Evaluation of Norad’s use of knowledge in portfolio management REPORT 4/2024 – Department for Evaluation

A few years ago, Norad published its strategy towards 2030 and was reorganised to better fit its responsibility for managing an increasing share of Norwegian development aid. The strategy stressed the importance of using knowledge and other insights to ensure effective and efficient management of funds. Facts should inform policy. Norad has organised significant parts of the development aid in thematic portfolios with goals in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Norad has put in place measures such as guidance and support structures to improve the management of the portfolios. Norad’s Department for Knowledge and Innovation - responsible for systematic knowledge management, aid statistics and analysis – has supported colleagues in developing theories of change and knowledge plans for the portfolios. The purpose of this evaluation is to provide evaluative evidence about the extent to which the approach to the use of knowledge is likely to improve the quality of Norad’s portfolio management and, ultimately, contribute to better development results. The evaluation should be a tool for practical lessons and learning. It should acknowledge that the efforts to improve the use of knowledge for portfolio management are ongoing and that all results may not yet have materialised. To encourage learning, the evaluation shall strive to identify positive changes as well as areas that can be improved. The users of this evaluation are, firstly, Norad’s management team, who can use the evaluation to learn more about how successful the implementation of the strategy is likely to be at the portfolio level and take corrective action if required. Secondly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Environment can use information from the evaluation in their dialogue with Norad. The findings may also be of interest to the public.