Evaluation on Programme-based Support through Finnish Civil Society Organizations - part 2

CSO2 Synthesis report (Opens New Window)  (PDF, 108 pages, 649 KB)

(Scroll down for CSO reports)

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) evaluates the multiyear programme-based support (PBS) funding modality in three parts. The evaluation assesses the performance of the PBS and the development cooperation programmes of all 22 Finnish Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) or special foundations receiving programme-based support between 2010 and 2016. The first evaluation was completed in September 2016 and the second in the spring of 2017. The third evaluation is ongoing and will be ready by the autumn 2017.

The second evaluation assessed coordination and management of the PBS and humanitarian assistance in the MFA and the performance of the development programmes and humanitarian operations of six Finnish CSOs: Fida International, Finn Church Aid, Finnish Red Cross, Plan International Finland, Save the Children Finland and World Vision Finland.

The evaluation concludes that the development programmes and humanitarian operations of the CSOs  are well aligned with Finnish Development policy priorities and with the CSOs' own strategies. They also target beneficiary populations, reflecting the specific value ascribed to this channel of international cooperation – to be close to the grassroots.

The CSOs consistently demonstrate a considerable ability to deliver results, often in very adverse circumstances. The role of the CSO networks is very important in four of the six CSOs, creating more transaction costs, which are justified by greater learning and influence. The CSO funding cuts led to a greater geographic concentration of development cooperation activities, but also to a loss of thematic expertise. The programmes were, however, able to retain the results and to continue to deliver the proposed activities.

Efforts to achieve policy objectives are weakened in particular by insufficient focus on enhancing the capacity of local civil society, a lack of information about impact, and not enough flexibility in framing projects around the nexus between humanitarian and development initiatives.

This can be overcome by synchronizing development and humanitarian assistance funding timeframes across the units in the MFA, and especially requiring the CSOs to concentrate on civil society strengthening. More involvement of the Embassies could counteract the increasing restrictions on civic space worldwide.

CSO reports

Fida International (Opens New Window)

Finn Church Aid (Opens New Window)

Save the Children Finland (Opens New Window)

Plan International Finland (Opens New Window)

Finnish Red Cross (Opens New Window)

World Vision Finland (Opens New Window)

Webinar presentation

Watch the recorded webinar(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)

Other related links

Foreign Ministry published second part of CSOs' evaluation (Opens New Window) (Press release 21.3.2017)

Evaluation on Programme-based Support through Finnish Civil Society Organizations - part 1 (Opens New Window)