The purpose of the Maximizing Access and Quality (MAQ) Initiative is to bring together USAID/Washington, USAID Missions, the cooperating agency (CA) community and other partners to identify and implement practical, cost-effective, and evidence-based interventions aimed at improving both the access to and quality of family planning and reproductive health services. The MAQ Initiative was established in 1994 in response to the large unmet demand for voluntary contraceptive services. It is based on the understanding that removing barriers, promoting access and improving quality by focusing on specific practical interventions can serve the needs of clients and thereby markedly improve programs.

Although many CAs are already addressing access and quality-related objectives in their program activities, the MAQ Initiative provides opportunities for experts to collaborate and pool their knowledge and field experience in order to identify and promote state-of-the-art tools and concepts, thereby making them accessible to a wider audience. The MAQ Initiative highlights those areas of greatest practicality and impact that might serve as models in other countries or regions. In essence, MAQ aims to distill and disseminate lessons learned from the broader CA experience as well as identify critical areas that have not yet been addressed.