The world doesn't lack knowledge about how to improve child nutrition. We lack institutional courage to act on what we know. This Atlas exists to bridge that gap.
The Problem We're Solving
đ§ Barriers to Action
People know what needs to be done, but institutional barriers prevent action:
- Career Risk: "If this program fails, my career is over"
- Institutional Inertia: "This isn't how we've done things before"
- Attribution Anxiety: "What if we can't prove impact?"
- Coordination Paralysis: "Too many stakeholders, no clear lead"
- Analysis Paralysis: "We need more data before deciding"
â Our Approach
Decision-safe pathways that reduce institutional risk:
- Professional Cover: Evidence-based recommendations reduce personal blame
- Face-Saving Language: Framing that protects reputations and relationships
- Actionable Focus: 5 implementable options beat 50 theoretical ones
- Anti-Harm Design: Safety guardrails built in from the start
- Deployment Ready: Works offline, no dependencies, immediate use
Core Values
These principles guide everything in the Atlas:
What Makes This Different
Not Another Technical Manual
There are excellent technical guidelines from WHO, UNICEF, and others. This isn't trying to replace them. The Atlas focuses on the institutional and political barriers that prevent technical guidance from being implemented.
Decision-Safe Framing
Every recommendation includes the evidence base and acknowledges limitations. This gives decision-makers professional cover: "I followed evidence-based guidance from recognized sources." Reduces personal blame when programs face inevitable challenges.
Anti-Harm by Design, Not Tacked On
Most resources add "do no harm" as an afterthought. The Atlas starts with Zero Harm principles and builds everything else around them. Read our Zero Harm Policy.
Actually Offline-First
Many resources claim to be "accessible" but require constant internet connectivity. The Atlas is truly standalone: single HTML files, no external dependencies, works in restrictive networks.
Honest About Limitations
We acknowledge what we don't know, what evidence is weak, and where context matters more than global guidance. Uncertainty is stated clearly, not hidden.
How to Use the Atlas
đ§ Different Starting Points for Different Needs
There's no single "right" way to use the Atlas. Choose your entry point based on where you are and what you need:
If You're New to Nutrition Programming
- Start with How It Works to understand the framework
- Review Key Domains to see the big picture
- Choose your role-based portal (policymaker, implementer, etc.) for tailored guidance
- Explore the interactive tools to work through specific decisions
If You're Planning a Specific Program
- Use the Constraints Mapper to identify your barriers
- Use the Intervention Selector to filter appropriate interventions
- Reference Rapid Start Guide for implementation steps
- Adapt Country Templates for your context
If You Need Quick Answers
- Try the Question Engine for specific questions
- Check the Glossary for term definitions
- Search the Research Hub for evidence on specific interventions
If You're Facing Institutional Barriers
This is the Atlas's core purpose. The framework provides:
- Evidence-based justifications for recommendations (professional cover)
- Decision-safe language for proposals and reports
- Risk mitigation strategies embedded in all guidance
- Multi-stakeholder framing to build coalitions and share responsibility
Atlas Structure
đĒ For (Role-Based Portals)
Tailored entry points for different institutional actors: policymakers, implementers, funders, researchers, communities. Each portal surfaces the most relevant tools and information for that role.
đ§ Tools (Interactive Decision Support)
Practical tools for working through specific decisions: mapping constraints, choosing interventions, collecting data, measuring outcomes. All work offline with no external dependencies.
đ Learn (Knowledge Resources)
Deeper dives into key topics: how the framework works, nutrition domains, research evidence, technical terminology. Educational rather than operational.
⥠Act (Rapid Deployment Resources)
Get-started guides, templates, training materials. For when you need to move from planning to implementation quickly.
Who Is This For
Primary Audience: Institutional Decision-Makers
- Government officials in health, agriculture, social protection ministries
- UN staff (UNICEF, WFP, WHO) navigating bureaucratic systems
- Foundation program officers making funding decisions
- NGO leadership designing programs in complex environments
- Donor representatives needing to understand implementation realities
Secondary Audience
- Field implementers needing practical tools and templates
- Researchers and academics seeking to make work more actionable
- Students and early-career professionals learning nutrition programming
- Community representatives engaging with formal programs
What This Is NOT
Honest limitations matter. The Atlas is not:
- A substitute for local expertise: Global guidance cannot replace contextual knowledge. The Atlas provides frameworks; you provide context.
- Comprehensive: We prioritize actionable over comprehensive. Some interventions and approaches are deliberately excluded if evidence is weak or implementation is complex.
- Updated real-time: This is a static resource. Check publication dates. Supplement with recent evidence and current situational data.
- Magic: It still requires courage to act. The Atlas reduces institutional barriers but cannot eliminate them entirely.
- Politically neutral: We have values. Zero harm, beneficiary dignity, and evidence-based practice are non-negotiable. This shapes what we include and exclude.
Development & Contributors
Created By Foster + Navi
The Feed Children ASAP Atlas is developed and maintained by Foster + Navi, a policy design initiative focused on creating decision-safe pathways for complex humanitarian and development challenges.
Our approach combines deep technical expertise in child nutrition with an understanding of institutional dynamics, political economy, and the barriers that prevent knowledge from translating into action.
Acknowledgments
This work builds on decades of research, program experience, and technical guidance from:
- WHO, UNICEF, WFP, and other UN agencies for technical standards and evidence synthesis
- Academic researchers whose rigorous evaluations inform our recommendations
- Field practitioners who shared lessons learned from implementation
- Government officials and local partners who provided contextual insights
- Beneficiary communities whose feedback shaped the Zero Harm framework
đŦ Feedback & Contact
This is a living resource. We want to hear from you:
- Found content that violates Zero Harm principles?
- Identified gaps in coverage or guidance?
- Have field experience that contradicts our recommendations?
- Discovered technical errors or broken functionality?
- Want to contribute content or case studies?
We're committed to continuous improvement based on user feedback.
License & Use
â You Are Free To:
- Use: Apply this framework in your programs and organizations
- Adapt: Modify content for your context and needs
- Share: Distribute the Atlas within your organization or networks
- Build Upon: Create derivative works and context-specific versions
We Ask That You:
- Maintain the Zero Harm Policy in any adaptations
- Credit the Feed Children ASAP Atlas and Foster + Navi
- Share improvements and feedback with the broader community
- Do not use for commercial purposes without permission
Version & Updates
Current Version: 1.0 (February 2026)
This is the initial public release. We plan to update the Atlas based on:
- User feedback and field experience
- New research evidence and best practices
- Identified gaps or errors in current content
- Changes in global nutrition policy and standards
Check back periodically for updated versions. Major updates will be clearly noted with version numbers and change logs.