Develop a common set of results for evaluations of selected grant interventions to enable cross-case comparisons within a grant facility. The grant facility under the Environment and Natural Resources Management (ENRM) Project funded varying activities and distinct approaches across a range of communities in Malawi’s Shire River Basin, with each aiming to support a common set of objectives related to both sustainable land management and gender equality. The evaluation case studies of selected grantees were therefore focused around core outcomes having to do with the sustained adoption of improved practices and women’s involvement in decision-making. Based on an ex-post methodology, the qualitative approach used for this evaluation was well suited to providing the needed level of depth for analysis as well as consistency across cases to generate clear findings and conclusions about the broader facility approach, and to support broader learning from the activities implemented. Evaluations of future grant facilities should adopt a study design that ensures focus on common objectives across grantees, while maintaining analytical rigor and cost-effectiveness, especially where a clear understanding of specific grant activities and their underlying context can inform assessments of the wider objectives of the project.
Lesson Learned