Institutional Factors And Evaluation Quality In Non-Governmental Organisations In Uganda: A Case Study Of Fhi360 Uganda

Abstract

The study examined how institutional factors affect the quality of project evaluations in non- governmental organizations. It was guided by three research objectives, that is, the influence of management strength, staff competence and resource management on the quality of project evaluation at FHI360. The study used a cross-sectional survey design with a qualitative-focused but mixed method inquiry. The study population involved project team leaders, M&E staff and project implementation officers. Data was collected using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The study found evidence of a relationship between all institutional factors and the quality of project evaluation; but staff competence stood out as most influential. The study found out that staff competence directly influences the quality of evaluations in terms of ability to choose the right evaluation design, develop terms of reference, oversee data collection, carry out analysis and compile evaluation report. Their capacity to execute these tasks has a direct bearing on the quality of evaluation in terms of accuracy, credibility, utilization and reliability. However, there is a capacity gap in terms of having a blend of evaluative research specialists and a research unit. It was found that management strength has a small but important effect on evaluation quality in that it allocates and avails resources, determines the quality of staff hired and is responsible for enforcing evaluation guidelines. Resource management challenges were noted as including: delays in releasing funds leading to loss of time; insufficient resources limiting the use of rigorous designs; and, hiring highly skilled staff. This affects the timeliness, utilization, credibility and accuracy of evaluations conducted. Key project stakeholders including beneficiaries are not always involved in the evaluation process, and sometimes there is delay in release of funds leading to loss of time. It was recommended that management should improve the capacity in terms of numbers and competence of M&E staff; establish an independent research, evaluation and learning unit for FHI360 Uganda; and improve resource flow for timely, reliable and credible evaluation results.