Evaluation : performance evaluation of the small project assistance (SPA) program, FY13 - FY17

The evaluation addresses six key research questions: 1.What are the results of community-led efforts associated with SPA grant activities?To what extent are these results likely to be sustained over time? 2.How and to what extent have SPA grant activities contributed toward catalyzingcommunities to identify, access, and mobilize local resources to meet their needs? 3.What are the features of SPA grant activities that did and did not result in sustainedlocal capacity to pursue community-led development? 4.What opportunities do stakeholders see to continue making progress on communitydevelopment after SPA grant activities have ended, and what factors might preventthem from doing so? 5.What motivates stakeholders to engage, or not to engage, in community-leddevelopment efforts, and how can programs designed to catalyze community-leddevelopment best approach those motivations? 6.Across SPA grant activities, what have been the common challenges to communitiesorganizing for mutual benefit, and how can programs designed to catalyzecommunity-led development help communities to address these challenges? The evaluation team visited 51 SPA IV projects in five countries, conducted interviews and discussions with key stakeholders, and analyzed global SPA IV data. The findings demonstrate that community leadership and engagement during grant implementation are the biggest keys for fostering long-term project sustainability and future community-led development.