Summary of publication

In late 2009, an independent mid-term review of the Enterprise Challenge Fund (ECF) was conducted to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the pilot program. The review included site visits to ECF funded projects in Fiji, Vanuatu and Laos, stakeholder consultations and desk studies of relevant documentation by three independent consultants.

A range of activities have been implemented at Australia's request in response to the review findings to enhance ECF's efficiency.

These include:

• The development of a revised strategic and monitoring and evaluation framework to guide ongoing operations.
• Use of emerging international best practice on measuring the impacts of private sector development programs to more thoroughly map and track progress of each of the 22 funded projects
• The establishment of beneficiary and project baselines to address a current lack of data in this regard.
• A project management restructure within Coffey (ECF's managing contractors) to enhance private sector development capacities to maximise program efficiencies.

Management agrees with the review's recommendations not to invest any further funds into the current ECF until project impacts are better known. It will continue to track development impacts of projects through annual impact data provided via its independent monitoring team and a further independent review (scheduled for late 2011). The Australian Government will also explore how support for challenge funds which have a tighter regional and/or sectoral focus may provide opportunities to strengthen Australia's development outcomes.

Full publication

• ECF Independent Review Executive Summary [Word 33 KB]
• ECF Independent Review Report [Word 509 KB]
• Annex 1 Terms of Reference [Word 427 KB]
• Annex 2 Evaluation Plan [Word 282 KB]
• Annex 3 Effectiveness [Word 547 KB]
• Annex 4 Efficiency [Word 292 KB]
• Annex 5 Monitoring and Evaluation [Word 423 KB]
• Annex 6 Gender [Word 274 KB]

For further information on ECF see: www.enterprisechallengefund.org