Enhancing Monitoring & Evaluation Strategies for GEF Focal Points in the Pacific SIDS

1. Tracking national portfolios and assessing results Sub-Regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points in the Pacific SIDS Auckland, New Zealand, 18-19 September 2008

2. Presentation Outline • Monitoring & Evaluation • Role of Focal Points in M&E • Tracking the Portfolio: Tools & Approaches • Role of M&E in implementation of the RAF • OPS4 • Monitoring: Issues for Discussion

3. Monitoring & Evaluation

4. 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

5. 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 – and often called a review) • Terminal Evaluations – of all projects • Portfolio Evaluations by country (e.g. Vietnam, China)

6. Role of Focal Points in M&E

7. 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 Keeping stakeholders informed and consulted in plans, implementation and results of country GEF M&E activities Disseminating M&E information, promoting use of evaluation recommendations and lessons learned, particularly in new project proposals 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?

8. Key Message 1: It is very important for Focal Points to participate in and be informed of Monitoring and Evaluation in their countries.

9. 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.

10. Tracking the Portfolio: Tools & Approaches

11. 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

12. Tracking the Portfolio - an example • 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, • Substantive data can be found in 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!

13. Tracking the portfolio: Why is it useful? • Tokeep 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

14. 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)

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

16. 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: • To improve Global Environmental Benefits (GEB) • of projects • at country level → RAF GBI • To improve environmental policies and institutions • through projects • at country level → RAF GPI

17. Tracking the portfolio: Why is it useful? (2) (continued) • To improve project results • increase global environmental benefits • ratings of projects in terminal evaluations → RAF GPI • To improve project implementation • increase likelihood of project results • Ratings in project implementation reports → RAF GPI

18. Key Message 3: Monitoring & Evaluation is linked to improving results and performance - which is linked to countries RAF allocations…

19. OPS4 • See separate presentation • Focal points who have a solid understanding of the GEF support in their country will be able to provide a substantial input into OPS4 • ops4@thegef.org

20. Monitoring: Issues for Discussion

21. 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?

22. 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

23. 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