USAID Communications, Evidence, and Learning (CEL) Quarterly Performance Report – Project Year 5, Quarter 3

The project was launched in 2018 to provide an integrated approach to evidence-based learning for USAID's Bureau of Economic Growth, Education and Environment/Land and Urban Office and Office of Local Sustainability (LS). The CEL project is implemented by Training Resources Group (TRG) with its partners, including NORC, Landesa, Urban Institute, ECODIT, and Forum One. The CEL project focuses on three primary functions: knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination, and knowledge application. Knowledge generation involves building upon and expanding the body of evidence-based knowledge through rigorous impact and performance evaluations, research, and analysis. Knowledge dissemination involves organizing, distilling, and effectively communicating findings, lessons, best practices, and data to key land target audiences. Knowledge application involves providing active, on-going capacity building and support to ensure that knowledge is applied by key stakeholders to improve decision-making, policies, program design, program implementation, and program monitoring and evaluation. In Quarter 3 of Project Year 5, several activities were conducted under the CEL project. The Community Land Protection Program (CLPP) impact evaluation in Liberia was completed by NORC, with data collection finalized at the end of January 2023. NORC then cleaned and prepared the endline dataset for analysis, conducted preliminary statistical analysis of impacts, and completed coding and analysis of qualitative group discussion and key informant interview data. The draft final evaluation report was submitted to USAID in January 2023, and NORC anticipates final updates to the statistical models and impact analysis and completion of draft final report writing in April 2023. The Performance Evaluation of the Responsible Land-Based Investment Pilot (RLBIP) in Mozambique was also completed by NORC in January 2023. The NORC team received USAID feedback on the draft final report at the end of Quarter 3 and will submit the revised final evaluation report to USAID during Quarter 4 prior to the CEL project's close-out. The LRG Data Sharing Activity involved dataset anonymization and packaging per the data sharing protocol, which is anticipated to be completed during Quarter 4. In addition, the Climate-related Migration: Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Destinations White Paper was completed by CEL's consultant in Quarter 3. The USAID Green Cities team disseminated the paper, which provides research and analysis on climate-related migration in urban destinations. The Urban Planning Primer & Climate Migration Paper was also completed, providing guidance on urban planning and climate migration. The Green Cities Learning activity involved the development of technical guidance on urban resilience, including graphic support. The Urban Resilience Technical Guidance – Graphic Support was completed in Quarter 3, providing technical guidance on urban resilience. The Final Reporting – CEL Closeout activity involved the completion of final reporting for the CEL project, which is anticipated to be completed during Quarter 4.