Evaluation Template: Free Endline & Final Evaluation Report Template for NGOs

Most institutional donors expect final evaluation reports structured around the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria — relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability (with coherence increasingly added as a sixth criterion). This template gives project teams and external evaluators a ready structure that meets that expectation.

Standard Evaluation Report Structure

1. Executive Summary

A one-to-two page summary of key findings, conclusions and recommendations — written for a donor reader with limited time.

2. Evaluation Methodology

Data collection methods, sample size and sampling approach, and any limitations to the evaluation’s findings.

3. Findings by OECD-DAC Criteria

• Relevance: Did the project address genuine needs and align with priorities?
• Effectiveness: Were the intended outcomes achieved?
• Efficiency: Were resources used economically to achieve results?
• Impact: What broader, longer-term effects resulted?
• Sustainability: Will benefits continue after the project ends?

4. Conclusions and Recommendations

Actionable, specific recommendations tied directly to findings — not generic statements that could apply to any project.

Common Evaluation Report Mistakes

• Recommendations that don’t follow from the findings presented
• Overly technical language that obscures the practical takeaway for programme decision-makers
• Missing a clear methodology section, which undermines credibility with donors

Related Resources

• M&E Plan Template
• Indicator Library
• Logframe Template

Related ATI Training

ATI’s Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation covers evaluation design and OECD-DAC criteria application in depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria?

A widely used donor standard for structuring evaluations around relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability and coherence.

Should evaluations be conducted internally or by external evaluators?

Final/endline evaluations for donor-funded projects are typically required to be externally led to ensure independence; internal reviews are appropriate for ongoing learning purposes.