Tracking national portfolios and assessing results

Sub-regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points inWest and Central Africa

19-21 June 2008, Douala, Cameroon

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Presentation Outline

1. Monitoring & Evaluation

2. Role of Focal Points in M&E

3. Tracking the Portfolio: Tools & Approaches

4. Role of M&E in implementation of the RAF

5. Monitoring: Issues for Discussion

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Monitoring & Evaluation

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What is Monitoring & Evaluation?

Monitoring provides management with a basis for decision making on progress and GEF with information on results. This involves:• Ongoing, systematic gathering of qualitative and

quantitative information to track progress on project outcomes & outputs

• Identification of implementation issues and propose actions to solve these

Evaluation provides lessons learned and recommendations for future projects, polices and portfolios. This involves:• Periodic assessment of results (i.e. outputs, outcomes and

impact) according to the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability

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Relevance of Monitoring & Evaluation for Focal Points:

→Monitoring: Project Implementation Review (for each project annually)

Portfolio Monitoring (country specific)

→Evaluation: Mid-Term Evaluation of projects (in some cases)

Terminal Evaluations – of all projects Portfolio Evaluations by country (e.g. Vietnam,

China)

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Role of Focal Points in M&E

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Role of GEF Focal Point in M&E…

Role depends on country specific circumstances →- Country capacity - Institutional setting- Portfolio scope and size (number of projects)

What are some of the potential roles and responsibilities in M&E?

Keeping track of GEF support at the national level Promoting use of evaluation recommendations and lessons learned,

particularly in new project proposals Supporting and ensuring dissemination of GEF M&E information Keeping stakeholders informed and consulted in plans, implementation and

results of country GEF M&E activities Assisting the Evaluation Office, as the first point of entry into a country,

during evaluations: identifying major relevant stakeholders, coordinating meetings, assisting with agendas –coordinating country responses to these evaluations

Other examples?

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Key Message 1:

It is very important for Focal Points to participate in and be informed of

Monitoring and Evaluation in their countries.

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Key Message 2:

There is no prescribed role for the Focal Points in Monitoring and Evaluation – it

depends in the institutional setting, capacity and portfolio scope, size.

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Tracking the Portfolio: Tools & Approaches

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Tracking the Portfolio: Tools and Approaches

M&E of the portfolio: Creating a simple tracking system for GEF projects (see next

slide). Including the GEF Support in national tracking system of

international grants/loans. Reporting GEF achievements against national development goals

and objectives (MDGs? Reporting to Conventions?) Establishing a close collaboration with GEF Agencies M&E

officer and projects managers. Exchanging experiences and information in workshops – both

sub-regional and national. Supporting annual workshops to discuss project implementation,

experiences and lessons and results with key GEF players in the country.

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Tracking the Portfolio - an example

Portfolio Tracking System – Project level data:

• Basic Data – such as: > Project Data (name, agency, focal area etc.) > Financial information: GEF grant and cofinancing > Project cycle dates (entry into pipeline, approval, start up)> Basic data can be found in the PMIS)

• Substantive Data – such as:> Objective(s), Expected Outcome(s), > Ratings: implementation progress and likelihood of achieving

objectives, > Once completed: actual achievements and lessons learned,

Project documents

This information feeds into the progress of overall environmental achievements at higher levels, namely - the national targets, the MDGs and the GEF strategic targets. Keep it simple and only collect and record information that will be used!

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Tracking the portfolio: Why is it useful?

To keep track of environmental achievements towards national targets, the MDGs and the GEF strategic targets and mandate

To improve coordination and policies / institutions:• For national coordination of the GEF portfolio: between ministries, implementing

and executing agencies, civil society etcetera• To feed into national decision making on GEF support (strategy, priorities)• For harmonization purposes: preventing overlap between donors, agencies,

government policies and so on

To improve project implementation:• To provide an overall overview of the GEF portfolio currently under implementation

in the country• To be informed of implementation progress and help resolve implementation issues

of projects (start, end, major events, delays)• To be able to address common problems – reoccurring in the portfolio• To integrate lessons learned, disseminate valuable experience and give

recommendations in future work/ project proposals

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Where to find information to track the portfolio?

Project Implementation Reports produced annually by the projects and GEF Agencies (self assessments)

Supervision reports from GEF Agencies

PMIS (project management information system)

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Role of M&E in implementation of the RAF

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Role of M&E in implementation of the RAF

→ M&E is linked to improving results and performance

- which is linked to countries RAF allocations..

1. To improve Global Environmental Benefits (GEB) of projects at country level → RAF GBI

2. To improve environmental policies and institutions through projects at country level → RAF GPI

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Tracking the portfolio: Why is it useful? (2)

(continued)

3. To improve project results increase global environmental benefits ratings of projects in terminal evaluations → RAF GPI

4. To improve project implementation increase likelihood of project results Ratings in project implementation reports → RAF GPI

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Key Message 3:

Monitoring & Evaluation is linked to improving results and performance -

which is linked to countries RAF allocations…

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Monitoring: Issues for Discussion

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Monitoring: Issues for discussion

How are the partners working together in monitoring? (Focal Point, Agency, project staff, technical ministry or department, beneficiaries…)• Who does what? How is information circulating? How can the

Focal Point support the GEF portfolio in national management and decision-making?

Further development of tools for tracking portfolios. • How are available tools used?• What type of information is required? How will the information

be used? • Who should be involved in national knowledge sharing forum?

And how?

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Available information sources:

Project evaluations: mid-term and final (independent) from GEF Agencies

National development goals tracking systems Knowledge exchange during workshops (national

coordination committees, with other focal points, annual workshops with implementing / executing agencies, other actors in the field – NGOs, CBOs etc)

Information from established focal area task forces, networks, environmental assessments and other relevant activities.

Evaluations conducted by GEF-EO and independent evaluation offices of GEF Agencies

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More information….

GEF corporate evaluations and lessons learned: www.gefeo.org, under Publication or Ongoing Evaluations

The GEF M&E Policy: www.gefeo.org, under Policies and Procedures

Project evaluations (161 terminal evaluations): www.thegef.org, under Project Database, for search click on Evaluation Documents

Email contact: gefevaluation@theGEF.org