Monitoring

One of the ways MCC is changing the conversation about evidence-based foreign assistance is through its approach to monitoring and evaluation (M&E). This starts with tracking performance on processes and outputs at the beginning of a compact, and continues to tracking high-level outcomes through independent evaluations after the end of a compact in order to concretely assess how a project has achieved its objective in the pursuit of MCC’s mission to reduce poverty through economic growth. MCC’s commitment to real-time, transparent monitoring of its investments, as detailed in MCC’s Policy on Monitoring and Evaluation, makes it a leader among foreign assistance donors.

Policy on Monitoring and Evaluation

Progress Towards Results Across MCC’s Investments to Date

Significant progress has been made towards cataloging long-term results and impact. The latest results by country program and by sector demonstrate milestones achieved and participants reached. MCC tracks not only outputs but also higher-level outcomes across compacts. Those higher-level results materialize as compacts mature, and are published as soon as they are available on  MCC’s Evaluation Catalog.

By Country Program

Country Program	Related Documents
Armenia Compact	Armenia Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Armenia Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Armenia Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Benin Compact	Benin Compact Monitoring & Evaluation Plan Benin Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Benin Power Compact	Benin Power Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Benin Power Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Burkina Faso Compact	Burkina Faso Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Burkina Faso Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Burkina Faso Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Cabo Verde Compact	Cabo Verde Compact Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
Cabo Verde Compact II	Cabo Verde Compact II Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Cabo Verde Compact II Table of Key Performance Indicators Cabo Verde II Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Côte d'Ivoire Compact	Côte d'Ivoire Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Côte d'Ivoire Table of Key Performance Indicators
El Salvador Compact	El Salvador Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan El Salvador Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan El Salvador Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
El Salvador Investment Compact	El Salvador Investment Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan El Salvador Investment Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Georgia Compact	Georgia Compact Monitoring & Evaluation Plan Georgia Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Georgia Compact II	Georgia Compact II Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Georgia Compact II Table of Key Performance Indicators
Ghana Compact	Ghana Compact Monitoring & Evaluation Plan Ghana Table of Key Performance Indicators
Ghana Power Compact	Ghana Power Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Ghana Power Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Guatemala Threshold Program	Guatemala Threshold Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Honduras Compact	Honduras Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Honduras Threshold Program	Honduras Threshold Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Indonesia Compact	Indonesia Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Indonesia Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators Indonesia Post Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Jordan Compact	Jordan Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Jordan Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Jordan Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Kosovo Threshold Program	Kosovo Threshold Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Kosovo Threshold Table of Key Performance Indicators
Lesotho Compact	Lesotho Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Lesotho Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Lesotho Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Liberia Compact	Liberia Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Liberia Table of Key Performance Indicators
Madagascar Compact	KPI Table: Madagascar Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators Madagascar Compact Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
Malawi Compact	Malawi Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Malawi Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Malawi Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Mali Compact	Mali Compact Monitoring & Evaluation Plan Mali Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Moldova Compact	Moldova Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Moldova Compact Post-Compact Monitoring & Evaluation Plan Moldova Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Mongolia Compact	Mongolia Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Mongolia Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Mongolia Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Morocco Compact	Morocco Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Morocco Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Morocco Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Morocco Employability and Land Compact	Morocco Employability and Land Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators M&E Plan: Morocco II Employability and Land Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Mozambique Compact	Mozambique Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Mozambique Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Mozambique Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Namibia Compact	Namibia Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Namibia Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Namibia Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Nicaragua Compact	Nicaragua Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Nicaragua Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Niger Compact	Niger Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Niger Table of Key Performance Indicators
Philippines Compact	Philippines Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Philippines Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Philippines Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Senegal Compact	Senegal Compact Post-Compact Monitoring Evaluation Plan Senegal Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators Senegal Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Sierra Leone Threshold Program	Sierra Leone Threshold Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
Tanzania Compact	Tanzania Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Tanzania Compact Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Tanzania Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Vanuatu Compact	Vanuatu Compact Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Vanuatu Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators
Zambia Compact	Zambia Compact Table of Key Performance Indicators Zambia Monitoring and Evaluation Zambia Post-Compact Monitoring and Evaluation

By Sector

MCC aggregates results in key sectors to measure progress in those areas across compacts. Currently, MCC calculates these results on a quarterly basis in six sectors: roads, agriculture and irrigation, water and sanitation, education, energy, and property rights and land policy. The Quarterly Common Indicator Report contains the latest results.

In all of these sectors, MCC tracks not only outputs, but also higher-level outcomes across Compacts. Those higher-level results materialize as compacts mature and will be published as soon as they are available.

Our Approach

To fulfill MCC’s commitment to tracking results on poverty and economic growth, monitoring progress is integrated into all phases of compact operations—from compact development through implementation. The diagram below demonstrates how this takes place and how the results that are tracked become part of a feedback loop that is used to improve performance during a compact and to apply lessons learned to future compacts.

Integrating Monitoring in Compact and Threshold Program Operations

Every country’s approach for assessing progress towards results is outlined in its M&E Plan, the central tool for monitoring and evaluating the compact or threshold program’s activities. Development of the M&E Plan begins during program development, and it is completed around the start of implementation. The M&E Plan is developed collaboratively by the Millennium Challenge Account, the local accountable entity responsible for implementing the program, and MCC, with substantial input from implementing entities and implementers. The plan is a living document and is regularly modified during the life of the compact or threshold program to reflect changes in program circumstances or when new information is available.

Monitoring Program Performance

As a federal agency, MCC is committed to the principles of performance measurement mandated under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The agency applies this same focus on results to its compact and threshold programming. MCC monitors progress towards program results on a regular basis using performance indicators specified in the M&E Plan. The M&E Plan specifies indicators at all levels – process, output, and outcome levels – so that progress towards final results can be tracked at every step. Lower-level indicators (process and output) and their targets are typically drawn from project and activity work plans, with results estimated to materialize throughout the program life cycle. Higher-level indicators (outcome) and their targets are often, though not always, directly linked to the economic rate of return analysis that is conducted to estimate the impacts of the investment, and are drawn from the benefit streams of that analysis. These results are estimated to materialize in later years of the program life cycle or after the program ends.

Every quarter, each MCA submits an Indicator Tracking Table that shows actual performance of each indicator relative to the baseline and target levels that were established in the M&E Plan. MCC reviews this data every quarter to assess whether results are being achieved and integrates this information into project management decisions.

Data for performance monitoring and reporting comes from surveys, project implementers, and other entities. MCC strongly supports comprehensive, quality data collection conducted by local resources and frequently uses compact and threshold program M&E funds to invest in surveys fielded both by private firms and national statistical agencies or other government entities.

All collected data, whether from surveys or implementers, undergoes regular data quality checks managed by the MCAs and monitored by MCC to ensure their integrity and accuracy. Key Performance Indicators are reviewed annually to reflect the monitoring needs of the compact or threshold program, and the indicators are published quarterly as part of MCC’s commitment to transparency.