Public-purpose organizations have access to more research, evaluations and program data than ever before, yet translating that knowledge into effective program design remains challenging, particularly with limited time and resources. Today, Saipion launched Civryn, a new AI-powered platform that combines evidence, professional expertise and community voice to help governments, development institutions, foundations and NGOs design stronger programs and deliver better outcomes.

Governments worldwide invest tens of trillions of dollars each year in health, education, workforce development, infrastructure, public safety and other priorities, yet strong program design remains a challenge. In the United States, a recent Government Accountability Office report found that many federal programs still lack clear goals or relevant data to assess progress. Internationally, major development institutions are increasingly prioritizing evidence-based program design, including through the Global Evidence Commitment.

Research on U.S. federal, state and nonprofit programs, as well as international programs, underscores the relationship between the quality of program design and eventual outcomes. Key factors associated with stronger results include evidence-based theories of change, meaningful citizen engagement, robust monitoring and evaluation systems and clear risk assessments with practical mitigation plans. These studies reinforce the importance of getting programs right from the outset.

Civryn closes the gap between what institutions know and how that knowledge is applied to program design in order to deliver stronger public outcomes. The platform helps teams identify root causes, find evidence on what works, incorporate community input, test assumptions and compare potential approaches. Civryn is designed to strengthen professional judgment, not replace it. AI accelerates research and analysis while people remain in control of decisions.

“Better program design is not simply about producing better documents. It is about achieving better outcomes for the people and communities these programs are intended to serve,” said Rolf Sartorius, co-founder of Saipion. “Decades of experience have shown that the quality of decisions made during program design can profoundly influence results. Civryn brings research, professional expertise and community knowledge together when those decisions matter most, helping institutions design programs that are more effective and accountable to the people they serve.”

Civryn builds on 30 years of experience from Saipion’s sister company, Social Impact, which has supported the design of more than 2,000 programs across more than 120 countries, informing over $30 billion in public investment. Its clients have included federal agencies such as USDA, DOL, State Department, MCC and USAID, the World Bank, UN agencies, local governments and many non-profits and foundations.

Turning Evidence Into Better Program Design

Civryn’s first available module, Program Design, guides teams from defining a problem through developing a complete program design or funding proposal. Drawing on more than 250 million sources, the platform helps users:

  • Apply Evidence and Research: Draw on studies, evaluations and lessons from similar programs to identify promising approaches and build evidence-based theories of change.

  • Strengthen Community Voice and Agency: Co-create solutions with communities, giving them greater influence over program decisions and increasing accountability.

  • Evaluate Program Approaches: Compare interventions, weigh costs and benefits and assess which approaches best fit the local context.

  • Define and Measure Outcomes: Establish clear goals, performance metrics and built-in monitoring, evaluation and learning systems.

  • Anticipate Risks and Strengthen Implementation: Test assumptions, assess implementation risks and develop practical mitigation plans.

  • Develop Funding Proposals: Translate research, analysis and program design into stronger, evidence-informed funding proposals.

Recommendations are linked to supporting research, allowing teams to review, challenge and refine the AI’s findings. Early testing suggests Civryn could reduce total design-team staff time by an estimated 20% to 40%, depending on the program and workflow.

Civryn can be applied across a wide range of public-sector challenges. For example, an education agency could use Civryn to design a student-support program, combining evidence from similar initiatives while giving students, families and educators a meaningful role in shaping the approach, influencing key decisions and defining success.

Saipion is also developing Predictive Governance and Evaluation & Learning modules to extend Civryn across the program lifecycle. These modules will help teams monitor and evaluate performance, identify emerging risks, make course corrections during implementation and apply lessons to future programs.

Civryn’s Program Design module is available now. To explore Civryn or request access, visit app.civryn.com/request-access.

About Saipion

Saipion develops augmented-intelligence solutions for public good. Its flagship platform, Civryn, helps government agencies and other public-purpose organizations use evidence, structured decision processes, community knowledge and AI to design, deliver and learn from programs intended to improve people’s lives.

Saipion’s approach draws on 30 years of experience strengthening public programs in the United States and globally through its sister company, Social Impact, working across sectors including health, education, workforce and economic development, governance, environment, security and other areas of public policy.

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