What We Know About Joint Evaluations of Humanitarian Action - Learning from NGO Experiences - Section 1 of 3: THE GUIDE

This booklet was written to share knowledge gained from the experiences of people that have been involved in joint evaluations conducted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It mainly profiles the work of NGOs involved in the Emergency Capacity Building Project (ECB), which has a goal to improve the speed, quality and effectiveness with which the humanitarian community saves lives, improves the welfare, and protects the rights of women, men and children affected by emergencies.

This booklet also draws on the lessons of multi-agency evaluations that already exist within the humanitarian sector. Major contributions have come, in particular, from the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP).

We hope that learning from previous experiences captured here will be useful for all those considering leading their agencies through a joint evaluation. The learning shared here is targeted at evaluation practitioners, managers, and NGOs contemplating a joint evaluation. Additionally, we hope that it will contribute to a growing body of knowledge on these processes and show that while there are many unanswered questions about joint evaluations, there is a lot we already know.

This booklet is comprised of three sections. The first section, The Guide, can be referred to as a ‘how-to’ for those closely involved in joint evaluations. It provides a framework for those approaching an interagency evaluation. The second section, The Stories, shares several case studies from the ECB Project’s experiences. The third section, The Tools, includes many templates and tools that can be adapted for evaluations, including sample terms of references, agreement documents, and checklists.