The goals of the program include:

Developing a body of knowledge that is essential to effective program implementation, in collaboration with significant private and public actors. This includes but is not limited to important local traditions in decision making processes potential 'fault lines' for corruption and/or conflict; local institutional governance (number of employees, strategic planning capacities, deliverables, accountability, transparency)
Assessing and prioritizing the needs of sub-national governments, institutions, and civil society organizations across the geographical area of responsibility, even as execution of the higher priority needs are addressed via direct engagement, use of community-based implementation units
A 'collecting' perspective definying the state's strength as the capability of government to implement a policy vision and enforce regulations We take into account on one hand at the aggregated public satisfaction with the outcome of public policies at sectorial levels, and on the other at the set of unwritten rules and practices of citizens in their dealings with the administration, in other words, at the institutional social capital.