Resources and capacity for M&E systems

Resources and capacity in a national M&E system refer to the combination of human, financial, and technological assets a country has available to manage M&E systems.

 This encompasses the expertise and number of personnel dedicated to M&E activities, the financial investment in these activities, and the technological tools available to support data collection, management, and analysis.

These elements are necessary for a government to manage and sustain a comprehensive evaluation system. Because running an evaluation system involves systems and not just individual evaluations, learning about this is crucial for each country, whether at the national or subnational level.

Financial resources for M&E

Human resources for M&E

Technology resources for M&E

Questions to ask:

The following questions draw from the GEI's MESA diagnostic assessment tool:

  • How able is the government to manage and run an evaluation system (in relation to knowledge, skills, human and financial resources)?

  • Are there skilled personnel in government with the technical capacity for monitoring and evaluation?

  • What training have they had?

  • Is there sufficient institutional capacity to undertake meaningful monitoring and evaluation that feeds back into management? At what levels?

  • Is there a capacity-strengthening plan for monitoring and evaluation skills in government (e.g., training, coaching, mentoring, technical assistance/support)?

  • Who are the local providers of evaluation services (e.g., consulting firms, auditors, independent consultants, academia)?

  • To what extent are evaluations commissioned by government, donors, and CSOs conducted by local evaluators?

  • Is there a sufficient supply of quality local evaluators?

  • Are the country's universities producing evaluations on a systematic basis?

  • How many evaluations have been produced by non-governmental institutions every year?

  • What types of evaluations are done by non-governmental institutions?

Global Evaluation Initiative (2022). MESA Guidance Note: Diagnostic Tool for a Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.globalevaluationinitiative.org/mesa

Expand to view all resources related to 'Resources and capacity for M&E systems'

This content section is currently under development and has been released in beta mode. We welcome any feedback or suggestions for additional resources and examples - please get in touch via the contact form!

'Resources and capacity for M&E systems' is referenced in: