Performance evaluation of the measuring impact activity

MI is a six-year contract that helps strengthen the capacity of Agency staff and enhance the evidence base by providing technical assistance (TA) and tools to foster adaptive management of biodiversity programming. The evaluation sought to examine activity achievements towards mainstreaming best practices for adaptive management and evidence-based decision-making at each stage of the program cycle, in compliance with the Agency's Biodiversity Policy. The evaluation employed a mixed-methods participatory approach using both qualitative and quantitative methods to address five evaluation questions. The evaluation concluded that MI has furthered USAID's capacity and appreciation for implementing processes for adaptive management in biodiversity programming. This success is due to the flexibility, adaptable framework, stakeholder engagement, and demand-driven model of MI tools and TA that allow for engagement at the various stages of USAID's program cycle. MI has also effectively promoted the use of an analytical framework for incorporating evidence into programming, monitoring, evaluation, and learning purposes. The activity has also had an effect at the Agency policy level on the use of evidence in programming, although findings on missions' utilization of evidence are less conclusive. The evaluation provides recommendations for further dissemination of tools and technical approaches and continued engagement with Agency operating units, including nurturing cross-mission learning, to help institutionalize achievements in adaptive management and biodiversity programming. (Author abstract)