Indicator Library: M&E Indicators for NGO Projects by Sector

Selecting the right indicators is one of the hardest parts of designing a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. This library organizes commonly used, donor-recognized indicator types by sector, so M&E officers and project designers can adapt proven indicators rather than starting from a blank page.

How to Use This Library

Each indicator below follows the SMART standard (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Adapt the target value, timeframe, and disaggregation (sex, age, location) to your specific project context.

Health Indicators

• Percentage of children under 5 fully immunized
• Number of health facility deliveries per month
• Percentage of target population reached with health messaging

Education Indicators

• Net enrolment rate in supported schools
• Pupil-to-teacher ratio in supported schools
• Percentage of students achieving grade-level literacy benchmarks

WASH Indicators

• Percentage of target population with access to improved water source within 30 minutes
• Number of latrines constructed and functional at 6 months
• Percentage of households practising handwashing at critical times

Livelihoods Indicators

• Percentage change in household income among participants
• Number of beneficiaries accessing formal financial services
• Percentage of trained beneficiaries employed or self-employed at 6 months post-training

Governance Indicators

• Number of community accountability mechanisms established and active
• Percentage of citizens reporting increased trust in local government

Related Resources

• Logframe Template
• Monitoring Plan Template
• Evaluation Template

Related ATI Training

ATI’s Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation covers indicator design, data quality assessment and MEAL frameworks in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes an indicator SMART?

A SMART indicator is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — avoiding vague language like “improved” without a defined measurement method and target.

How many indicators should a project have?

Most well-designed projects use 1-3 indicators per outcome and output level — too many indicators increases data collection burden without improving decision-making.