Publication: Social Funds : Assessing Effectiveness
Date
2002-05
ISSN
Published
2002-05
Author(s)
Operations Evaluation Department
Abstract
This study is the first independent
evaluation of social fund projects by OED. It reviews the
development effectiveness of social fund projects and draws
implications for future Bank support to them. It responds to
the interest of the World Bank's Board of Executive
Directors for an independent evaluation of this
fast-expanding portfolio. The review is based on an
examination of existing data and literature, and brings to
bear new information relating to the participatory process
in social fund projects and their institutional development
impacts at the government, nongovernment, and community
levels. The report finds that social fund projects have been
highly effective in delivering small-scale infrastructure,
but much less so in achieving consistently positive and
significant improvements in outcomes and welfare impacts.
While social fund projects have delivered slightly more than
proportional benefits to the poor and the poorest, there
have also been a significant number of non-poor
beneficiaries. Most social fund beneficiaries are satisfied
with the financed subprojects, but the greatest community
problems have not necessarily been addressed and there is no
assurance that the selected subprojects ensure the highest
net benefits to the community.
Citation
“Operations Evaluation Department. 2002. Social Funds : Assessing Effectiveness. © Washington, DC: World Bank. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/9cf0aaa4-ce2e-5137-9f85-bd20c15ff26c License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”