In many humanitarian programs, evaluations come at the end, often as a requirement. In the case of ADN Dignidad, evaluations were designed into the DNA of the program. Implemented in Colombia by the Cash for Urban Assistance (CUA) consortium, this program has been a compelling example of how to move from good intentions to informed action. The program reached more than 381,000 people—including vulnerable Venezuelan migrants, Colombian returnees, and host communities—with multi-purpose cash assistance. 3ie’s impact evaluations helped the consortium understand not just whether the program was making a difference, but how, and for how long. Our latest blog highlights how the learning helped stakeholders fine-tune implementation in real time.

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On behalf of the FCDO Research Commissioning Centre, 3ie invites expressions of interest from organizations or consortia for different strands of its Evidence-Informed Policymaking (EIPM) program that explores how policymakers engage with evidence and identifies the factors that influence evidence uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, with a central focus on policymaking for national economic growth. 
 

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Build your own evidence with 3ie’s customized trainings

Policymaking involves complex decisions with competing priorities. While the influencing factors vary, the quality and effectiveness of decisions can be greatly improved by using evidence—knowing what works, for whom, at what cost, and in which contexts. At 3ie, we share our expertise in generating and using evidence with development partners worldwide. Through tailored trainings, we build their capacity to design evaluations, understand methodological options, and interpret findings effectively. Alongside sessions on remote sensing and geospatial analysis, we’ve recently introduced new trainings on using AI for evaluation as part of our growing training portfolio.

Explore our trainings and workshops 

Please write to us at info@3ieimpact.org to design a customized capacity development plan for your organization.
 

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Key steps to ensure study findings are clear and actionable

While it might seem so, the work of researchers and practitioners doesn’t end with the findings alone. The fundamental objective of our efforts as evaluators is that our work should lead to more informed, impactful decisions and, ultimately, better outcomes for the communities we aim to serve. We collaborated with ideas42 to understand the ways in which evaluators can go beyond the final findings and provide contextual insights that can guide practitioners and policymakers in improving and scaling interventions.

In our latest blog, co-authored with partners at ideas42, we emphasize that when information is lacking, it is harder to assess the quality of the work, hindering the usefulness of program evaluations and replicability. Following good practices identified for designing and reporting aspects can help increase the value of our reports by making sure findings are shared clearly, systematically, and transparently.

Read the blog 

Call for papers | Journal of Development Effectiveness

3ie’s Journal of Development Effectiveness welcomes research on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of policies and programs in low- and middle-income countries. We publish impact evaluations, systematic reviews, evidence gap maps, and methodological papers using experimental, quasi-experimental, and mixed-methods approaches. We encourage submissions that explore how evidence is used in decision-making—including studies with null results. 

Deep inequities exist in funding opportunities for research in low- and middle-income countries (L&MIC) and we recognize this. The Journal has taken concrete steps to support equity, inclusivity and transparency in the research it publishes in support of 3ie’s mission of equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. It is the first social science journal to implement guidelines, including an ethics statement and an author reflexivity statement. Read more about the measures we have taken here.

To submit an article to the journal, please read the guidance here. Read the latest issue here.

Acknowledging long-standing support for 3ie’s work in West Africa

Our work in West Africa has been driven by the need for timely and high-impact decision-support products. We rely on supporters like the Hewlett Foundation to uphold our commitment to strengthening the systems and capacities of our key partners in the region to produce and use policy-relevant evaluations and evidence.

Our regional initiative—West Africa Capacity-building and Impact Evaluation (WACIE)—supports and promotes the culture of evidence-informed decision-making among high-level policymakers across eight countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union.

Read more about it here.

Suggest a study for #DEPstudyoftheweek

Do you have a favorite impact evaluation or evidence synthesis you'd like to see featured? As part of our Development Evidence Portal (DEP)  #DEPstudyoftheweek campaign, we are spotlighting studies that advance understanding of what works in development. Write to us at info@3ieimpact.org with your suggestions—we’d love to hear from you! 

We would be surprised if your favourite impact evaluation is missing from the DEP, but we want to assure you that we will rectify any gaps in this most complete development effectiveness study database. Please write to us and help us identify any relevant impact evaluations that are not yet included in the DEP.