Evaluability assessment of a small NGO in water-based development

Abstract

Small non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in water-based development in low- and middle-income countries face unique challenges when it comes to evaluative practice. Few prioritize evaluation because they lack expertise and/or feel strongly about funding programs and not processes, given accountability to donors. To examine facilitators and barriers to evaluation in this context, we embarked on an organizational-level evaluation of H2O 4 ALL, a Canadian NGO with no prior evaluation experience. We first conducted an evaluability assessment, guided by Thurston and Potvin’s framework for social change programs, to understand evaluation priorities and needs. By triangulating findings from three qualitative sources of data – an environmental scan, a document review, and in-depth interviews – we demonstrated evaluability assessments’ applicability to water-based development and established a baseline for further research.