Launched in 2005, the program’s mission is to conduct analytical work that serves to develop the Foundation programs and enhance their effectiveness.
The analytic work helps to find out to what extent the goals defined in these programs, the activities undertaken, and the results achieved correspond to existing needs, especially with regard to local communities. The methods developed as part of the program and the results of analyses also serve other NGOs in implementing their initiatives.
The results of the PAFF programs evaluation, e.g. the Library Development Program, “Act Locally”, “PAFF Local Partnerships”, “English Teaching” or “PAFF Leaders” serve both setting down the future program activities and modifying the existing ones. One of the “MEVA” duties is to monitor the initiatives completed by the Foundation in terms of the sustainability of achieved results.
Potential PAFF activities are considered in the context of existing and anticipated social needs. To that end, the selected social groups are examined (e.g. village youth, librarians or NGO employees) and new initiatives tested. One of them is the study of trends in ICT use in Poland and abroad, which allowed to prepare the report that recommended launching the “ICT for Local Development” Program; or the analysis of impact of the Library Development Program on its participants in comparison with the libraries and communities that did not participate in the program.
Under the “MEVA” Program, mutually complementing and strengthening elements of PAFF programs are analyzed in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of the Foundation’s activities. Among the projects serving that aim, there is the “Squared Evaluation” initiative helping develop the evaluation culture in the environment of organizations cooperating with PAFF, as part of which the “Evaluation – How do You Carry It out?” guide was prepared. Also, regular seminars on evaluation studies are held.
Another project of that kind is „Influence on the social capital in PAFF communities” (the so-called „BOX”) project whose aim was to work out a set of methods and research techniques (the toolbox) enabling program managers to define the changes in the social capital level resulting from the influence of the Foundation programs on local communities.
Within the program the Foundation also supports the Unit for Social Innovation and Research “Shipyard” Foundation (one of its co-founders was PAFF). A significant part of the “MEVA” Program is managed by The Unit for Social Innovation and Research “Shipyard” Foundation.
The Foundation has disbursed $2,156,711, including $251,444 for the current edition of the program.
