What is monitoring and evaluation?

Monitoring is the ongoing tracking of a project's progress—achievement of planned results, timely implementation, and budget compliance. Its purpose is to enhance decision-making about the project.

Evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of a project or a program against specific criteria, such as efficiency, effectiveness, impact, relevance, or sustainability. The purpose of an evaluation is to learn from past experience, to guide future decisions about the project (for example, its replication), and to provide accountability to stakeholders (funding institutions as well as those expected to benefit from the project or program).