Final evaluation of Civil Society Fund III (CSF III)

The final evaluation of the Civil Society Fund III in Ethiopia provides a comprehensive assessment of the programme’s performance against its planned objectives. The evaluation examines relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability using qualitative and quantitative methods, including stakeholder consultations, field visits and analysis based on DAC criteria. 

According to the report, CSF III aligned well with national development plans and international commitments, contributing to areas such as gender equality and peacebuilding. It strengthened key institutions like ACSO and ECSOC by supporting their regulatory and capacity building roles. 

The evaluation highlights that capacity building initiatives addressed important needs of grantees, but training duration and the practical application of skills were insufficient. 

The programme showed limitations in flexibility and responsiveness to evolving needs, and post programme engagement through the grantee platform decreased. 

Efficiency was affected by delays, incomplete financial data and the absence of SMART indicators, making cost effectiveness difficult to assess. 

Despite good utilisation of Key Experts, the alignment of Non Key Experts was weaker. Monitoring tools were insufficient for real time adjustments. While CSF III generated valuable outputs and improved skills, long term impact and sustainability remain limited and dependent on future support.