Final Evaluation Report: Implementation of the Civil Society Development Strategy 2012-2015

The strategy aimed to strengthen the framework of participation of the civil society in developing and monitoring the implementation of public policies, promote and strengthen the financial sustainability of the civil society, and develop the active civic spirit and volunteering. The CSDS was accompanied by an Action Plan, which comprised three areas of intervention, each representing a separate objective with specific objectives and actions. The evaluation of the CSDS implementation was conducted by Gheorghe Caraseni, with the support of the European Center for Non-for-profit Law (ECNL) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The evaluation methodology included a review of documents, online evaluation surveys, and semi-structured interviews with 54 persons, representatives of the civil society, state authorities, and donors' community. The evaluation found that the CSDS is relevant for the current context and that the three intervention areas included therein reflect the key needs of development of the Moldovan civil society. However, the implementation of the CSDS took place in a political unstable and performance unfavorable environment, which hindered the progress of the strategy. Despite the challenges, a slow progress has been made, and certain implementation achievements have been recorded in all three areas/general objectives of the CSDS. The evaluation revealed that most of the commitments made under the CSDS were not fully achieved, with nearly 27% of actions completed, 9% at an advanced level of achievement, and 64% not achieved, including 52% of actions not started. The results of the implementation of the CSDS indicate that there is a need for improvement in the strategy's effectiveness and efficiency. The evaluation identified several lessons learned and good practices, including the importance of a stable and favorable environment for the implementation of the CSDS, the need for clear and achievable objectives, and the importance of effective partnerships and cooperation among stakeholders. Based on these findings, the evaluation made several recommendations for enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of the CSDS, including the need for a more detailed and realistic Action Plan, the establishment of clear indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress, and the strengthening of partnerships and cooperation among stakeholders. The evaluation also recommended the development of a new strategy for the period 2016-2020, which would take into account the lessons learned from the implementation of the CSDS and the current context and needs of the Moldovan civil society. The new strategy should be based on a thorough analysis of the current situation, the identification of key priorities and objectives, and the development of a clear and achievable Action Plan. Overall, the evaluation of the CSDS implementation highlights the importance of a stable and favorable environment, clear and achievable objectives, and effective partnerships and cooperation among stakeholders for the success of the strategy. The evaluation provides valuable lessons learned and good practices that can be applied to future development initiatives in the Republic of Moldova.