eval_report_template_final2021

REPLACE ABOVE PHOTO WITH RELEVANT PHOTO
FOR EVALUATION

EVALUATION
TITLE OF EVALUATION
[title must identify the evaluation as either impact evaluation or performance evaluation and must
identify what was evaluated. Title should avoid acronyms and partner names]

Optional Subtitle Can Go Here
MONTH/YEAR

This publication was produced at the request of the United States Agency for International Development. It was
prepared independently by [list of authors (including identification of evaluation team leader) and organizations involved in the preparation
of the report]
This publication was produced at the request of [USAID/Mission or OU] and prepared by an internal evaluation
team comprised of [list of authors (including identification of evaluation team leader) and affiliation].

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AND LEFT/RIGHT PAGE NUMBERS SEQUENCE CORRECTLY IN WORD. BE CAREFUL TO
NOT DELETE THIS SECTION BREAK EITHER, UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE GENERATED A FINAL
PDF. IT WILL THROW OFF THE LEFT/RIGHT PAGE LAYOUT.)

ABSTRACT
Abstract of no more than 500 words briefly describing the evaluation questions, intervention
evaluated, methods, and key findings.
Brief caption describing the cover image with photographer credit

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TITLE
Subtitle
[REPEAT THE TITLE AND SUBTITLE ON THIS PAGE]

Month/Year

Contract/Award Number

DEC catalogue number if requested in advance of publication

DISCLAIMER: The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views
of the United States Agency for International Development of the United States Government.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ...............................................................................................................................I
ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................... IV
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................ V
EVALUATION PURPOSE AND EVALUATION QUESTIONS...................................................................V
BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................................. V
EVALUATION QUESTIONS, DESIGN, METHODS, AND LIMITATIONS.............................................. V
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS (IF APPLICABLE) ....................................V
EVALUATION PURPOSE AND EVALUATION QUESTIONS .........................................1
EVALUATION PURPOSE................................................................................................................................... 1
EVALUATION QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 1
BACKGROUND.......................................................................................................................2
EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS ................................................................3
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................4
FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................................................. 4
RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................................................................... 4
ANNEXES.................................................................................................................................5
ANNEX I: TIMELINE........................................................................................................................................... 5
ANNEX II: EVALUATION STATEMENT OF WORK .................................................................................. 5
ANNEX III: EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS .................................................................... 5
ANNEX IV: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS TOOLS.................................................................... 5
ANNEX V: SOURCES OF INFORMATION................................................................................................... 5
ANNEX VI: DISCLOUSRE OF ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ............................................................ 5
ANNEX VII: EVALUATION TEAM MEMBERS .............................................................................................. 6
ANNEX VIII: STATEMENTS OF DIFFERENCE.............................................................................................. 6
ANNEX IX: [INSERT TITLE] ............................................................................................................................. 6

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ACRONYMS

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[Examples below]

[update based on acronyms used in the report]

ADS

Automated Directives System

DEC

Development Experience Clearinghouse

FY

Fiscal Year

SOW

Statement of Work

USAID

U.S. Agency for International Development

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Executive Summary should stand alone as a summary of the key sections of the report and
should summarize the content of the full report without adding new information. The Executive
Summary must be two to five pages in length. It must summarize the following key points: evaluation
purpose, evaluation questions, intervention being evaluated, evaluation methods, and findings,
conclusions, and recommendations (if applicable).
EVALUATION PURPOSE AND EVALUATION QUESTIONS

This should set out the overarching purpose of the evaluation, and how the findings are expected to
be used to inform decisions. This section also describes the Evaluation Questions (which should be
limited to just a few key questions). It can also identify key audiences for the evaluation.
BACKGROUND

Enough information should be provided to give sufficient context. However, in the Executive
Summary this section can receive less emphasis than it might in the overall report so that more
attention can be given to the evaluation purpose, design, limitations, and findings. In the main report,
the background section should describe the problem being addressed by the strategy, project,
activity, or interventions and the logic for why it will lead to better outcomes. This could include a
logical framework for the activity if one exists, and the development hypothesis, or causal logic, of
the project or program of which the activity is a part.
EVALUATION QUESTIONS, DESIGN, METHODS, AND LIMITATIONS

This section describes the overall design, specific data collection and analysis methods linked to the
evaluation questions, and limitations of the data, methods, or other issues that affected the findings.
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS (IF APPLICABLE)

This section should report those findings based on evidence generated by the evaluation data
collection and analysis methods. Findings should be fact-based and not rely only on opinion, even of
experts. Conclusions are drawn directly from findings and help summarize the “so what” of the
findings. Several findings can lead to one or more conclusions. Whenever possible, data should be
presented visually in easy-to-read charts, tables, graphs, and maps to demonstrate the evidence that
supports conclusions and recommendations.

