Performance Measurement at USAID Bright Spot or Black Hole? May 5, 2010 Cynthia Gill Biodiversity and Forestry Team Leader USAID Office of Natural Resource Management

Bright Spots Biodiversity is a priority in a development Agency Consistent monitoring of high level biodiversity indicators Expectations from constituents and leadership that we will –Report higher level results and –Apply rigorous adaptive management Reinvigorated structure, culture and staffing for performance measurement Many country level bright spots with excellent performance measurement

Black Hole? Current indicators have serious limitations –Must ‘roll up’ –Communication role –Little management value Lack of Agency biodiversity strategy & corporate goal Balance between integration and focused performance management

Will there be light? Much more recognition for role of monitoring and evaluation at several levels Better tools evolving—geared toward managers, more widely applied Common standards are emerging, and creeping into USAID programming Don’t sacrifice the good for the perfect

Indicator Used as Management Tool: Sample One

Example Two: Tools for diverse programs

Where do we struggle most? Third party indicators at national level Ensuring there’s good adaptive management without asking for data we don’t need Getting tools out for various situations our missions encounter

Thank you! Cynthia Gill

Why do we care? Improvements in strategic planning and programming encouraging Ad hoc adaptive management –Can only take you so far –Catches the obvious –Will see what we’re looking for Lack of systematic adaptive management: a vulnerability for conservation

Why aren’t we there? Crisis mentality: what’s the right balance between conservation and monitoring? Constraints of cash and technical capacity Demand for other reporting/fundraising

Black Hole? Donors typically require reporting –Qualitative reports –Reporting indicators Qualitative reports can be rich but don’t –Systematically guide management –Sell