For over a decade, outcomes partnerships have been used by governments to deliver higher quality public services while driving better value for money. However, despite robust evidence supporting their effectiveness and benefits, institutional, political, and perception challenges have prevented the adoption, at scale, of these approaches by the public sector.

This report assesses these challenges and provides advocates with tools and recommendations to strengthen their efforts to promote the adoption of outcomes-based approaches. The report also builds on “Tying Funding to Results”, a joint paper by GSG Impact and the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) with input from a diverse group of experts and GSG Impact National Partners (NPs) that synthesised shared learnings and best practices in fostering results-based mechanisms as an innovative area of finance to foster impact economies.

In collaboration with Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, GSG Impact carried out a series of interviews with experts from different geographies, supported by an extensive literature review. Seven challenges to advancing the use of outcomes partnerships by governments were identified:

  1. annual budget cycles
  2. rigid public contracting procedures
  3. limited technical expertise
  4. availability and management of data
  5. (struggle for) political support
  6. political (in)stability
  7. the perception of incompatibility around public-private cooperation in the delivery of public services.

The report concludes by providing a series of long-term strategic recommendations aimed at building and strengthening conducive environments that allow for increased uptake of outcomes partnerships by governments:

  • Focus on the system change, rather than just the cost efficiencies, that outcomes partnerships can 
    drive;
  • Design outcomes partnerships grounded to political and regulatory contexts, aligning innovation with incentives in the public sector;
  • Ensuring ecosystem readiness by promoting capacity building, data access and governance, and cross-learning between more experienced and less experienced stakeholders;
This report will help you find answers to the following questions:
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What are outcomes-based partnerships?

Outcomes-based partnerships are collaborations where funding is tied to the achievement of measurable results, rather than inputs, enabling effective and impactful public service delivery.

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Why are outcomes partnerships important for governments?

They drive systemic change, ensure efficient use of resources, and deliver better public service outcomes by focusing on measurable impact.

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What are the primary challenges in scaling outcomes-based partnerships in government?
  • Institutional barriers like rigid budget cycles and limited expertise.
  • Political challenges, including instability and lack of support from key leaders.
  • Perception issues about public-private partnerships being ineffective or profit-driven.
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How do outcomes partnerships contribute to better social service delivery?
  • These partnerships link funding to measurable results, ensuring efficient public service delivery.
  • They foster innovation in policy and improve socio-economic outcomes.
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Why is ecosystem readiness crucial for the success of outcomes partnerships?
  • Governments need strong legal frameworks, capacity building, and open data access.
  • Collaborative learning between experienced and less-experienced stakeholders is essential.
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What role does data governance play in outcomes-based programs?
  • Data enables tracking and improving program performance.
  • Transparent governance structures prevent siloed information, enhancing decision-making.
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How can governments overcome challenges in outcomes partnerships?

Governments can adopt flexible frameworks, build technical capacity, ensure data availability, and foster public-private collaboration to scale outcomes partnerships.

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How do outcomes partnerships benefit taxpayers?


They offer better value for money by ensuring public funds are only spent on programs that achieve measurable, positive results.

GSG Impact

Bridges Outcomes Partnerships

Publication Enquiries

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