Burt Perrin, Impact Evaluation Notes No. 2. April 2012 Rockefeller Foundation and Interaction. Available as pdf
This is the second guidance note in a four-part series of notes related to impact evaluation developed by InterAction with financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation.This second guidance note, Linking Monitoring and Evaluation to Impact Evaluation, illustrates the relationship between routine M&E and impact evaluation – in particular, how both monitoring and evaluation activities can support meaningful and valid impact evaluation. M&E has a critical role to play in impact evaluation, such as: identifying when and under what circumstances it would be possible and appropriate to undertake an impact evaluation; contributing essential data to conduct an impact evaluation, such as baseline data of various forms and information about the nature of the intervention; and contributing necessary information to interpret and apply findings from impact evaluation.
Contents
Introduction 1
1. How can monitoring and other forms of evaluation support impact evaluation?
1.1. Main characteristics of monitoring, evaluation, and impact evaluation
1.2. How M&E can contribute to impact evaluation
2. How to build impact evaluation into M&E thinking and practices
2.1. Articulate the theory of change
2.2. Identify priorities for undertaking impact evaluation
2.3. Identify information/data needs
2.4. Start with what you have
2.5. Design and implement the impact evaluation, analyze and interpret the findings
2.6. Use the findings
2.7. Review, reflect, and update
3. Engaging all parts of the organization
3.1. M&E: A core management function requiring senior management leadership and support
3.2. An active role for program staff is required
Summary
References and Other Useful Resources
Annex 1 – Contribution analysis
