Monitoring and Evaluation Experience
BOLIVIA
USAID Assessment of Alternative Development Strategies
The assessment included the review of original development hypotheses, addressed the current counter-narcotics program requirements of the Mission (within the context of the Government of Bolivia’s defined priorities) and underlying development and political conditions. Designed and implemented a workshop for the Mission team to share findings and recommendations and discuss modifications and adjustments to alternative development strategies deemed essential to achieving stated objectives.
CARIBBEAN
USAID/Caribbean Regional Program, Barbados and Antigua.
Assessed program reporting indicators within the Caribbean region’s Trade Strategic Objective. Provided recommendations and program options for the U.S. State Department’s new Operational Program with an emphasis on the Eastern Caribbean’s eco-agriculture and biodiversity initiatives.
CENTRAL ASIA
Evaluation of USAID Enterprise Development Project
Evaluation of USAID Participatory Training Project
Evaluation of two regional projects implemented in the five countries of Central Asia. Evaluated the effectiveness of approaches used in promoting the growth of Central Asian small and medium enterprises.
Assessed technical assistance delivered through twelve USAID Enterprise Development Centers (five centers in Kazakhstan, two in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and one in Turkmenistan) in relation to the objective of enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of local companies to compete in domestic, regional and international markets.
Evaluated the 10-year long participatory training activities that supplemented and contributed to four USAID strategic objectives throughout the region.
EAST TIMOR / TIMOR LESTE
Evaluation of Office of Transition Initiatives Programs
The evaluation examined the entirety of OTI’s experience, including its work with local and international non-governmental organizations, local media outlets, the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), other donors, and East Timor Government authorities. The evaluation also reviewed OTI’s evolving management structures and its relationship to overall program implementation. Special attention was paid to those programs that had not been the subject of a separate evaluation exercise: media, civil society and governance, economic recovery, and rule of law.
ECUADOR
Evaluation of USAID Northern Borders Program
Assessment of the USAID Income and Employment Generation Project for the Northern Border Region (PRONORTE), administered in collaboration with Unidad de Desarrollo Norte (UDENOR) of the Government of Ecuador.
Ecuador relies on the production and export of a few commodities including oil, bananas, shrimp and flowers. Most people depend on agriculture or agribusiness-related rural enterprises. The region is a transit route for Colombian drugs and weapons and for a large number of refugees. Low rates of investment, a lack of rural credit for agricultural financing coupled with increased pressure on existing natural resources heighten problems. While trade agreements show promise of opening new market opportunities. Small and medium agribusinesses seek ways to compete in these markets.
Program results were assessed against the objective to increase income and employment for small and medium farmers in six diverse northern border provinces by strengthening the competitiveness of rural enterprises through improved farm-to-market linkages in selected sectors.
ETHIOPIA
USAID Evaluation of the AMARA Agriculture Program
USAID Watershed Management Needs Assessment
Provided training and implemented a management assessment of the Amhara State Agricultural Extension Service.
Assessed strategic policy and interventions to stimulate sustainable change in watershed protection and management. Developed institutional strategies to improve coordination and operational performance within the ministries and regional and local agencies responsible for natural resource protection and management.Recommended greater focus, funding and leverage for critical technical support services to rural residents living in watershed areas.
GEORGIA
Evaluation of USAID Energy Programs
Evaluated USAID Georgia's Energy Sector Reform Programs, FY 2000-2005. The evaluation included an analysis of Georgia’s energy sector and USAID's contribution to the power industry in a transitional market economy, an assessment of proposals for future rehabilitation and development of the power sector and recommendations for USAID's continued involvement.
GUATEMALA
USAID Carbon Sequestration and Sustainable Coffee Project
Participated in an evaluation of a five-year, $25 million program promoting increased effectiveness in regional stewardship of the environment and key natural resources in target areas and provided a review of a proposed carbon sequestration and sustainable coffee project. Additionally, reviewed a carbon sequestration and sustainable coffee proposal submitted to the U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation (USIJI); prepared a report used by the USIJI Evaluation Panel to evaluate proposals for acceptance into the USIJI program; and led discussions of this and other proposals in the review meeting.
