Introduction

Title
Objectives

At this point in your project, you have: 

  1. Assessed the main factors that drive violent extremism in your context. Refer to the Assess Module for resources and guidance on this phase of the project cycle.
  2. Determined your project design, including your approach and activities. Refer to the Design Module for resources and guidance on this phase of the project cycle.
  3. Begun to implement activities. Refer to the Implement Module for resources and guidance on this phase of the project cycle.

The tools and tips included in this module should be considered in all three of the previous modules to consider how you can measure the extent of your project’s impact. During project implementation, it is important to monitor whether your activities are contributing to the achievement of your objectives and goals. Collecting the right data to illustrate if you are making progress is critical. Not only do donors normally require you to report this data, but the learning you generate during implementation will equip your team to make informed decisions and adapt to new dynamics.

This module will help you to:

  • Clarify planned activity outputs (number of products, goods and services) and outcomes (positive effects of your project)
  • Understand the various tools for data collection and verification, including those most useful in a P/CVE context 
  • Manage data in a conflict-sensitive manner  
  • Identify evaluation strategies to help you achieve intended results 

When conducting P/CVE projects and activities, organizations should integrate monitoring and evaluation which accounts for the following factors: 

  • Violent extremism evolves rapidly and requires flexibility and adaptability  
  • Violent extremism is highly customized for each environment in which it occurs, so it is critical to generate learning to inform any changes to project activities 
  • Monitoring and evaluation activities (such as data collection) must be done in a conflict sensitive manner 
Title
Guiding Questions

As you begin to design and implement your project, consider how you can measure its success. When designing and implementing your project’s monitoring and evaluation plan, consider these questions: 

Design

  • Why have you chosen these specific activities? 
  • What goals do you want your activities to achieve? 

Implement

  • Is your project spending money and resources efficiently?
  • Have any problems arisen?
  • Have you noticed any successes?
  • Are you reaching your targets? 
  • Are you consistently monitoring the context to ensure the project is relevant to the current environment? 
  • Are participants in danger if certain actors obtain their names and responses after data collection? 
  • How do you manage the communication of sensitive information and data? 

Learn

  • Did something happen that you didn’t plan?​ 
  • Did you learn something unexpected?​ 
  • Based on what you have learned, what adjustments do you need to make to your activities? 
Title
Introduction to M&E Concepts

Monitoring and evaluation are terms that are often mentioned together but should be understood as distinct concepts:

Monitoring: Data collection throughout the project to identify whether the project is reaching its targets, spending money and resources efficiently, and adapting when needed.

Evaluation: An assessment of a project to determine its impact and effectiveness.

Both monitoring and evaluation should help an organization determine if changes are required for either the current project, or future iterations of the project. The Learn Module will provide more information on how to use the data collected to improve your program.

  How often is it done? What kind of questions does it answer? What kind of data is used? Who does it?
Monitoring Very often, daily, weekly, and/or monthly
  • Is your project reaching its targets?
  • Is your project spending money and resources efficiently?
  • Have any problems come up?
  • Have you noticed any successes?
Data about activities, expenses, and short-term outcomes Any team member involved with the project
Evaluation

At specific times

For example: mid-way through the project, at the end of the project, or at the end of a year

  • Did your project achieve what it planned on achieving?
  • Was your project a good use of money and resources?
  • Did something happen that you didn’t plan?
  • Did you learn something unexpected?
Data about outcomes and overall goals An evaluation team: either internal or external
Title
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan

Monitoring a project’s performance allows for an organization to track progress towards its goals and objectives. While donors use different templates to organize this information, key sections may include: 

1
Details
Overview of the Project
  • Purpose: Provide clear and precise descriptions of the guiding principle for the M&E plan (e.g. intent/purpose, economy of effort, participation, transparency, etc.). 
  • Results Framework: Show how tasks in the workplan link to indicators and serve the project purpose [or sub-purpose]. 
2
Details
Activities and Context

Provide clear and precise descriptions on the context, development hypothesis, project goal, purposes, objectives, geographic focus, as well as where or how this activity contributes to the larger project’s expected results.

3
Details
Performance Indicators

Indicators are required for each of the project’s objectives/activities. Indicators should include baselines and targets, and each indicator should directly link to its result. More information on indicators can be found later in this module.

4
Details
Management of the Performance Monitoring System

Provide clear and precise descriptions on the activity’s M&E structures, functions, and capabilities (e.g. which staff have what type of responsibilities for M&E). Provide ways to address issues identified (e.g. plan for staff capacity strengthening, partnership with M&E organization(s) to strengthen the M&E system, etc.).

5
Details
Performance Reporting Schedule

Provide a matrix (Gantt chart) indicating the planned tasks, frequency, timeline, responsible persons, etc. for performance monitoring.

6
Details
Evaluation Plan

Indicate planned evaluations and the proposed schedule.

7
Details
Activity Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (PIRS)

A Performance Indicator Reference Sheet (PIRS) is a tool USAID uses to define performance indicators. It is key to ensuring indicator data quality and consistency.