PLANNING ASSISTANCE INC, DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRANT

ONSITE EVALUATION NOTES THAT INTERVIEWS WITH PAI WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS INDICATE A CONTINUING DEMAND FOR COLLABORATIVE PLANNING AND ONGOING MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN COSTA RICA AND GUATEMALA. EVALUATION WAS CONDUCTED THROUGH A FIELD TRIP TO PAI PROJECTS IN GUATEMALA AND COSTA RICA TO FIELD VERIFY THE FINDINGS OF THE PAI SELF-ASSESSMENT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE WORKSHOP IN COSTA RICA HAD SUSTAINING IMPACT, WHILE THE GUATEMALA WORKSHOP INDICATORS SHOULD BE ASSESSED AT SOME FUTURE TIME. THE CURRENT PAI MODEL OF OPERATION WHICH PERMITS ONLY OCCASIONAL CONTACT WITH THOSE SEEKING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE WAS JUDGED INADEQUATE TO PROVIDE ON-GOING MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING THEM. THE VISIT TO CENTRAL AMERICA PROVIDED SUBSTANTIAL VERIFICATION OF PAI"S ASSESSMENT OF ITS STYLE AND IMPACT IN ONE PART OF THE WORLD. PDC/PVC EVALUATION OF AND EXPOSURE TO PAI ACTIVITIES, HOWEVER, IS CONSIDERED INADEQUATE. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: 1) SUPPORT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PVO"S IN MANAGEMENT SERVICES SINCE THEY CAN MEET DEMANDS FOR PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE CURRENTLY NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE; 2) FUTURE SUPPORT FOR PAI SHOULD ALLOW ADEQUATE PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY TO DEAL WITH THE DIVERSE PLANNING AND MGMT NEEDS WHICH IT SERVICES; 3) FUTURE SUPPORT FOR PAI SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE LOCALIZATION OF STAFF; 4) PAI FIELD OFFICES SHOULD DEVELOP A REGIONAL ORIENTATION TOWARD PROVIDING ASSISTANCE AND ENCOURAGING COLLABORATIVE PLANNING IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND ELSEWHERE; 5) FUTURE SUPPORT FOR PAI SHOULD INSURE THAT A DEQUATE ATTENTION IS GIVEN BY PAI TO THE COLLECTION OF BASEINE DATA IN COUNTRIES OF OPERATION TO PERMIT VERIFICATION OF OBJECTIVES AND EVALUATION OF PROGRESS AND; 6) PAI SHOULD REEXAMINE AND RE-CAST ITS LOGFRAME.