The GEF introduced the medium-sized project (MSP) modality in 1996 to provide faster, more flexible access to funding for innovative environmental initiatives. Nearly 25 years later, the IEO evaluates whether MSPs still fill this niche and how they perform within the broader GEF architecture.

GEF MSPs have achieved impact and transformational change with their focus on stakeholder inclusion, country ownership, and innovative designs.

Evaluation overview

• MSPs face persistent hurdles: preparation and monitoring costs are high for their size, uptake varies across Agencies, and STAR allocation rules have limited their use in some contexts.
• They perform best when piloting new approaches, linking to larger programs, or producing targeted research, and less well when implemented as stand-alone projects.
• The report recommends positioning MSPs primarily as vehicles for innovation, requiring midterm and terminal evaluations for transformative projects, and tying the modality more directly to scaling and integration strategies.

Methodology

The evaluation reviews the evolution and performance of MSPs since 2001, drawing on portfolio analysis, document review, and interviews with Agencies and stakeholders.