Developing an evaluation budget

This document is a USAID guide to developing an evaluation budget based on the resources identified in the evaluation Statement Of Work (SOW). 

USAID evaluation budgets, like project budgets are divided into two major components. They are,

  • labor costs
  • other direct costs

This document elaborates on these components and their potential sub-components. It also provides an example of a budget evaluation that was conducted by USAID.

Contents

  • Developing an evaluation budget
  • Labor
  • Other Direct Costs (ODC's)
  • Estimating costs
  • Budgeting Notes - HIV Networking Services Evaluation
  • Budgeting Notes - PIASCY Evaluation

Specific Tool Mentioned

Task by time by category of personnel table

This resource consists of a table listing evaluation tasks in the left-hand column and members of the evaluation team across the top.  The number of hours assigned to each team member is specified for each task. The number of hours are summed for each team member and for all personnel.

This table has been modified with the addition of a row for the daily rate for each team member and columns for the cost per person and the total cost for each stage (sum of the costs per person for each stage).

Advice for CHOOSING this resource (tips and traps)

Even if you are conducting an internal evaluation and will not be calculating billable days for staff, calculating the staff time costs is helpful in planning. 

Advice for USING this resource (tips and traps)

List the tasks that are appropriate for the specifics of your evaluation design. List all personnel who will be participating in the evaluation.  Expect to work back and forth between estimations of personnel time and the evaluation work plan.  Estimations of personnel time will be more accurate as you progress in selecting an evaluation design and developing the work plan. 

Sources

USAID, Developing An Evaluation Budget, retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20100528110853/https://communities.usaidallnet.gov/fa/system/files/Developing+an+Evaluation+Budget.pdf (archived link)

Also via USAID

'Developing an evaluation budget' is referenced in: