Community support program (CSP) task orders 1, 2, and 3 : interim performance evaluation

CSP is a seven-year Activity that seeks to support municipalities and local actors in Lebanon’s North, Bekaa, and South governorates to provide better services and enhanced economic opportunities in order to improve people’s lives and reduce tensions that contribute to conflict and violence, primarily in underserved and vulnerable communities. CSP is implemented through five task orders (TOs). This evaluation assesses the relevance and the effectiveness of TOs 1, 2, and 3. TO1 provides overall management, quality control, and back-office support to the CSP Activity. TO2 focuses on designing and implementing targeted community-stabilization and community-development interventions, mostly involving the repair and maintenance of community infrastructure and services. TO3 focuses on providing technical assistance and customized capacity building to enable communities and local partners to properly operate and maintain the investments made under TOs 1, 2, 4 and 5. The evaluation particularly examined the relevance of the CSP Activity to USAID/Lebanon’s development objectives, USAID’s Locally Led Development vision and framework, and communities’ needs. It also analyzed TO1’s effectiveness in supporting TOs 2 and 3, the performance of sub-awardees, the degree to which TO3 was effective at building communities’ capacity, and the most effective types of interventions under TO2. Finally, the evaluation identified the factors that contributed to or hindered CSP’s success and assessed CSP’s overall adaptability. This report’s findings emphasize the important results that CSP achieved to stabilize communities during the multiple crises that Lebanon suffered through from 2018 through the present date. This achievement was a result of the Activity’s flexible design, excellent relationship with municipal authorities, and close coordination with USAID/Lebanon, among other factors. The report also discusses the complex reasons why some of CSP’s interventions experienced delays. The evaluation found that CSP remains highly relevant to Lebanon’s needs and is effectively implemented. The report offers recommendations for CSP to remain relevant and effective going forward. CSP should: − Improve transparency by engaging with local stakeholders and enhancing communication to explain support selection. − Develop risk-management plans, which could help mitigate risks and manage consequences. − Proceed with the implementation Transition Plan for the internship initiative. − Continue CSP interventions in improving essential services and providing economic opportunities to residents and ensuring relevance to communities.