Development Results: "Irish Aid values hard won change and not just ‘quick wins’."

In a consultation document presented to Irish NGOs in October 2011, Irish Aid set out its thinking on “Development Results”.

Please note, this is from the first draft, and not yet official policy. But it is encouraging stuff:

“For Irish Aid, development results are about long-term sustained socio-economic change or benefits for people.  At this higher impact and outcome level of change, results are about sustained changes in well being, empowerment and relationships for example – reduced child mortality; increased food security; greater inclusion of marginalised groups; and greater gender equality.It is the clarity of understanding of the pathways of change through to the bigger picture; the process of analysis and prioritisation of which results to strive for; the recognition and development of competence in a given field; and the ability to plan for, monitor, report, learn and make evidence-based decisions that Irish Aid seeks from partners that it funds.

It is not (only) about showing concrete measurable results from funds provided but evidence of comprehensive planning leading to clear strategies and prioritisation; of careful selection of a limited number of indicators to track progress and change; and of learning from experience and adapting approach to maintain a focus on results.

Planning for results requires supportive, comprehensive and integrated systems for budgeting, monitoring and reporting which are appropriate for the organisation concerned, taking size, scale and focus into account.  This will demand capacity to support a results approach through the organisation.”

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See also:

• Talking Development Effectiveness in the Cambodian jungle
• More Dóchas resources on Development effectiveness
• What makes a Good NGO?
• An Ode to effective NGOs
• New tools to improve NGO accountability
• Irish NGOs and the SPHERE standards
• Irish NGOs and “Development Effectiveness”
• Getting ready for Busan

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