Evaluation Budgeting and Costing in M&E Training Course
Evaluation Budgeting and Costing in M&E Training Course empowers participants to strategically design, allocate, and manage budgets for evaluation activities while optimizing costs without compromising quality
Course Overview
Evaluation Budgeting and Costing in M&E Training Course
Introduction
In today’s data-driven development and organizational landscape, Evaluation Budgeting and Costing in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) has emerged as a critical skill for ensuring program efficiency, accountability, and sustainability. Evaluation Budgeting and Costing in M&E Training Course empowers participants to strategically design, allocate, and manage budgets for evaluation activities while optimizing costs without compromising quality. Participants will gain hands-on experience in financial planning, cost analysis, resource optimization, and economic evaluation of programs, making them indispensable in results-oriented M&E processes. The course emphasizes practical application through real-world case studies, interactive tools, and scenario-based exercises, equipping professionals to transform financial planning into actionable insights.
By the end of the course, learners will confidently navigate the complexities of evaluation costing, cost-effectiveness analysis, financial risk assessment, and investment prioritization. Using a combination of best practices, emerging trends, and digital budgeting tools, participants will develop the skills necessary to create accurate, transparent, and sustainable evaluation budgets. This training is designed to strengthen organizational decision-making, enhance donor reporting, and improve the financial sustainability of M&E interventions, making participants more competitive in the evolving landscape of development evaluation.
Course Duration
5 days
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Develop comprehensive evaluation budgets aligned with program objectives.
- Apply cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis in M&E planning.
- Use digital budgeting tools to streamline evaluation financial management.
- Identify and mitigate financial risks in evaluation projects.
- Integrate resource optimization techniques into M&E costing.
- Conduct unit costing and activity-based costing for evaluations.
- Apply funding and donor compliance standards in budgeting.
- Evaluate budget variances and financial performance indicators.
- Design sustainable M&E budgets for long-term program impact.
- Interpret financial data for strategic decision-making.
- Develop budget narratives and justifications for stakeholders.
- Incorporate emerging trends in cost-efficiency and financial modeling.
- Enhance organizational accountability and transparency through effective budgeting.
Target Audience
- M&E Officers and Specialists
- Program Managers and Coordinators
- Finance and Planning Officers
- Donor Relations and Grant Managers
- Data Analysts and Evaluation Consultants
- Development Practitioners and Project Implementers
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Staff
- Government and Public Sector Program Evaluators
Course Modules
Module 1: Fundamentals of Evaluation Budgeting
- Principles of budgeting in M&E
- Key components of an evaluation budget
- Aligning budgets with program objectives
- Budgeting frameworks and standards
- Case Study: Designing a budget for a national health program
Module 2: Costing Methods in M&E
- Introduction to costing techniques
- Activity-based costing (ABC)
- Unit costing and cost per outcome
- Cost-benefit vs. cost-effectiveness analysis
- Case Study: Costing a community education project
Module 3: Budget Planning and Resource Allocation
- Steps in creating a budget plan
- Prioritizing evaluation activities
- Efficient allocation of financial and human resources
- Scenario planning for budget constraints
- Case Study: Resource allocation in a water and sanitation project
Module 4: Digital Tools for Budget Management
- Software solutions for budgeting and costing
- Automated tracking of expenditures
- Data visualization for financial reporting
- Digital dashboards for M&E budgeting
- Case Study: Using Airtable and Excel for project budget tracking
Module 5: Donor Compliance and Funding Standards
- Understanding donor requirements
- Budget justification narratives
- Reporting and accountability standards
- Fund disbursement tracking
- Case Study: Donor-compliant budget for an NGO project
Module 6: Financial Risk Assessment in Evaluation
- Identifying potential financial risks
- Risk mitigation strategies
- Contingency budgeting
- Scenario-based financial analysis
- Case Study: Risk assessment for a multi-sector evaluation
Module 7: Monitoring and Evaluating Budget Performance
- Tracking expenditures vs. planned budgets
- Variance analysis and corrective actions
- Cost efficiency and cost-effectiveness indicators
- Integrating feedback into future budgets
- Case Study: Budget performance evaluation in a health initiative
Module 8: Strategic and Sustainable Budgeting
- Designing sustainable and scalable evaluation budgets
- Long-term financial planning for M&E
- Innovative financing and funding diversification
- Lessons learned and best practices in budgeting
- Case Study: Scaling evaluation budgets for a national development program
Training Methodology
This course employs a participatory and hands-on approach to ensure practical learning, including:
- Interactive lectures and presentations.
- Group discussions and brainstorming sessions.
- Hands-on exercises using real-world datasets.
- Role-playing and scenario-based simulations.
- Analysis of case studies to bridge theory and practice.
- Peer-to-peer learning and networking.
- Expert-led Q&A sessions.
- Continuous feedback and personalized guidance.
Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount
Send us an email: info@datastatresearch.org or call +254724527104
Certification
Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.
Tailor-Made Course
We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.
Key Notes
a. The participant must be conversant with English.
b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate
c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.
d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.
e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.
f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.