Tracking of GEF Portfolio: Monitoring and Evaluation of Results

1. Tracking of GEF Portfolio: Monitoring and Evaluation of Results Sub-regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points Aaron Zazueta March 2010 Hanoi, Vietnam

2. Monitoring and Evaluation • Monitoring provides management with a basis for decision making on progress and GEF with information on results. Involves: • Ongoing, systematic gathering of qualitative and quantitative information to track progress on project outcomes & outputs • Identify implementation issues and propose solutions • Evaluation provides lessons learned and recommendations for future projects, polices and portfolios. Involves: • Periodic assessment of results according to the criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability

3. Role of GEF Focal Points in M&E • Keep track of GEF support at the national level. • Keep stakeholders informed and consulted in plans, implementation and results of GEF activities. • Disseminate M&E information, promoting use of evaluation recommendations and lessons learned. • Assist the Evaluation Office, as the first point of entry into a country: • identify major relevant stakeholders, • coordinate meetings, • assist with agendas, • coordinate country responses to these evaluations.

4. Main Messages • FPs participation in M&E enhances country ownership. • Role for the FPs in M&E – depends on the institutional setting, capacity and portfolio scope, size. • FP role has become more prominent during GEF-4 (implementation of the RAF). It is expected that there will be further changes for GEF-5.

5. Use of tracking system • Document environmental achievements and their relationship to national goals, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and GEF strategic targets; • Prevent duplication of efforts by other donors or government agencies; • Identify implementation problems and delays; • Support Adaptive Management of projects. • Contribute to reporting on national targets, MDGs, conventions, and GEF strategic targets. Establishing a system for tracking Country Portfolios helps evaluations by gathering all major GEF project information in one place.

6. 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) • 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, • Found in project documents • Keep it simple and only collect and record information that will be used!

7. Good practices • GEF National Committee: • chaired by the GEF FP • members: FPs from Conventions, other ministries (agriculture, industry, energy, planning and finance), GEF Agencies, civil society organizations, etc. • should be linked to an already existing inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms (to ensure its institutionalization). • Develop criteria and national protocols for the selection of GEF projects. • National Business Plan for use of GEF funds. • Active participation of the GEF FP in the project M&E: GEF Agencies should share the reports on project implementation and final evaluations with GEF FPs.

8. Available Sources of Information • Project documents: supervision (PIRs) and independent evaluations (mid-term and final) from GEF Agencies. • National development goals tracking systems. • Knowledge exchange with different stakeholders (workshops, conferences, etc) • Information from established focal area task forces, networks, environmental assessments and other relevant activities. • Evaluationsconducted by GEF-EO and independent evaluation offices of GEF Agencies. • GEF Project Management Information System (PMIS)

9. Country Support Programme Website (www.gefcountrysupport.org)

10. Review of the GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Policy

11. Process • Council has asked for an update the GEF M&E policy for GEF-5 • Update of “Monitoring” will be led by the GEF Secretariat • Update of “Evaluation” will be led by the GEF Evaluation Office • Revision of the Policy to be presented to Council in November 2010 • Wide consultation and interaction with stakeholders foreseen, through e-survey, interviews, and interagency meetings • Interaction with focal points: through e-survey, questionnaire and sub-regional workshops • As with OPS4, the Pacific region is the first!

12. Issues for discussion that need to be further addressed in the M&E Policy • Integration of M&E and the Results- Based Management Framework • Minimum standards for M&E • Full budgeting of project M&E • Base lines by CEO endorsement • Minimum requirements for PIRs and Midterm Reviews • The role of Focal Points in M&E • Council has twice asked GEF Agencies to involve focal points in M&E, • Need to further define role of FP in mid-term evaluations, PIRs, portfolio monitoring, missions, oversight, and terminal evaluations • Programmatic Approach is not mentioned in the current M&E policy • As a result, several programs have only project level M&E • Support to M&E Capacity Development • Role of the GEF Secretariat in monitoring • Link between M&E and knowledge management

13. Thank you Aaron Zazueta azazueta@thegef.org www.gefeo.org