901B – Program Impact Monitoring Report 09/01/2014

Instructions for Report Preparation

Document 901B – Program Impact Monitoring Report

Instructions for Report Preparation

Please go to the EWB-USA website to make sure that you are using the most current version of this document.

The 901B – Program Impact Monitoring Report should be completed as part of each visit to the community, regardless of the type of trip, with extensive involvement from the community stakeholders. It is required to be submitted as an appendix to the post-trip reports: 522, 526, 531 and 527 for Program Closeout. The review cycle followsmonthly submittal deadlines that are listed on our website (Member Pages – Project Process – Submittal Deadlines).

Formatting: Please ensure correct page numbering in your document, and include a Table of Contents. You should follow the format of the template provided, including all tables included in this document.

Report Background

The EWB-USA goal is that all members of our partner communities will enjoy an improved quality of life through being able to access, use, and maintain technologies that are appropriate to their needs. Our Theory of Change[1] provides a detailed explanation as to how we believe we can achieve this goal most effectively. All of our programs and projects are planned, monitored and evaluated in the context of our Theory of Change.

What is a program versus a project?

A program represents the overarching commitment between a chapter and a community to collaborate on community-driven projects. Within a program, chapters will often partner with the community to implement multiple projects which address the needs identified by the community.For example, a slow-sand water filter project followed by the construction of composting latrines are two separate projects within the same program aimed at improving sanitation in the community.

Essential elements of all programs and projects - Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (PMEL):

Good planning, monitoring and evaluation establishes clear links between past, present and future initiatives and development results. They help EWB-USA to better understand and account for the extent to which our efforts are going in the right direction, whether progress and success can be claimed, whether we are making the changes we hoped to make, and to learn how future efforts might be improved.

  • Planning provides a clear road map of what will be done within the program, including by whom and when, and what changes the program expects to achieve. The plan is based on a sound analysis of the context in the community and the needs expressed by the community. The plan for the program was completed with the submittal of the 901. Chapters are encouraged to use this same approach when planning individual projects within a program.
  • Monitoring is a system for collecting information which tracks what has been completed in a program or project.It is an on-going activity which should be documented through the submittals of the Project Monitoring sections of the post-trip reports, 522, 526 and 531 as the projectsprogress.
  • Evaluation measures the progress that a program or project has made, not only in completing activities, but also in achieving its objectives and overall goals. Typically, the evaluation is carried out at the end of a program, but can also be done at specific points within its lifetime (a midterm review, for example)as the project team determines it is appropriate. Information collected in the final Program Impact Monitoring Report, document 901B, will facilitate the Evaluation phase for the program with the submittal of the 527 at the point of program closeout.
  • Impact Assessment builds on all of these processes. It explores in greater depth the question of “so what?” What actually changed for the community over time? How significant are these changes? What exactly did our program and projectwork contribute to these changes? It facilitates organizational learning and informs how we will adapt our delivery model to better meet the needs of our partners.

When completing this report, consider your planned work with this community from a program perspective, not an individual project. Each program within EWB-USA is unique. The individual program teams are the most familiar with their partners in the community and the resources provided through the local partners in-country. EWB-USA relies on accurate reporting by the chapters to document the program plans, monitoring activities and initial evaluations of the work being done in the field. This Program Impact Monitoring Report is a tool intended to help chapters gather important program data to allow the organization to track progress and adapt program delivery models to more effectively meet the needs of our partner communities. We also intend that it is helpful for chapters to develop a clear set of tasks to accomplish in their work with individual communities. It is your chapter’s responsibility to clearly and thoroughly present your program information in the Program Impact Monitoring Report to facilitate effective future study of our organizational impact.

You might need to include additional information that is not listed in the template depending on the specifics of your program. This can be added as additional appendices with clear, descriptive titles. If you have questions about completing this report, contact your project’s assigned Project Engineer (PE) at EWB-USA Headquarters.

1.0Introduction:Introduce the program and the individuals responsible for developing the program monitoring approach.

1.1Contact Information and Reporting History:Fill in the table completely with current and accurate information. This information will be used by EWB-USA Headquarters staff to track the status of monitoring data collected for this program. Include the name and email for the current PMEL Lead at the time the report is submitted. This information will be used by EWB-USA Headquarters staff to contact your PMEL Lead throughout the review process.

