humanitarian Settings Summary findings report providing guidance on responding amid uncertainty and managing risk in humanitarian settings, including a downloadable discussion guide.
• From Where I Stand A virtual collaborative learning forum that amplifies voices of local leaders from over 15 countries, presenting diverse experiences and ideas on local leadership, aid policy, and INGO practice.
• CDA Perspectives Blog A blog platform maintained by CDA colleagues and guest authors sharing reflections, research findings, and discussions on themes relevant to CDA's key practice areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Time to Listen publication has been downloaded nearly 10,000 times since 2012
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Local Capacities for Peace International (LCPI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025LCPI is a long-standing partner on the collaborative learning journey from CDA's first projects. The two organizations co-hosted the first CDA 20/25 event in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2019, bringing together colleagues from across Africa. CDA and LCPI have committed to a joint future as announced in 2025.
• Search for Common GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Partner in the SAS+ (Stopping as Success) consortium, supporting transition processes from international to local leadership in 30+ countries. Part of the Local, Faith, and Transformative Partnerships Hub at USAID.
• Peace DirectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Partner in the SAS+ consortium working on responsible transitions from international to locally led development. Active in supporting organizational transformations and strategy development processes.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on community engagement and accountability in Africa. CDA supported IFRC's strategy to strengthen community engagement and accountability. Collaboration includes feedback mechanisms development and strategy development processes.
• Danish Refugee CouncilmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCDA partnered with Danish Refugee Council's Civil Society Engagement Unit, listening to 54 country-level and global staff across 7 countries to assess civil society engagement practices and identify options for improvement.
• World VisionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCase study partner for feedback mechanisms work. World Vision's experiences with humanitarian feedback mechanisms in Darfur documented through ALNAP-CDA collaboration.
• Nuru KenyamajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCDA provided organizational change accompaniment and systems-based approach support, helping Nuru Kenya transition from international to locally led organization. CDA's learning accompaniment approach enabled organizational transformation.
• ALNAPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action. CDA-ALNAP collaboration on feedback mechanisms research, practitioner guidance, and case studies including 'Closing the Loop: Effective feedback in humanitarian contexts'.
• InterActionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDA partnered with InterAction on Risk I and II to identify critical questions for humanitarian practitioners, then collaborated on Risk III design. InterAction is a coalition of US-based international NGOs.
• Alliance for PeacebuildingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDA participates in the Alliance for Peacebuilding's Locally Led Peacebuilding Working Group and engages in policy advocacy including on the Global Fragility Act.
• Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe / California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborative case study on climate-related environmental vulnerabilities and conflict dynamics in Nevada County, California. Developed with NCRNT's non-profit arm and local community members through oral history interviews and workshops.
• Chemonics InternationalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCDA's RPP (Reflecting on Peace Practice) methodology used by Chemonics staff in peace, stability, and transition work across Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and other contexts.
• UNDPmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCDA has trained over 1,000 people in conflict sensitivity for UNDP. Collaborative work on applying collaborative learning approaches and conflict sensitivity frameworks.
• Movement for Community Led Development (MCLD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal coalition working on community-led development. MCLD explores organizational transformation amid changing global ecosystem. Collaborates on shifting power and localization discussions.
• CivicusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal civil society alliance. CDA maintains membership in Civicus and participates in civil society engagement initiatives.
• Environmental Peacebuilding AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for environmental peacebuilding. CDA maintains membership and engages in sector-wide collaboration on environment-fragility-peace nexus work.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Search for Common Ground: Large direct peer and SAS+ consortium partner with CDA, focused on conflict transformation and peacebuilding programming globally, with overlapping methodologies and donor relationships.
• Peace Direct: Direct peer and SAS+ consortium partner, specializing in locally led peacebuilding and supporting local peace organizations, directly competing and collaborating with CDA on the same funder priorities.
• Local Capacities for Peace International (LCPI): CDA's committed merger partner since 2025; LCPI is a direct peer focused on the Local Capacities for Peace framework originally co-created with CDA, with overlapping methodologies and field networks, particularly in Africa.
• Interpeace: International peacebuilding organization with similar focus on locally led approaches and applied research, directly competing with CDA for donor funding and policy influence in fragile-state contexts.
• International Alert: Direct peer peacebuilding organization working on conflict sensitivity and security-sector reform, comparable in methodology focus and donor mix to CDA.
• Conciliation Resources: Specialist peacebuilding NGO working on conflict transformation and collaborative learning, with a similar niche positioning and applied-research orientation to CDA.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Large international humanitarian and development NGO that integrates conflict sensitivity into programming, competing with CDA for USAID and bilateral funding while operating at significantly greater scale.
• Alliance for Peacebuilding: Coalition of peacebuilding organizations where CDA is an active member, functioning as a broader sector convener with overlapping policy and advocacy work.

Others

• Humanity United: Foundation funder of CDA's From Where I Stand platform; adjacent peer as a philanthropic organization that also directly funds and operates peacebuilding programs, shaping the same funding landscape.

Emerging players

• Karuna Center for Peacebuilding: Smaller peacebuilding nonprofit with comparable training and capacity-building offerings, providing niche overlap with CDA's training and methodology work in conflict-affected contexts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cdalearning
• Facebookfacebook.com/CDACollaborative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CDA Collaborative Learning Projects