Program research for strengthening services (PROGRESS) end-of-project evaluation

The project is a five-year USAID cooperative agreement that was awarded to Family Health International 360 (FHI 360) in June 2008, ending in June 2013. PROGRESS is a key component in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Global Health/Office of Population and Reproductive Health/Research, Technology and Utilization Division (GH/PRH/RTU) portfolio seeking to improve the effectiveness of family planning (FP) programs for underserved populations in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia through innovation and scale-up of evidence-based practices. To achieve this, PROGRESS conducts operations research (OR) studies, research utilization (RU) activities, and capacity building (CB) support and works in collaboration with USAID missions, ministries of health (MOHs), USAID implementing partners, and other stakeholders. The evaluation was based on a desk review of documents provided by PROGRESS and face-to-face, telephone, Skype, and e-mail interviews conducted with stakeholders, both in the field and in the United States. The evaluation team was charged with capturing successes and opportunities to influence the last year of project implementation and the lessons learned regarding program structure, management, and partnerships that should be applied to future projects. Particular emphasis was given to capturing the lessons learned for working well with USAID missions and meeting their future needs. The evaluators provided recommendations to the project and USAID, including: (1) there is still a need for an FP operations research flagship project funded and functioning independent of a service delivery project; (2) the project timeline should be 7 to 10 years; (3) with a longer project timeline, take a more disciplined approach to initiating activities and select a small number of core focus countries; (4) capacity building in FP program monitoring and evaluation should continue to be a central component of the project; and (5) develop a specific branding strategy that distinguishes the project from the implementing partner. An additional seven recommendations are included in the report. (Excerpt, modified)