Chapter 3: M&E Partnerships

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

► Explain to others the different types of partnerships, the benefits of
partnerships and different partnership mechanisms.
► Recognize the implementation issues establishing and maintaining
partnerships.
► Establish and maintain a national M&E TWG as an M&E partnership
mechanism.
► Organize a joint mission/trip with other development partners.
► Background Information & Definitions
► a) Partnerships for M&E: A partnership is an agreement between two or more parties to work
together to achieve common aims. Partners (individuals and institutions) share resources,
ideas and experience, to support and enrich each other’s capacity and better achieve
common goals. Partnerships can also be seen as two or more groups working collaboratively
towards meeting common goals while, at the same time, meeting their own individual goals.
An M&E partnership is a special type of partnership. It refers to a cooperative relationship
between people or groups who agree to share responsibility for implementing the M&E
system. Such partnerships are characterized by a commitment to cooperation, shared
responsibility, and the achievement of a common goal.
► b) Types of M&E Partnerships: The types of M&E partnerships will depend greatly on the
organization’s M&E system. A small organization will, for example, have less elaborate
partnerships than a national Ministry of Education trying to operationalize a uniform M&E
system for the entire education sector. National M&E systems involve the most complex
partnerships and will be internal (e.g., between units within an agency) and external (e.g.,
between an agency and its partners). The external partners may be in different sectors
(multi-sectored), LGAs and communities (multi level). These two types of partnerships for a
national M&E system are illustrated in Figure C3-1.
c) There are different partnership mechanisms through which M&E partnerships can be established and
maintained:
► Task force: A temporary grouping of persons mandated by a permanent structure to fulfill a specific, often
short-term, objective.
► M&E technical working group: This involves a group of experts who meet on a regular basis to discuss
technical M&E developments and approve key M&E documentation. Such groups have fixed invitation-only
membership and usually consist of stakeholders from all sectors.
► Joint study tour: This is an opportunity for groups of nominated persons from one country to visit similar
groups in other countries that have similar interests, to learn more about how they operate their programs.
► Joint evaluation: This involves more than one partner undertaking an evaluation of a program together.
Guidelines on conducting joint evaluations have recently been prepared by OECD/DAC. The benefits are:
shared capacity development, harmonization and reduced transaction cost, participation and alignment,
objectivity and legitimacy, and broader scope. Challenges include the complexity of evaluating a
multi-agency or multi-sector program, as well as the cost and complexity of coordinating joint work (OECD
DAC, 2006).
► Joint M&E missions/trips: This involves more than one development partner’s representatives (all of whom
support the country in one or more aspects of its M&E system) agreeing and planning a joint trip to the
country concerned. Good experiences relating to joint M&E missions/trips have recently been documented.
(Search the ERL for “Getting Results–M&E Partnerships”.)
Results to Be Achieved When Implementing
This Component
Long-term result:
► Establish and maintain internal and external partnerships to strengthen the
M&E system
Short- and medium-term results:
► Inventory of all M&E stakeholders
► Mechanism to coordinate and communicate with all M&E stakeholders
► Participation in a National M&E Technical Working Group
► Local leadership and capacity for stakeholder coordination
Benefits of M&E Partnerships for an M&E
System
1. M&E partnerships increase and improve communication, participation
and shared accountability among stakeholders involved in M&E. Improved
communication facilitates a coordinated approach to managing the M&E
system and helps to create a joint vision for it.

