The year 2014 was one of innovation and impact at 3ie. We are supporting policy-relevant impact evaluations and evidence synthesis in new thematic areas and filling critical knowledge gaps. Our studies are informing development policies and improving programmes. As a global leader in funding the production of high-quality evidence, we continued to support rigorous impact evaluations and full systematic reviews. Responding to demand, we expanded our capacity to produce evidence gap maps and rapid evidence reviews. Read highlights of ourwork and achievements.

Thematic Window 10, breaking through stagnation: testing innovations in engaging communities in increasing immunisation coverage
We invite proposals for evaluation of programmes of that have adopted innovative approaches to community engagement for increasing immunisation coverage in Gavi-eligible countries. Deadline for applications: 23:59 GMT, 10 July. Read more

Systematic Reviews Call 8
We invite proposals for systematic reviews that explore the impact of development interventions in the areas of sanitation and hygiene, humanitarian assistance and climate change. Deadline for applications: 12 noon GMT, 22 May.

Replication Window 3: internal replications of impact evaluations of HIV prevention interventions
We invite expressions of interest from researchers to conduct internal replications of influential, innovative or controversial impact evaluations of biomedical, behavioural, social and structural determinants of HIV prevention interventions. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. Deadline for applications: 23:59 GMT, 31 May. Read more

Policy Window Philippines, peace and development programmes: Please sign up here to receive the request for qualifications.

Policy Window 3, programmes implemented by the Ministry of Education, Government of Rwanda: Please sign up here to receive the request for qualifications.

Using data to inform investment climate reform in Malawi
The Government of Malawi, while implementing investment climate reforms, particularly, the new Business Registration Act, was interested in knowing more about the characteristics of informal firms to decide on a turnover threshold, above which registration for firms could be mandatory. However, the government had little information about the distribution of turnover (size) of firms. In an ongoing study by Innovations for Poverty Action, researchers had collected these data as part of their baseline listing over 7,250 enterprises in Malawi. At the government’s request, the team provided summary statistics and helped inform discussions on setting the turnover threshold for firm registration. Read more about the study

Strengthening programme implementation with timely inputs in Zimbabwe
The Government of Zimbabwe’s harmonised social cash transfer (HSCT) programme is targeted towards ultra-poor households with labour constraints or high-dependency ratios. These are typically AIDS-affected households, with orphans and vulnerable children or with caregivers that are HIV-positive. Researchers from the University of North Carolina are trying to investigate the economic impact of the HSCT on both target households and the local community. An initial report from the study pointed to implementation issues on the ground stemming from lack of coordination between development programmes implemented by different ministries, especially the Basic Education Assistance Module of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor and Social Services. In order to resolve the issue and facilitate a more coordinated implementation approach, the government is considering an MoU between the two ministries. The government is invested in the research project, and the government–researcher collaboration will be put forth as a partnership model in a forthcoming book on transfer project evaluations published by Oxford University Press. HSCT will be featured with its own chapter to be co-authored by government counterparts and the evaluation team. Read more about the study

Resources on peacebuilding interventions: We have launched a scoping paper that reviews the supply of and demand for evidence from impact evaluations and systematic reviews on peacebuilding interventions. We produced an evidence gap map that provides access to the best available evidence on the outcomes of peacebuilding interventions in conflict-affected settings in low- and middle-income countries. The evidence gap map report explains the scope and methods and analyses the information in the map.

New feature on 3ie evidence gap map - platform population characteristics: We have added a new filter to the interactive evidence gap map platform that allows users to filter evidence by population characteristics. For example, in the evidence gap map of productive safety net programmes, users can now see which of the studies included in the evidence gap map evaluate intervention effects for people living on less than US$1.25 a day, people living below a national poverty line or people defined as food insecure. This feature will allow users to identify evidence that can help inform effective targeting of interventions in ways that achieve the greatest benefit for intended beneficiaries. It also enables identification of evidence gaps in our knowledge of what works best for whom.

Webinar on the 3ie evidence gap map on global productive safety net programmes: Martina Vojtkova, 3ie evaluation specialist, presented this recently-launched USAID-funded evidence gap map using a webinar. Watch recording.

Videos: We have uploaded presentations from our Delhi seminar series -- How synthesised evidence can improve the effectiveness of sanitation, microcredit and employment guarantee programmes by Hugh Waddington, 3ie senior evaluation specialist; Emerging challenges in managing equity-focused and gender-responsive evaluations by Marco Segone, director of evaluations, UN Women and Howard White, co-chair, Campbell Collaboration Improving agricultural technology adoption: policy lessons from the Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative by Ben Jaques-Leslie, programme manager, agriculture, J-PAL Global; Intergenerational transmission of attitudes towards gender equality: evidence from India by Prof Tarun Jain, Indian School of Business.

Check out our latest blogs: On target? Why participant selection matters for development programmes; MDG for water: is the job done?; Reversing the resource curse through impact evaluations; Not all ‘systematic’ reviews are created equal; Understanding what’s what: the importance of sector knowledge in causal chain analysis; What’s wrong with evidence-informed development? Part 2. Visit the blog site to view all of our posts.