Organisational effectiveness: monitoring, evaluation and learning
“We were very pleased with this work. With very little instruction Rachel was able to move forward with both a desk based review and interview study that led to an interesting, informing and well written report. We particularly liked the tone/non-threatening language used. In fact we had always thought of the study as something to remain very internal but our confidence in the work - and the interest Rachel helped to garner from other NGOs - means that we are able to work towards publishing an approved summary of the report for wider consumption. I am sure DFID will be pleased by how well PPA agencies cooperated.
”
CAFOD
Conduct an data audit evaluation of CAFOD's Programme Partnership Agreement (PPA) with DFID, developing detailed assessment criteria to ensure coherence across different technical themes and agreed a RAG rating with CAFOD's management team. Quantitative and qualitative data and information quality and quantity along the evidencing chain was assessed, from field sites to PPA coordinators. The findings were reporting to CAFOD's management team, trustees and DFID .
Following on from the evaluation, support CAFOD's management response to the data audit was supported. A facilitated a process was established to assess, organisation-wide, what CAFOD wants to be able evidence and the monitoring, evaluation and learning capacity required to achieve this effectively. Recommendations were provided on different models for strengthening and standardising monitoring, evaluation and learning, and a report produced on responsible data management.
WWF UK and the Rivers Trust
Provide monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) advice and training to an EU LIFE water project . Objectives and indicators were reviewed and feasibility of monitoring and data collection was determined that matched staff and partner capacities. This was tested again the rigour required by the EC and a suite of practical MEL tools were developed for the team to use throughout the project.
International HIV Aids Alliance
Explore the methods and processes used by UK NGOs to aggregate people reached around the world across multiple indicators. Examine the challenges faced by various NGOs in aggregating data, and the ways in which they have sought to overcome their difficulties. This was delivered as a Bond Associate.
Challenges included how to avoid double-counting beneficiaries across multiple services or projects, or from one year to the next. Others expressed the need to define direct and indirect beneficiaries, and to deliberate on counting target groups (e.g. teachers) versus beneficiaries (e.g. children with an education).
The report provided recommendations and advice for the Alliance and other organisations on the best practice processes and methodologies being used by UK NGOs at the present time. A short summary report is available for public consumption.
WWF China
Strengthen the self-assessment capacity of the China-Africa Programme, working with the teams in China, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. The work entailed many skype exchanges to slowly extract details of outcome achievements, which were often under recognised and reported by teams. A body of evidence was built to demonstrate the delivery of outcomes, and the capturing and institutionalising of reflection and learning as a process was enhanced.