ABSTRACT
Theory-based evaluation is a mode of evaluation that brings to the surface the underlying assumptions about why a program will work. It then tracks those assumptions through the collection and analysis of data at a series of stages along the way to final outcomes. The evaluators will have to find a way to collect comparable data on the key assumptions of demand-driven investment fund projects, municipal development fund projects, sectoral projects, and community development fund projects. Many kinds of programs aim to increase the time that parents spend with their children, and if evaluators of these different programs collect data on parental time actually spent with the child and desired outcomes, the data are more likely to be comparable. By paying attention to the intervening steps in the process of change, the evaluators not only have more to tell the program but can also aggregate results across programs more readily.