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EVALUATION PURPOSE AND EVALUATION QUESTIONS
This section should describe the evaluation purpose and the evaluation questions in approximately
one to two pages.
EVALUATION PURPOSE

Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must state the commissioning operating unit as well as the
purpose of, audience for, and anticipated use(s) of the evaluation. The evaluation purpose should
clearly describe why the evaluation is being conducted now. The description of the audience for the
evaluation may include both primary and secondary audiences, including audiences both internal and
external to USAID. The anticipated use(s) should describe any specific decisions that will be
informed by the evaluation.
EVALUATION QUESTIONS

Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must state the evaluation questions. The evaluation
questions are linked to the purpose, so should be listed along with the purpose. Per ADS 201mah,
Impact evaluations will include questions about measuring the magnitude of change in specific
outcomes attributable to a specific USAID intervention. Per ADS 205, evaluation reports must
identify all evaluation questions requiring sex-disaggregated data, the use of gender sensitive data
collection methods, and analysis of sex-specific differential impacts.

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BACKGROUND
This section should summarize relevant background information in approximately one to three
pages.
Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must describe:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

what is being evaluated (e.g., a strategy, intermediate result, project, activity, or intervention
within an activity),
timeline showing dates of implementation,
major events impacting implementation of the strategy, intermediate result, project, activity,
or intervention being evaluated,
award numbers,
award dates,
funding levels, and
implementing partners.

Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must also provide brief background information on the
strategy, intermediate result, project, activity, or intervention evaluated. This should include country
and/or sector context; the specific problem or opportunity the intervention addresses; and, where
available, the development hypothesis, theory of change, or simply how the intervention addresses
the problem. It may also include other relevant background information, such as any changes that
have occurred since the intervention started, a description of the beneficiary population, and the
geographic area of the intervention. If a Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS)
results framework or logical model (for projects or activities) is available, these may be included
here as well.

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EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS
This section should provide a detailed description within one to three pages of the evaluation
methods, why they were chosen, and their strengths and limitations. If more space is needed,
additional detailed information on the methods should be provided in an annex.
Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must identify existing and relevant strategy, project, or
activity documents or performance information sources that were used, including monitoring data.
Per ADS 201mah, all evaluation reports must describe the evaluation method(s) for data collection
and analysis including sampling strategy, number of days of fieldwork, and evaluation team
composition.
Per ADS 201mah, the following are additional requirements for impact evaluation reports:
•

•

•

An evaluation question response describing the extent to which implementation of the
intervention evaluated followed the work plan. Any major challenges in implementation
must be noted. If only part of an activity or project is being evaluated, the narrative
description will focus on that part. This allows readers to better understand if the lack of, or
limited, effect of an intervention was due to the design, or implementation, of the
intervention.
A detailed description of the method of deriving the comparison (i.e., control) group. If a
quasi-experimental method was used, it is required that the report provide an explanation of
how the comparison group was formed and the data sources used to identify the
comparison group of respondents (e.g., government administrative data list or census or
evaluator conducted household survey). If details have already been provided in a previous
report, it is sufficient to provide a link to that report or provide the details in an annex.
A statistical balance table showing how comparable the comparison group is to the
treatment group on key observable variables. A balance table provides a demonstration of a
“credible and rigorously defined counterfactual” as required by the USAID Evaluation Policy.
If details have already been provided in a previous report, it is sufficient to provide a link to
that report or provide the details in an annex.

Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must describe strengths and limitations of the evaluation
methodology and other factors which affected the evaluation quality.
Based on this section, the reader should be able to understand what the evaluation team did and
why so that they may make an informed judgment about the credibility of the findings and
conclusions and the underlying evaluation design, including the data collection and analysis methods.
Evaluation methods should correspond directly to the questions being asked and should generate
the highest quality and most credible evidence possible, taking into consideration time, budget, and
other practical considerations.
To show the relationship between the evaluation questions and methods, it is useful to include a
chart that lists each evaluation question, the corresponding evaluation method to be used for data
collection and analysis, data sources, sample sizes, and limitations.

