Strategic Impact Evaluation and Learning (SIEL)

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Strategic Impact Evaluation and Learning

In this image An in-depth interview conducted by an IPA Myanmar enumerator. © 2022 IPA Myanmar
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Overview

The SIEL program of the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is a six-year learning partnership between FCDO’s Evaluation Unit (EvU), Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). SIEL aims to:

  • Establish a robust evidence base to understand 'what works', including long-term impacts
  • Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of FCDO’s interventions and policies in strategic priority areas
  • Equip FCDO staff with the necessary skills to deploy and leverage impact evaluations to optimize value for money.

Between 2024 and 2030, SIEL will provide resources and technical capacity to help FCDO's global programs and policies become more effective and provide good value for money.

By focusing on rigorous impact evaluations, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and other high-quality research methods, SIEL will support FCDO to make informed decisions that maximize positive outcomes in four strategic areas: growth, humanitarian assistance, climate and nature, and conflict and fragility.
 

News & Events

SIEL logoUK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Launches Strategic Impact Evaluation and Learning Programme

Call for EOIs


The Strategic Impact Evaluation and Learning (SIEL) Program is pleased to launch its first Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to fund impact evaluations of FCDO activities, long-term follow-ups, nimble evaluations, pilot studies, and adaptive management support. Through this process, FCDO teams can secure funding to assess the impact of their interventions and explore the effectiveness of different delivery approaches.

SIEL will focus on four strategic areas: humanitarian assistance, growth, climate and nature, and conflict and fragility. All FCDO staff are eligible to apply for impact evaluation funding and support through SIEL via semi-annual calls for Expressions of Interest.

EOIs are due on Friday 31 January 2025. For more information about the application process, please visit the Strategic Impact Evaluation and Learning folder, under L. Evaluation in the EED library (open). If you are unable to access the folder or have any other questions, please reach out to our Help Desk at siel@poverty-action.org. Please note only FCDO staff are eligible to apply.
 

Training Opportunity: Impact Evaluation 101


Applications are now open for Impact Evaluation 101, a free, three-day course hosted by the SIEL program. Tailored specifically for FCDO staff, this intensive training provides the tools and knowledge needed to leverage impact evaluation evidence for better programmatic decisions and improved value for money in FCDO programs.

Course details
Date: February 4-6, 2025
Location: King Charles Street, London (Hybrid option available)
Eligibility: The application is open to all FCDO staff - no prerequisites required.

For more details, including the preliminary course agenda, learning goals, and additional information, please see our course pamphlet.

How to register? Submit your application using the form located in the Strategic Impact Evaluation and Learning folder, under L. Evaluation in the EED library (open). If you are unable to access the folder or have any other questions, please reach out to our Help Desk at siel@poverty-action.org.


How does SIEL help to generate insights?

Development of learning agendas


SIEL is developing learning agendas that outline critical evidence gaps in four strategic areas to spark robust impact evaluations of FCDO interventions through a centralized process. The agendas provide a brief overview of existing related evidence from impact evaluations and a summary of critical evidence gaps. This is intended to guide future evaluation of FCDO interventions and to target research to understudied areas with high potential to inform FCDO’s work moving forward.

The strategic priority areas are growth, climate and nature, humanitarian assistance, and conflict and fragility, with cross-cutting themes such as women and girls, technology and innovation, and migration.

Explore the Humanitarian Learning Agenda by clicking here.

Funding for evaluation and support


SIEL will provide funding for a range of evaluations of FCDO programs and policies. FCDO staff are invited to apply for SIEL-funded research through a process coordinated by FCDO’s Evaluation Unit. Proposals are solicited through an Expression of Interest process for four research types:

  • Full evaluations (Randomized Controlled Trials and other quasi-experimental methods): Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are a robust method to determine the causal impact of interventions with high confidence. RCTs randomly assign participants to either receive the intervention or serve as a comparison group.
  • Long-term follow-ups: Impact isn’t always immediate. Sometimes, the true effects of a program only emerge over time. SIEL funds follow-up studies to assess the sustainability of program impacts years after the intervention. This long-term perspective is crucial for understanding not just if, but how and why an intervention or policy works in the long run.
  • Nimble evaluations: Each evaluation question is unique and may require a different approach. Nimble evaluations are designed to be quick, cost-effective studies that are ideal for making real-time adjustments or gathering fast feedback on ongoing interventions.
  • Pilot studies: Before committing to a full-scale evaluation, it’s often useful to test the waters. Pilot studies funded by SIEL help teams explore the feasibility of new interventions, refine their designs, and prepare for larger evaluations. These small-scale studies are a vital first step in innovation, allowing experimenting and learning with minimal risk.

FCDO teams can get one-on-one support from IPA and J-PAL staff as well as academic researchers to identify promising opportunities for evaluation and support in proposal and project development.

Capacity strengthening and support


SIEL isn’t just about producing evidence—it’s about supporting FCDO staff to use that evidence effectively. SIEL provides tailored training sessions that are open to all FCDO staff and cater to different levels of experience with impact evaluations. From beginner to advanced sessions on managing complex evaluations, these training sessions are designed to build capacity to commission, understand, and use evaluation results in decision-making.

Dissemination and research uptake


Generating high-quality evidence is only part of the equation—making sure that evidence is effectively used is just as crucial. SIEL will support the wide dissemination of findings across FCDO and beyond. SIEL will work closely with FCDO teams to help them interpret and apply the evidence in their work. This will strengthen knowledge management and organizational learning within FCDO and help deliver more impactful and sustainable programs and policies.

How to get involved


If you are FCDO staff and are looking to enhance your evaluation skills, use evidence for program design, fund a new research project, or collaborate with top researchers, SIEL offers the tools and support you need to drive impactful change.

For more information about SIEL, please email the SIEL team at siel@poverty-action.org.