Evaluations in UNCDF

Programme Evaluation has been a key corporate priority for UNCDF since the 1990s when UNCDF established a Policy, Planning and Evaluation Unit with multiple responsibilities. In 1999, UNCDF strengthened the function by creating a separate and distinct Evaluation Unit, which reports directly to the Executive Secretary thereby signalling the protection of the independence and priority of the function. Since then the Unit has had as its main responsibility the development of an evaluation culture within UNCDF, supporting both accountability and learning.  

UNCDF is an active member of UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) and contributed to the development of the Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN system developed by UNEG in 2005.

UNCDF EVALUATION POLICY

In 2006, the Executive Board endorsed the Evaluation Policy of UNDP (see below) to which UNCDF is a  party.  This policy established that UNCDF undertakes the following types of evaluations:

1. Strategic  and thematic evaluations;
2. Outcome evaluations; and
3. Programme and project evaluations.

The Evaluation Policy also established criteria for the conduct of mandatory evaluations – any project with a total of $2.5 million dollars and a duration of five years is subject to both mid-term and final evaluation undertaken by independent, external consultants. 

This policy has helped sharpen the objectives of UNCDF’s evaluation function which are as follows :

1. ensuring project ‘evaluability’;
2. contributing to UNCDF’s accountability framework;
3. ensuring sound and relevant evaluation methods are used to assess the relevance, efficiency and effectives of UNCDF’s interventions in the local development and inclusive finance service areas; and  
4. contributing to corporate learning and knowledge development.

For more information on UNCDF, its policies, missions and legislative framework, please visit the corporate policy papers page.