What: the enclosed report draws lessons from 20 innovative PbR programmes within DFID’s portfolio. Who: this research was undertaken by Professor Paul Clist from the University of East Anglia (UEA). The findings of this independent research are the researchers own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of DFID. In this cover note, the commissioning DFID team highlight key findings, limitations and recommendations. Why: DFID’s 2014 PbR Strategyi and 2015 Evaluation Framework for PbRii commit DFID to build the evidence base of what works, and build capability to deliver PbR programmes well. This is the second of two reports commissioned by DFID to draw lessons from the currently available evidence. DFID hopes these studies will prove useful for development practitioners across the wider donor community who have an interest in PbR. How: Professor Clist reviewed evaluation reports (where available), annual reviews, informal and internal lessons-learned products, notes, and interviews with programme teams. Findings: The primary finding also serves as a caveat: the current evidence base from the 20 DFID programmes considered remains thin, in part because some are still mid-delivery. However, it is predicted that in coming years this will increase significantly, with the number of high-quality independent evaluations more than doubling.
