International Initiative for Impact Evaluation

The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) seeks to improve policies and programs by building researcher capacity to produce evidence and by conducting policy-relevant evaluations, synthesizing evidence, and building a culture of evidence-based policymaking. This grant supports 3ie's West Africa Capacity-building and Impact Evaluation initiative. Eight Francophone West African governments, the West African Development Bank, and the West African Economic Monetary Union are partnering with 3ie to increase their use of evidence in decision making. During this grant period, 3ie expects to continue to contribute to the use of evidence across the region through informing major government decisions, enabling nongovernmental organizations to partner with each other and with Francophone governments to better achieve their goals, and supporting regional capacity for evidence use. (Strategy: Evidence-Informed Policymaking.)

The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) advances the generation and use of evidence so that development programs are better designed and implemented effectively. 3ie's early work focused on filling the large evidence gaps in international development by funding impact evaluations. As more evidence and evaluations have become available, 3ie has changed to focus on filling thematic gaps, improving the quality and relevance of research, ensuring improved access to and use of evidence, and expanding the frontiers of evidence research in low- and middle-income countries. It partners institutions and countries working to promote evidence-informed decision making. 3ie is evolving from being mainly a funder and quality assurer of large evidence programs to a funded partner to development organizations and governments that can help address the needs where they are most acute and strengthen institutional evidence systems and cultures. (Strategy: Evidence-Informed Policymaking)

The Hewlett Foundation is a founding member of the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), an organization dedicated to generating evidence through rigorous impact evaluations of social and economic development programs in low- and middle-income countries. In just a few short years, 3ie has established itself as a large and well-respected supporter of rigorous impact studies, with an anticipated 140 evaluations under way. Over the next two years 3ie will transition into its second multi-year strategy. 3ie will continue sponsoring the production of new evidence, consolidate its efforts to build researchers’ capacity to produce high-quality studies, and emphasize the use of evidence to improve development policy.