PVO co-financing

The evaluation covered the period 1991-6/95. The Mission awarded a contract to Development Associates to establish a Project Management Unit (PMU). To date, 16 subprojects have been signed through a combination of grant and cooperative agreements. Only one more remains under consideration. The subprojects are proceeding as scheduled, except those in NRM, where problems have been identified. Participating PVOs are having a direct impact on the lives of beneficiaries, and project interventions are contributing significantly towards reducing maternal/child deaths. However, a lack of medicines and commodities which were to be provided by the Government of Nicaragua limits the potential impact of child survival programs. In some cases, overemphasis on project design has also impaired impact. Local PVOs(LPVOs")/PVOs" capacity-building activities have had positive impacts. However, the project has not placed sufficient attention on creating or strengthening LPVOs on a national level. The PMU"s institution-building exercises have been effective in the area of financial administration, but weak until recently in the other technical areas, specifically NRM. Certain important design assumptions did not prove valid, particularly with regard to donor coordination. Also, some PVOs require more than 3 years to meet subproject objectives, while others could handle a grant of a larger size. More integration is needed with USAID projects. Other conclusions are as follows: (1) a PVO umbrella-type mechanism might offer valuable services to the PVO community. (2) adequate monitoring and tracking systems are in place except in the area of NRM, where more information could be collected; (3) attempts to make material changes through Detailed Implementation Plans is a problem; (4)long processing time for subproject approval is having negative consequences; (5) the current system for reviewing LPVO subprojects under the Title III program is working poorly.