INDONESIA
USAID/Indonesia Biodivesity and Forestry Assessment
Provided a biodiversity and tropical forest assessment as a background document and tool for USAID/ Indonesia’s next 5-year strategic plan. The report presents the status of biodiversity and forests in Indonesia, identifies the major environmental threats, catalogues donor activity in the sector and analyzes the gaps between threats and actions being taken to address the threats. Climate change issues and mitigation actions are also included. Recommendations are provided to the donor on specific actions to consider in the development of a new country-wide strategy. (2012) change the information provided on the Regional Asia document (Indonesia). The assessment included a report to Congress (FAR 118/119).
INDONESIA
USAID University and Parliamentary Program Evaluation
The evaluation addressed the effectiveness, impact, sustainability, performance and financial monitoring of the program, links to the intermediate results of the USAID/Indonesia Economic Growth strategic objective and the question of whether the activity should be continued in its present form as a cooperative agreement or as a contract. The evaluation included: 1) determination of the extent to which the activity is achieving its purposes; 2) compilation of success stories and lessons learned; 3) recommendations for improving the activity during follow-on work.
KAZAKHASTAN and KYRGYZSTAN
Evaluation of USAID’s Fiscal Reform Programs
The evaluation provided information for consideration by USAID pertaining to the current state of fiscal reform, the impact of USAID assistance, lessons learned and provision of recommendations to achieve greater program impact pertaining to the following: tax policy; tax administration; budget reform; fiscal analysis; and intergovernmental fiscal reform.
Assessment of key fiscal areas, including tax policy and tax administration reform, fiscal analysis and revenue estimation in the Government and Parliament, and budget development and reform at the republic and sub-national levels. The project included extensive training for representatives of executive agencies and members and staff of the parliament in economics, budgeting, taxation and tax administration to significantly enhance the ability of the executive agencies to develop and consider fiscal alternatives, for the parliament to analyze and respond to these recommendations and for the nation to move toward a more advanced system of revenue collection.
KENYA
Evaluation of Agricultural Development Support Project (ADSP)
Provided training and implemented a management assessment of the Agricultural Development Support Project, ADSP, in Kenya.
KENYA, RWANDA, TANZANIA AND UGANDA
USAID Gender Impact Assessment
Assessment of a decade of gender programs in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Work included: 1) amassing data and creating mission and sector-specific databases and a comprehensive inventory; 2) providing case studies from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda; 3) developing work plans, country reports, a synthesis report, definitions and methodologies related to deliverables; 4) assessing each mission’s materials and literature.
Designed, convened and facilitated a dissemination workshop for USAID program officers, Women in Development (WID) officers from all regional Missions and Africa Bureau personnel to review results and develop regional approaches to gender considerations.
KOSOVO
USAID Restored Normalcy in Living Standards/Opportunities
Assessment of activities executed under USAID Kosovo’s Strategic Objective 3.1, Restored Normalcy in Living Standards and Opportunities. Two major components of this approach were evaluated, the Kosovo Assistance Program and Community Infrastructure/Services Program. Assessed the effectiveness of coordination of USAID activities with international development institutions working in Kosovo.
KOSOVO
Assessment of USAID Expanded Formal SME Sector: Employment Generation and Microfinance Programs
Evaluated activities under Strategic Objective 1.3, “Establishment of Economic Policy and Institutional Frameworks that Facilitate the Recovery of the Private Sector-Led Economy.Provided recommendations pertaining to USAID Kosovo Employment Generation Program composed of two distinct but coordinated components: Kosovo Business Support and Kosovo Business Finance. Assessed USAID supported startup and development of a micro lending program designed to create a sustainable, locally run micro-finance institution (MFI) to improve access to working capital. Identified areas and activities that hold promise for stimulating business development with attendant increases in broad-based income generation and employment.