1.2Program Summary: Provide a brief written description introducing the program. Include the following:

  • One to two sentences on the scope of the program. Mention all project types included in the program’s activities.
  • One to two sentences describing the current status of communication protocol with the community leadership, including frequency and reliability of their responsiveness.
  • One to two sentences describing the current status of communication protocol with the local partner, including frequency and reliability of their responsiveness.
  • A brief description of the qualifications of the current PMEL Lead that relates to his/her capacity to coordinate the PMEL effort for the team, including trainings through EWB-USA or other classes related to M&E. Refer to Document 904 – PMEL Lead Qualifications for additional information.

2.0Program Impact Monitoring:

Impact monitoring is different from project monitoring in that it focuses specifically on understanding and reporting on changes experienced by the community, rather than on ensuring that individual projects are delivering as planned. It forms an essential component of EWB-USA’s impact assessment strategy. Information gathered through this process will be used to understand and report on changes that are taking place as a direct or indirect result of the program; and to compare results against baseline studies and previous impact monitoring reports.

In this section, you will document changes taking place in this program community, whether they are positive or negative, expected or unexpected. It is crucial for this program and for EWB-USA to carry out these monitoring studies in an open and honest way. Learning from program impact monitoring will allow your team to adapt the program strategies so that they become more relevant in the future. Similarly, program impact monitoring allows EWB-USA Headquarters staff to learn from your experiences in the field and adapt any organizational policies that need to be modified to better serve our partners and our members.

Ideally information should be gathered through a combination of research, interviews and focus group discussions.You can also include stories of change generated by the community and shared with you remotely to update this report.

2.1Update on Current Community Context: Report on any relevant updates or changes in the community context. Using bullet points to respond, include the following:

-Key economic conditions in the community. Do not simply say people are poor. Include information about how much they pay for standard items, i.e. water, electricity, food.

-Power structures within the community

-Cultural and social issues that pertain to the program

-Other organizations working in the community and how they are contributing to the change the community is experiencing

-Other relevant details

2.2Update on Community-Identified Problems to Address: Report on any significant changes or trends that relate to the problems/issues being addressed as identified in the Program Plan, section2.3. Explain the causes for these changes and/or trends and specify whether this relates to your team’s efforts or other factors. Please use bullet points to respond.

2.3Update on Change Areas: This section allows you to capture and present evidence of the extent to which, if any, progress has been made. Refer to the areas of change you identified in section 2.5 of the 901 – Program Plan and Baseline Study document. These are the only Change Areas you are to include in this table. For each change area, complete the second column with the following information:

-The changes, if any, that have taken place. Be specific and indicate if the change is positive, negative, expected or unexpected.

-The significance of any changes and to whom it is significant.

-The reasons for any changes, including an assessment of your chapter’s contribution to any observed change.

-If no change has taken place, attempt to explain why this is. Consider internal and external factors.

2.4Previously Identified Barriers to Program Success: In the 901 – Program Plan & Baseline Study Report or the most recent 901B – Program Impact Monitoring Report, you identified potential barriers to program success. List them in the table and then comment on the extent to which they did, in fact, negatively influence the program.

2.5Previously Identified Facilitators of Program Success:In the 901 – Program Plan & Baseline Study Report or the most recent 901B – Program Impact Monitoring Report, you identified potential facilitating factors of program success. List them in the table and then comment on the extent to which they did in fact support progress within the program.

2.6Potential Barriers to Program Success:Identify up to 3potential barriersto successfully completing the program work for the next year (they may be the same or different from the last list). These might include factors relating to economic, social or cultural dynamics in the community. Explain why each might constitute a barrier to success and their potential consequences.

2.7Potential Facilitators of Program Success:Identify up to 3potential factors which may facilitate or support the progress of the program over the next year (the may be the same or different from the last list). These might include factors relating to economic, social or cultural dynamics in the community. Provide a brief summary of how each might facilitate/support progress within the program.

2.8Analysis of Current Results: Respond thoroughly to each question in the table. Please note that these questions should feed into a participatory discussion and workshop with the community. The chapter should include time in their trip schedule to develop activities that will facilitate getting the community’s feedback on these questions as well. Reports from those activities can be included as an additional appendix.

2.9Learning from Current Results:Respond thoroughly to each question in the table. Please note that these questions should feed into a participatory discussion and workshop with the community. The chapter should include time in their trip schedule to develop activities that will facilitate getting the community’s feedback on these questions as well. Reports from those activities can be included as an additional appendix.

3.0Appendix A – Program Logical Framework(document 905)

Include the overall program’s Logical Framework that your team has developed per the associated instructions for document 905.

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[1]See Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Program on