The Staged Development Tool (SDT) was created to help National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) assess their current capacity and develop roadmaps for achieving a higher level of functioning. The paper discusses the current use of the SDT by NPHIs to establish baseline capacity and inform strategic planning, and its proposed use in a three-step sequence for measuring the impact of capacity-building interventions over time. The paper also includes descriptions of how NPHIs have been using the SDT to assess their baseline capacity in management issues and core public health functions. The first use of the SDT by an NPHI provides essential baseline information on their capacities and levels of functioning, and plans for addressing gaps. By repeating the SDT after time for the plans to be implemented, the SDT can be used to evaluate changes in capacity and the effectiveness of the interventions made. Because the SDT is built to be complementary to existing assessments and public health strengthening tools and guidelines, implementing the SDT provides concrete, complementary information that can help countries achieve global health security goals and address current and future threats to public health.

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