Transformational change (TC) involves fundamentally altering how systems are structured, governed, and sustained—not simply improving them incrementally.

The GEF-9 replenishment places transformational change at the center of its strategy, calling for interventions that transform the systems driving environmental degradation, which has made the ability to evaluate transformational change a key focus for the IEO.

This overview presents the essential elements of the IEO framework for evaluating transformational change (TC) in the GEF. The framework has two components: a set of seven evaluation criteria—the six OECD DAC criteria plus the GEF-specific criterion of inclusion and a set of seven TC attributes that provide a transformational change lens.

The overview is intended as a concise, practical reference for IEO evaluation staff and the broader GEF Agency network, and is designed for use across the evaluation cycle—from ex ante design and formative implementation to ex post assessment. 

More detailed guidance on applying this framework is provided in the Guidance Note for Evaluating Transformational Change.