NGO Evaluation
Evaluate projects or organizational capacity with practical, evidence-based recommendations.
Why this matters now
Evaluation in the NGO sector is too often theatre — a report that satisfies a grant clause and is read by no one. We do evaluation as decision support: a clear question, a defensible method, an honest finding, and a recommendation set the organisation can act on. The donor accepts the report; the executive director uses it; the next grant is stronger because of it.
What this includes
Scoping
The decision the evaluation is meant to inform, the questions, the OECD-DAC criteria in scope, the methods that fit.
Method
Mixed methods — document review, structured interviews, beneficiary surveys, financial review, contextual data — sized to the budget.
Fieldwork
On the ground, structured, with a real sample. We use ethics protocols and informed consent throughout.
Reporting
The findings, the evidence, the recommendations, and a separate management response plan — the part most evaluations skip.
What you receive
Inception report
Question, method, sample, ethics, calendar — agreed with the donor and the organisation before fieldwork.
Evidence file
Interview notes, survey data, financial extracts, observation logs — auditable on request.
Final report
Findings against OECD-DAC criteria — relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability — with prioritised recommendations.
Management response plan
What the organisation will do with the recommendations, by when, owned by whom.
All six criteria are assessed with mixed methods: document review, key informant interviews, field observation, and participatory workshops.
How we work
Inception
Three weeks. Question, method, sample, ethics, kickoff with donor and team.
Fieldwork
Four to eight weeks. Interviews, surveys, document and finance review, observation.
Analysis and reporting
Three to four weeks. Draft, review, finalisation.
Management response
Two weeks. Workshop with the executive team to convert findings into action.
Indicators of success
Donor accepts
Without rework. The evaluation file is ready for the donor's audit chain.
Findings used
The management response plan is delivered against — not just written.
Programme strengthened
Subsequent programmes show evidence of the evaluation's recommendations being acted on.
Integrity
No conflict of interest. The evaluator's seat is independent of the funded programme team.
Common questions
Do you do summative or formative evaluation?
Both. We default to formative when the programme is mid-cycle and summative at end of programme — but we let the decision the evaluation is meant to inform decide.
Can you evaluate ourselves and our programme?
Yes. We use external evaluators and a documented independence protocol; we will refuse engagements where independence cannot be defended.
How much does this cost?
Cost scales with sample size and geography, not narrative complexity. We give a written budget after the scoping conversation.
Discuss the next step
Describe the task, deadline and context. We will suggest the first practical route.