According to the World Bank and the IMF, PRSPs should do the following:

1. Explain the participatory process leading to the formulation of the PRSP
2. Describe the poverty profile of the country
3. Set targets and priorities within the proposed policy measures
4. Provide a plan for monitoring and evaluation.

The PRSP document describes the poverty profile of the country, which should ideally be based on a poverty analysis. Goals, targets and indicators are based on this profile, defining the criteria for measuring their future achievement (for example: “Within the next five years, the number of persons living in poverty will be reduced by 30%”). The prioritisation and planning of actions follows accordingly. This action plan often turns out to be the most difficult part, as nearly all countries face many different challenges at the same time, and the involvement and coordination of all stakeholders requires in fact a very professional approach and effective organisation. The PRSP also includes a plan for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the projects and programmes.

The new understanding of poverty emphasises its multidimensionality. As a PRS affects a wide range of areas, it includes almost all sectors of society. The proposed measures and actions address many different issues, e.g. the macro economy, trade, private industries, infrastructure, agriculture, governance, education, health, social protection, gender, environmental protection, rural development, etc. In consequence, PRSPs are very comprehensive and are on average around 200 pages long.