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FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Findings and Conclusions should make up the majority of the main body of the report, synthesizing
what was learned during the evaluation and presenting it in an easy-to-understand and logical fashion.
Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must include evaluation findings and conclusions.
Per ADS 201mah, the evaluation report must address all evaluation questions in the statement of
work or document in the annex approval by USAID for not addressing an evaluation question.
FINDINGS

Findings are empirical facts based on data collected during the evaluation and should not rely only on
opinion, even of experts.
Per ADS 201mah, the following are additional requirements for impact evaluation reports:
•

•

•

Statistical output tables showing the difference in the effect size between treatment and
control groups with standard errors reported. If details have already been provided in a
previous report, it is sufficient to provide a link to that report or provide the details in an
annex.
A statistical table showing the minimum detectable effect size of each outcome variable
analyzed. This is the minimum amount of change in a variable that the study can determine
was caused by the intervention. In the case that an impact evaluation finds no impact
attributable to the intervention, information about the minimum detectable effect size allows
the reader to determine whether this is likely due to a lack of actual impact of the
intervention or weak statistical power of the study. If details have already been provided in a
previous report, it is sufficient to provide a link to that report or provide the details in an
annex.
Per ADS 201.3.6.4, include a section on the mandatory cost analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Conclusions synthesize and interpret findings and make judgments supported by one or more
specific findings.
The reader should be able to discern what evidence supports the conclusions. Whenever possible,
data should be presented visually in easy-to-read charts, tables, graphs, and maps to demonstrate the
evidence that supports conclusions. All graphics must have a title, be clearly labeled, and include a
caption.
RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations are included if requested in the evaluation statement of work. They are specific
actions the evaluation team proposes be taken by program management that are based on findings
and conclusions. The reader should be able to discern what evidence supports the conclusions and
recommendations.
Per ADS 201mah, if recommendations are included, the evaluation report must separate them from
findings and conclusions.

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ANNEXES
All evaluation reports must include the following as annexes: 1) a timeline showing dates of data
collection, baseline and subsequent data collection, if applicable, 2) the Evaluation Statement of
Work, 3) a detailed description of the evaluation design and methods, 4) copies of the actual data
collection and analysis tools, 5) a list of information sources (properly identified and listed), 6)
disclosure of any conflicts of interest by evaluation team members, 7) any Statement of Differences, if
applicable, submitted per ADS 201.3.6.9 regarding significant unresolved differences of opinion by
USAID, other funders, implementing partners, and evaluation team members, 8) summary
information about evaluation team members, including qualifications, experience, and role on the
team. Additional annexes may be included as needed.
ANNEX I: TIMELINE

Timeline showing dates of data collection, baseline and subsequent data collection, if applicable.
ANNEX II: EVALUATION STATEMENT OF WORK

The final Evaluation Statement of Work that guided the evaluation team should be included as an
annex. It the statement of work was revised over the course of the evaluation, the evaluation report
should include the updated statement of work which describes major changes and reasons for those
changes.
ANNEX III: EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS

A description of evaluation methods and limitations (if not described in full in the main body of the
evaluation report). If details have already been provided in a previous report, it is sufficient to
provide a link to that report or provide the details in an annex.
ANNEX IV: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS TOOLS

All data collection and analysis tools used, such as questionnaires, checklists, survey instruments, and
discussion guides. Translation into English is at the discretion of the Mission.
ANNEX V: SOURCES OF INFORMATION

All sources of information—properly identified and listed. Include any existing and relevant strategy,
project, or activity documents or performance information sources that were used, including
monitoring data.
Note: Remember to get the permission of individuals who are interviewed to use their name in the
report. If a promise of confidentiality requires that people interviewed not be identified by name,
then list the number of interviewees and their relationship to the project or program being
evaluated (e.g., 20 clinic patients that benefited from the project; 10 doctors that participated in the
project; three local government officials; 10 implementing partner employees; 15 local community
members who did not participate in the project but were eligible to do so; etc.).
ANNEX VI: DISCLOUSRE OF ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Signed disclosures of conflicts of interest from evaluation team members. Recommended USAID
evaluation team disclosure of conflict of interest forms can be found here.

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ANNEX VII: EVALUATION TEAM MEMBERS

Summary information about evaluation team members, including qualifications, experience, and role
on the team.
ANNEX VIII: STATEMENT(S) OF DIFFERENCE

If submitted by USAID, other funders, implementers, and/or members of the evaluation team
regarding significant unresolved differences of opinion.
ANNEX IX: [INSERT TITLE]

Other information at the discretion of the evaluation team and USAID, and in some cases,
implementing partners.

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[Provide contact information on the back cover. This can be USAID headquarter information, or
specific to the USAID mission or operating unit that commissioned the report.]
U.S. Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20523