Mapping the evidence on graduation programmes worldwide

Graduation programmes take many forms, but they rest on the shared assumption that the constraint to escaping poverty is not ability, but opportunity. While people living in extreme poverty are capable of being productive, poverty itself blocks access to the activities and resources that would allow them to do so. Graduation programmes offer a package of interventions that, when combined, unlock opportunities for poor households.

Why do we need an evidence map for graduation programmes?

Over the past two decades, researchers and practitioners have generated a rich body of evidence on graduation-style interventions. Across Asia, Africa, and the Americas, studies have examined programmes that combine asset transfers, training, coaching, and financial services for the poorest households. Yet this evidence is scattered across academic journals, evaluation reports, and databases, making it difficult to locate and even harder to use – especially for those working under time and resource constraints.

The Evidence Map on Graduation Programmes is a comprehensive, interactive platform that collects more than one hundred studies from around the world in a single digital space. Its purpose is simple: to bring together the existing evidence in a way that is easy to access and easy to explore. Rather than forcing users to sift through dozens of papers, the map allows anyone interested in particular programme components or outcomes to quickly find what has been studied and where.

The map is designed for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers who are trying to understand what has been tested, what has worked, and where knowledge remains thin. It includes randomised controlled trials, observational studies, and systematic reviews covering programme impacts across multiple regions. In addition to studies of the graduation model and its components, the map also includes evaluations of lump-sum cash transfer programmes that follow a similar ‘big push’ approach. 

Building a global database of existing evidence 

The map has been built by combining studies from major existing reviews with a fresh, systematic search across academic databases and practitioner platforms. To broaden coverage, AI-assisted tools have been used to surface related papers, screen relevance, and extract initial summaries; these have then been manually checked and coded. This process has helped ensure that the map captures the most robust and comprehensive evidence available on graduation programmes and lump-sum cash transfers.  

One of the map’s strengths is flexibility. Users can filter the evidence by region or country, study design and status, outcomes of interest, whether cost information is available, and whether governments were involved in implementation. This makes it possible to quickly narrow the evidence to what is most relevant for a particular context or question. 

The map differs from traditional literature reviews in an important way: it does not interpret, judge, or promote a particular view of graduation. Literature reviews typically focus on specific questions or subsets of studies, and necessarily reflect the priorities of their authors. The evidence map serves a different function. It organises the existing rigorous evidence in a neutral way and allows users to explore it from multiple angles, without imposing an analytical frame or policy stance. 

What the data reveals about programme impacts and evidence gaps

At the core of the map is an interactive matrix. Programme components – such as asset transfers, cash grants, training, coaching, and access to financial services – are shown along one dimension. Outcomes of interest – ranging from income and consumption to food security, education, health, psychological wellbeing, women’s empowerment, and resilience – are shown in another dimension. 

Each cell indicates how many studies have examined a particular component-outcome relationship, and filters allow users to refine the view by geography, methodology, government involvement, or cost evidence. This structure makes patterns in the evidence immediately visible. 

For instance, more than half of all studies focus on Asia, yet only around one-fifth of evaluations of government-run programmes come from that region. Just over 60% of studies use randomised designs, though in Africa the share is closer to 70%. Most countries have between two and four studies, while Bangladesh stands apart, with 26 separate evaluations of graduation-style programmes. 

The map also highlights how unevenly outcomes are measured. Even the most commonly studied outcome – assets – appears in just over half of the studies. Financial inclusion, income, and consumption are also frequently examined, but a substantial number of studies extend beyond these measures to consider psychological wellbeing and women’s empowerment. This diversity reflects intellectual progress, but it also limits comparability across studies. By making these patterns explicit, the map may help coordinate future research around a smaller set of shared outcomes. 

Using the evidence map for policy, practice, and research

The evidence map is intended for multiple audiences. Policymakers can use it to inform decisions about which approaches to scale or invest in. Practitioners can explore which programme components have been studied and what outcomes they appear to influence. Researchers can identify relevant studies or spot gaps where new work is most needed. 

Crucially, the map is a tool for learning, not a source of prescriptions. It does not offer policy recommendations or rank interventions. Instead, it provides structured access to what is currently known, making it easier to ask better questions and to ground decisions in evidence. 

A living resource for research and innovation in poverty alleviation

The evidence on how to reduce extreme poverty continues to grow. As new programmes are evaluated and new studies emerge, the map will evolve alongside them, remaining a living resource for the global poverty alleviation community. 

One of its most valuable contributions is making both evidence and evidence gaps visible at the same time. By showing where research is concentrated and where it is sparse, the map points to opportunities for new studies, innovation in programme design, and collaboration across researchers, implementers, and funders. 

Start exploring!

Whether you are designing a programme, shaping policy, planning research, or simply trying to understand what has been shown to help families move out of extreme poverty, the evidence map offers a clear starting point. It turns a sprawling body of research into a navigable terrain – making it easier to build on what we know and to explore what comes next. 

The evidence is here. The tools are ready. What remains is to put them to work. 

For questions, suggestions, or information about new studies to include, please contact Anindita Bhattacharjee.