MACEDONIA
USAID Local Government Project Assessment
Assessment of the accountability, transparency and integrity in the management of revenues and expenditures by the Government of Macedonia and local governments.Recommendations for the design of USAID strategies and projects to address priorities identified by the assessment. Assessed the: (a) ability of national and local governments to plan their expenditures, (b) ability of those entities to systematically track their revenues, expenditures and commitments, (c) ability of those entities to audit their own operations and investigate abnormalities, (d) ability of the audit body to do financial and performance audits of budget users, (e) integrity and transparency of the procurement process and (f) ability of the government of Macedonia to investigate and prosecute major financial crimes (tax evasion, bank fraud, money laundering and procurement fraud).
MACEDONIA
USAID Public Sector Debt Program Assessment
Assessment to 1) establish an integrated financial management in the Ministry of Finance, VAT procedures for the MOF, an integrated software administration system for the tax department, (2) tax administration of resource management, VAT procedures, collections, policy issues, tax gap analysis, (3) macroeconomic analysis of macroeconomic models for fiscal and trade policy, (4) budgeting in the MOF and Ministries, (5) improving Treasury operations in accounting, cash management, commitment accounting and arrears reduction, (6) work with the USAID Local Government Project to build capacity for tax administration and treasury operations at the municipal, level as part of program of decentralization., (7) build capacity to investigate financial crimes (tax evasion, bank and financial fraud and money laundering) through the creation and training of Financial Police.
MADAGASCAR
USAID Environment and Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment
Worked with USAID Environment & Rural Development program staff to review 15 years of USAID/Madagascar experiences in environment, rural development and food security program areas.
Identified best practices and lessons learned while assisting USAID and its partners with identifying options, opportunities and competitive advantages for planning future environment and rural development activities. Examined policies, issues, strategies, government and donor-funded programs in biodiversity, tropical forest management, carbon sequestration, climate change and eco-agriculture.
MADAGASCAR
USAID Environmental Threats and Opportunities Assessment
Cyclone Recovery Program Evaluation
The ETOA examined 1) current state of biodiversity and forest conservation, 2) actions necessary to conserve tropical forests and biological diversity, and (3) extent to which the actions proposed for support by USAID/Madagascar meet the needs thus identified. Assessment is intended to serve as a planning tool to assist USAID/Madagascar in better integrating environmental concerns into existing and proposed programs in the short- and medium-term. The assessment is also necessary for the purposes of complying with sections 118/119 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, as well as critical to informing Operational Plans and the Country Assistance Strategy. Designed, implemented and reported the ETOA and its associated FAA 118/119 annex for USAID. Evaluated tropical forestry, terrestrial and marine biodiversity conservation issues in consort with past, current and planned donor efforts to address problems. Presented USAID with a list of activities, concentration areas, climate change issues (threats and adaptation) and environmental policy focal points.
Conducted a process evaluation of a two-year long disaster relief project. The final report included comprehensive assessments of environment, biodiversity, agriculture, infrastructure, institutional development activities.
MALAWI
Evaluation of USAID’s Strategic Objective: “Increased Agricultural Incomes on a Per Capita Basis”
Assessment of the impact of and lessons learned from the group of activities that formed USAID/Malawi’s Strategic Objective One (SO1). Assessed the success of Non-Project Assistance activities on the Government of Malawi’s policy reform efforts. Identified design and implementation strengths and weaknesses and lessons learned for future activities.
MOLDOVA
USAID Evaluation of the Impacts of Reintegration
USAID Assessment of Agricultural Irrigation
Evaluation of the social and economic impacts and the costs and benefits of the reintegration of the Moldova. Assessed long-term irrigation potential broadly focusing on issues affecting the irrigation potential for private farmers. The study identified the physical, technical and financial constraints to farm irrigation and what technical and financial resources are now available to small- and medium-scale farmers.
