WaterAid’s Experience of Using VfM Background: New Global Strategy focus on ‘influencing’ – Role of both of Service delivery and policy advocacy Importance of being able to assess our effectiveness PME focus on learning, accountability and outcomes

WaterAid’s Experience of Using VfM Approach taken: Opportunity to work with NEF and try SROI approach to measuring outcomes which are typically hard to measure and value Planned to look at work in one or two Country Programmes and identify outcomes for inclusion. Key criterion: availability of existing evidence and data.

WaterAid’s Experience of Using VfM What worked well: Process of building up evidence base from outcomes. Applying a structured (rigorous) process Example of applying a theory of change Helped clarify and evidence the link between policy advocacy and service delivery work

WaterAid’s Experience of Using VfM Challenges: Number of potential outcomes that we tried to work up from project/programme level did not work up. Problems of weak evidence and no clear linkage between lower and higher level outcomes Looking at a few examples led to questioning on whether we had a ‘body of evidence’ Too many assumptions at higher levels (RoI)

WaterAid’s Experience of Using VfM What did we learn: Developing a body of evidence is fundamental– having a methodology is helpful but it must be applied in practice Use of information to different groups and importance of analysis. Using examples to illustrate Addressing contribution (and disagregation)