Evaluation of the Population Services Fellowship Program

college/university graduates or mid-career professionals. full external evaluation covers the period 8/84-3/89. The project has generally been successful. Despite the need to seek buy-in funding in 1985 due to a 33% reduction in core funding, the University of Michigan placed some 30 U.S. fellows in 17 countries. Of the 21 fellows who have completed their field assignments, 14 are employed by A.I.D. cooperating agencies, 4 are working in LDC family planning programs supported by other agencies, 2 are taking graduate studies in population, and 1 is seeking employment. The project has also made good use of the fellows to provide inexpensive and valuable TA to LDC family planning and population programs. At the project management level, fellow selection, logistical arrangements, and implementor-host government communication were either satisfactory or above standard. Field site selection proceeded smoothly until the need to seek buy-ins arose. At that point, the range of feasible placement countries narrowed significantly, the identification of host-country agencies became more difficult, and the placing of fellows began to slow. Better background and language training for project fellows could have ameliorated some of the difficulties experienced in the first months of host-country placement. Recommendations are to: (1) extend the project for at least 4 years; (2) permit more buy-ins and provide sufficient core funding to allow adequate program management; (3) permit external funding for host-agency strengthening activities (e.g., joint research, on-site training) without the monies counting toward project funding ceilings; (4) expand efforts to obtain buy-in support; and (5) establish closer contacts with fellows in the field - particularly during the first 6 months of placement.