The assessment incorporated other donor activities, sources and availability of water, review of Soviet irrigation systems including supply pump stations, and distribution systems, farmer organizations, education and field extension services, marketing of crop production, business development of small- and medium-scale farmers. The assessment made recommendations for an irrigation strategy for the Ministry of Agriculture that will provide opportunities for small- and medium-scale farmers to greatly expand their income.
NEPAL
USAID Projects in the Environment and Agriculture Sectors
Evaluation of USAID Strategic Objective No. 1: “Increased Sustainable Production and Sales of Forest and High-Value Agricultural Products.” Reviewed and reformulated the USAID assistance strategy for Nepal. Prepared a proposal for USAID’s consideration of a five-year strategic plan.
PANAMA
Evaluation of a USAID Panama Canal Watershed Project
Evaluation of USAID MARENA (NRM) Project
Assessment of strategic policies in the areas of natural resources protection, conservation & management. The assessment provided recommendations for USAID/Panama: 1) support for strategic policy, planning and program interventions to stimulate a favorable environment for sustainable change in watershed protection and management; 2) development of creative institutional support strategies to improve coordination requirements and operational performance within the Panamanian institutions responsible for natural resource protection and management; 3) support for new public-private linkages as a means to establish a sustainable national system of protected areas; 4) alternative funding sources needed to expand the presence of the government in the national system of protected areas; 5) provision of greater focus, support and leverage for critical technical support services to rural residents in the Panama Canal Watershed.
Analyzed the effectiveness of the national system of protected areas.Evaluated: 1) operations of a trust fund; 2) results of agroforestry and reforestation field projects; 3) activities to strengthen natural resources management and conservation; 4) NGO-capacity building; and 5) functioning of the national government institution responsible for forestry, protected areas and environmental assessments.
PHILLIPINES
Evaluation of USAID/Philippines Environmental Governance Project
The aim of the evaluation was to measure the effectiveness and impact of USAID’s investment, as well as document the key lessons learned, of the seven-year USAID-funded $23.5 million EcoGov2 project – the largest Mission biodiversity conservation project in the Philippines.
The project used a landscape, “ridge-to-reef,” approach to frame its activities with municipal, provincial, regional and national institutions. The landscape management approach facilitates the development of climate change adaptation and environmental governance strategies to implement mitigation activities. Nationally, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has recognized the utility of the “ridge-to-reef” approach and has identified 131 critical watersheds where it wants to use a landscape approach, working with the provinces and municipalities, to ensure sustainable activities.
While working in Manila and during five rural site visits, investigatory interviews were conducted and actual versus planned outputs and results were researched and reviewed; identified and analyzed problems related to project implementation. Two well-attended presentations were made in Manila prior to the submission of the final report.
PHILIPPINES
USAID Urban/Industrial Pollution Prevention Programs Evaluation
Conducted an assessment of urban and industrial pollution to determine the impact of USAID-funded programs designed to prevent and control urban and industrial pollution.
RUSSIA
Evaluation of USAID’s Junior Achievement Program (JAR)
Evaluation of U.S. Assistance to Russian Orphans Program
The JAR evaluation took place in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok and covered the entire seven-year program implementation period. Assessed how JAR contributes to USAID/Russia Strategic Objective (SO) 1.31 “Small- and Medium-Size Enterprise Sector Strengthened and Expanded.” Assessed how JAR supports the Mission’s SO2.11 “To Foster More Open and Participatory Society.”
The evaluation of the Russian Orphans Program took place in Moscow, Novgorod, Saint Petersburg, Tomsk and Vladivostok. Assessed how the program led to changes in state facilities, including the furthering of partnerships between the public and NGO sectors, attitudinal changes, management improvements and increased exposure to innovative approaches that lead to positive changes in institutionalized children’s lives.