Agency self-evaluation is central to GEF’s results-based management system, providing the evidence that supports accountability, learning, and adaptation across the partnership.
Whether these systems generate credible, timely, and useful information is critical, yet performance varies widely. To assess strengths and gaps, the IEO reviewed Agency self-evaluation systems alongside the GEF Portal as part of OPS7.
Agency self-evaluation systems generally support accountability well, but some Agencies are much better than others at deploying these systems for learning.
Evaluation overview
- Main challenges include weak use of midterm reviews, uneven quality in safeguard and stakeholder reporting, limited incentives for candor, and Portal functions that remain underdeveloped or difficult for some users.
- Positive patterns appear where Agencies embed GEF requirements in their own guidelines, apply strong quality assurance, and use evaluations for portfolio-level learning; the Portal has improved proposal review, data entry discipline, and transparency despite technical shortcomings.
- The report recommends strengthening midterm reviews, enhancing cross-Agency learning and incentives for candor, improving user feedback systems for the Portal, and accelerating Portal development.
Methodology
The evaluation draws on reviews of terminal and midterm evaluations, project implementation reports, interviews, surveys, workshops, and comparative analysis of peer portals.
