The GDN International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) for Research Evaluation Organizations

Deadline: 22 October 2014

The Global Development Network (GDN) International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) invites research or evaluation organizations or consortia to submit qualifications for a proposal preparation grant under its Transparency and Accountability Thematic Window grant program. The proposal will be prepared for a rigorous impact evaluations of completed, ongoing or planned initiatives aiming at improving the transparency and accountability of governance of natural resources (especially in the extractive sector of commodities such as oil, gas and minerals.

The selected research teams will use the proposal preparation process to identify questions and develop proposals for rigorous and policy-relevant impact evaluation of the transparency and accountability in governance of natural resources projects, programs, initiatives and policies.

The chosen study team will have to hold at least two capacity-building workshops to build capacities of the implementing agencies to generate wider discussion about and understanding of impact evaluation amongst the staff of the implementing agency during the preparation grant period.

Six to eight proposals will be funded with different grant amounts depending on the number of proposals  the teams submit.

Workshop presentations and discussions with the implementing agency staff should have the following components:

1. Identify programs to be evaluated;
2. Determine evaluation questions and time-frames for evaluation;
3. Discuss a feasible evaluation design including identification methods;
4. Discuss data collection methods; and
5. Carry out scoping and other background information needed to develop a policy engagement and research communication plan, using 3ie guidance and templates.

The purpose of this workshop is to ensure coordination between program implementers and the evaluation study team. The aim of these inception workshops will be to discuss the evaluation questions, to articulate and have a common understanding of the program’s theory of change and to discuss the most appropriate methods for impact evaluations to be used depending on specific program components and geographic locations.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants can be legally registered organizations, and consortia of registered organizations. Individuals can not apply.
• The lead organization and principal investigators (PIs) may be located anywhere. However, it is necessary to include PIs that are residents of the country in which the program or initiative is being implemented.
• A research or academic organization based in the country of the program or initiative being evaluated and one that will have clear, on-going and substantive implementing roles in the study, including for design, analysis, policy engagement and research communication for uptake into policy and practice need to be part of the team.
• The research team is required to have at least one PI that is directly involved with the implementing agency of the study country.

For more information, please visit Transparency and Accountability in Natural Resources Governance Thematic Window.