How the Bureau Measures the Effectiveness of Its Programs
The Bureau spends $1+ billion annually to help refugees. How do we make sure that the money is spent effectively?
The first step each year is to develop a plan. Working with other bureaus in the Department of State and with other U.S. government agencies, the Bureau identifies groups in need of help and the specific help they need. From that research, the Bureau develops the Bureau Strategic Plan , which sets the goals for humanitarian assistance to refugees, conflict victims, stateless persons and other vulnerable migrants worldwide. The Bureau also prepares a Congressional Presentation Document highlighting PRM’s priorities and programs.
Based on the details of the plan, the Bureau designs programs to meet the Bureau’s goals in two ways. We issue notices of proposed projects for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to compete for; and we contribute to the activities of our partners in international organizations (IOs), most notably the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
For an example, see the Framework Agreement that UNHCR and the Bureau use as a guide.
Once the successful NGO bidder and the IOs have started their programs, the Bureau’s program officers review a variety of regularly submitted narrative, statistical, and financial reports and maintain contact with the NGO and IO headquarters to make sure that the projects are being implemented as planned. Additionally, Regional Refugee Coordinators based at U.S. embassies overseas and program officers from Washington visit the sites of the projects, and refugee admissions officers visit the domestic resettlement centers, to ensure that the details of the programs are meeting the required standards and producing the results specified in cooperative agreements and international organization appeals.
In 2008, the Bureau commissioned an evaluation of the Bureau's support for refugee return and reintegration programs in Burundi. (For a copy of the full report, please contact us.)
Meanwhile, the Bureau’s Office of the Comptroller, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of State’s Office of the Inspector General review the Bureau’s expenditures to ensure that the programs are staying on budget and meeting the stated objectives of the project.
In recent years, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has reviewed six of the Bureau’s programs using its Program Assessment Rating Tool, and gave all of them favorable ratings: Migration and Refugee Assistance – Protection; Migration and Refugee Assistance – Other Populations, Refugee and Migration Programs; Refugee Admissions to the U.S.; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Assistance to Refugees; Humanitarian Migrants to Israel.
The first step each year is to develop a plan. Working with other bureaus in the Department of State and with other U.S. government agencies, the Bureau identifies groups in need of help and the specific help they need. From that research, the Bureau develops the Bureau Strategic Plan , which sets the goals for humanitarian assistance to refugees, conflict victims, stateless persons and other vulnerable migrants worldwide. The Bureau also prepares a Congressional Presentation Document highlighting PRM’s priorities and programs.
Based on the details of the plan, the Bureau designs programs to meet the Bureau’s goals in two ways. We issue notices of proposed projects for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to compete for; and we contribute to the activities of our partners in international organizations (IOs), most notably the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
For an example, see the Framework Agreement that UNHCR and the Bureau use as a guide.
Once the successful NGO bidder and the IOs have started their programs, the Bureau’s program officers review a variety of regularly submitted narrative, statistical, and financial reports and maintain contact with the NGO and IO headquarters to make sure that the projects are being implemented as planned. Additionally, Regional Refugee Coordinators based at U.S. embassies overseas and program officers from Washington visit the sites of the projects, and refugee admissions officers visit the domestic resettlement centers, to ensure that the details of the programs are meeting the required standards and producing the results specified in cooperative agreements and international organization appeals.
In 2008, the Bureau commissioned an evaluation of the Bureau's support for refugee return and reintegration programs in Burundi. (For a copy of the full report, please contact us.)
Meanwhile, the Bureau’s Office of the Comptroller, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Department of State’s Office of the Inspector General review the Bureau’s expenditures to ensure that the programs are staying on budget and meeting the stated objectives of the project.
In recent years, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has reviewed six of the Bureau’s programs using its Program Assessment Rating Tool, and gave all of them favorable ratings: Migration and Refugee Assistance – Protection; Migration and Refugee Assistance – Other Populations, Refugee and Migration Programs; Refugee Admissions to the U.S.; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Assistance to Refugees; Humanitarian Migrants to Israel.
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