2. M&E partnerships enable the lead agency to coordinate the M&E

efforts of development partners, government agencies, civil society, and
the private sector. In a 2003 OECD/DAC assessment, governments
reported that uncoordinated efforts by development partners impose the
third highest burden on development support (OECD, 2003:13). Improved
coordination reduces confusion and duplication, facilitates shared learning
and, therefore, lowers the costs associated with M&E systems.
3. M&E partnerships help to simplify, harmonize and align the M&E
and reporting procedures of government, civil society, the private sector and
development partners. A strong partnership could enable organizations to
prepare one standard report for all partners rather than expending unnecessary
time and money preparing multiple reports. This approach helps build a
common platform for sharing information, plans, results, tools and strategies.
4. M&E partnerships help to mobilize required technical and financial
support for implementing the M&E system. When stakeholders
involved in the M&E system communicate regularly and effectively,
everyone concerned understands the human, financial and technical support
required for M&E work. M&E functions can be divided rationally among
stakeholders, who are then better able to share their technical skills efficiently
and effectively. Such partnerships also help to link M&E processes to the
budgets of stakeholders and support the clear division of labor.
5. M&E partnerships help to achieve the goal of one harmonized M&E
system: Harmonized M&E systems (as in the Three Ones principles designed Monitoring
and Evaluation Partnerships to make AIDS support more effective and efficient1) were
designed to guard against the proliferation of strategies, committees and monitoring
systems, which add confusion, duplicate effort and increase transaction costs for
countries. Strong M&E partnerships are key to achieving this goal.

6. Undertaking joint missions/trips has specific additional benefits for

development partners working in a country. Partnerships through joint
missions enable consolidated feedback to be shared over a shorter period of
time, assist country-level M&E technical advisers to develop new strategies
or find new solutions, introduce new country-level staff and explore possible
solutions to country level challenges, raise the credibility of development
partners, and provide the agency being supported with an opportunity to
advocate for rationalized support.
Characteristics of successful M&E
partnerships
Partnerships are successful when:
• There is a shared vision of what may be achieved with clear and shared
mandates or agendas.
• Partners are legitimate constituency groups that are interested in M&E and
agree that a partnership is necessary.
• There is respect and trust between different interest groups, commitment
of key interest groups developed through a clear and open process, and a
critical mass of balanced representation and influence at all levels and in all
relevant bodies and processes.
• Time is taken to build the partnership and to develop compatible and
flexible ways of working together (including sensitivity to the specific needs
and challenges of all partners).
• There is timely and effective communication and collaborative decision
making, with a commitment to achieving consensus.
• There is effective organizational management and coordination within
sectors and effective leadership.
• Partners have access to adequate, appropriate and timely information.
• Training and technical support is provided to partners in order to foster
professionalism and a culture of equity and transparency.
• There is evidence of non-discriminatory involvement of all partners, shared
ownership, responsibility and commitment.
• The partnership is underpinned by efficient administrative support, such as
adequate advance notice of meetings and processes.
Establishing and
Managing an M&E TWG
Step 1: Collect necessary information about M&E and other partnerships, and determine strengths and
weaknesses. When planning to establish M&E partnerships, find out:
• What is the government’s strategy for M&E partnership? (To avoid compromising or accidentally circumventing
this strategy)
• Are there any existing plans for partnerships?
• What is the government’s intention in coordinating technical support in the
country?
• Is there a national M&E work plan for the country and how is it used?
• Is there an M&E technical working group in the country and, if functional,
how does it operate?
• Has a recent M&E system assessment been carried out? If so, what does it
say about the nature and strength of partnerships?
• Who are the key M&E partners in the country?
Step 2: Plan the M&E TWG

► Brainstorm ideas with colleagues

► Plan the M&E TWG:
• Reach consensus on roles and responsibilities (including leadership of the
partnership).
• Agree on a common platform to share information.
• Develop a framework within which the partnership will work.
• Agree how partners will work together so as to maximize participation.
• Define how any differences or conflicts will be addressed.
• Assess available financial, human and technological capacity to support the
partnership.
• Outline how valued resources will be shared.
• Define how the partnership will fi t in with the government plans.
• Agree on the name for the M&E partnership (the name most often used is
M&E TWG).
Planning and
Undertaking a Joint M&E Mission/Trip
► Step 1: Gather information before the mission.
► Step 2: Create and explore opportunities for joint missions with partners.
► Step 3: Undertake the joint mission.
► Step 4: Write and disseminate a joint mission report.