Insights
Notes from the field
Practical thinking on monitoring, evaluation and learning — written for people who have to make it work on a real project.
Latest · November 2, 2026
How to build a MEL plan that donors actually read
A MEL plan is not a compliance document. Here is the structure we use to make one that guides the project and satisfies the donor at the same time.
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October 19, 2026 · 1 min read
Five data quality checks to run before you report
Before quarterly numbers go to a donor, run these five checks. They catch most of the errors we see in project data.
October 4, 2026 · 1 min read
From logframe to learning: making your theory of change useful
A theory of change is only valuable if it is tested. Here is how to connect it to the questions your team asks every quarter.
September 17, 2026 · 1 min read
Choosing the right sample size for a baseline survey
A practical guide to confidence levels, margins of error and population size — without the statistics lecture.
September 1, 2026 · 1 min read
What makes a good quarterly report?
Donors read dozens of reports. The ones that stand out are short, evidence-based and honest about what did not work.