Support for international family planning organizations : Marie Stopes International midterm project evaluation

The current project is working toward the following four results areas: (1) strengthened organizational capacity to deliver quality FP services to target groups; (2) internal quality assurance standards and results quantified and disseminated to strengthen FP performance at a global level; (3) increased organizational sustainability of country-level programs, including internal south-to-south support and technical assistance; and (4) gender-sensitive FP services targeting youth strengthened at a global level. A special focus of the SIFPO projects has been on capacity building and systems strengthening to build upon and leverage the organization's extensive network of country programs that are often funded by other donors. The mid-term evaluation presented here is an examination of Marie Stopes International's (MSI's) internal system and structures and the impact SIFPO has had upon them. It also examines MSI's relations with SIFPO partners and the joint activities they have undertaken. The evaluation questions include but are not limited to: (1) what evidence exists that core resources invested in organizational strengthening have improved country-level platforms and programming; (2) what has been the effect on organizational capacity; (3) is there evidence that there is increased sustainability; (4) how have management practices within the organization been affected; (5) is there evidence that the internal quality assurance standards have been disseminated to strengthen FP service delivery and performance at a global level; and (6) to what extent is the MSI project's portfolio of service delivery activities meeting the needs of stakeholders? Specific evaluation findings, conclusions and recommendations are provided with detailed analysis for each evaluation question. (Excerpt, modified)