Integrity is conducting a mixed methods performance evaluation of the £20.5 million Better Assistance in Crises (BASIC) programme.

Delivered between 2018 and 2024 by the FCDO Social Protection Team, BASIC aims to help poor and vulnerable people in over 30 low- and middle-income countries cope better with crises. By providing technical assistance, research, and knowledge management and learning to FCDO country offices and partners, BASIC is expected to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of social protection infrastructure. BASIC works at both the country and global levels, and focuses on response to recurring natural disasters, protracted conflict and forced displacement. With the onset of COVID-19, the project initiated the launch of a specific technical assistance programme, Social Protection Approaches to COVID-19 Expert advice helpline (SPACE), to provide immediate and medium-term social protection support in response to the pandemic.

Integrity is undertaking a performance evaluation of both BASIC and SPACE between 2020-2024. It aims to assess the contribution of these programmes to any changes in the use of more effective social protection, and gain a deeper understanding of the quality of implementation to enable adaptive programming and to inform future programme design. The evaluation comprises three key phases: baseline, midline and endline.

Our evaluation blends a theory- and case-based approach and employs a mix of quantitative and qualitative data gathered by engaging up to 270 respondents in each phase. This includes a survey of FCDO offices, interviews with key stakeholders, country cases studies, and analysis of programme documents and secondary data. We are using Contribution Analysis to consider the relative contribution of BASIC to any new and/or improved use of social protection approaches in times of crises, compared to other possible factors. We also draw on the Kirkpatrick model of learning effectiveness and the Actor-Narrative-Interest model to appraise how BASIC may have affected the institutional capacity of FCDO and its partners, and global and country policy processes, respectively.

To meet FCDOs learning objectives, our evaluation is combined with a learning offer that builds on standard evaluation reporting practices by also including accessible infographics, animations, and participatory evaluation findings webinars. This blended suite of learning products provides multiple opportunities for the results and implications of the evaluation to be discussed and taken up by FCDO and sector audiences.