Like other grant-making organizations, the Open Society Foundations achieve impact largely through the work of its grantees. But this doesn’t mean that MEL is limited to grantees alone.
Donor strategies, as well as the decisions they make about where to direct what type and how much support, are key to influencing change. Understanding this influence is important to continual learning, improvement, and adaptation—and to make sure we minimize harm.
The resources in this series were developed by the MEL team within OSF’s Economic Justice Program to help colleagues monitor progress, evaluate efforts, and develop a culture of learning. They include the program’s MEL sub-strategy and indicator framework, as well as other tools, templates and terms of reference for donor MEL activities.
While primarily focused on EJP’s own MEL needs, these resources will also be useful to a wide range of organizations implementing MEL practices, especially those focused on complexity and long-term change.