Organization
SID is organized like most international organizations. Our programs and projects are carried out in the countries in which we work (Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, and Burundi). We have a national director and project staff in each country. The five or six staff members on each project report to the project coordinator, who reports to the national director. National directors report to the executive director in our central office in Arlington, Virginia. The executive director reports to the board of directors.
Field staff have a considerable amount of responsibility and authority to carry out the program within SID's guidelines and policies. For example, they often solicit and receive funds directly from the local offices of international donors.
The central office is responsible for supervision and support of all country programs and projects, financial management of the organization, and fundraising.
Operation
At field level, SID operates very much like a local NGO. We work in project areas of 30 to 50 communities. We often get funding from local donors. We are part of the community of rural development service-providers. We are also different in several key ways. Our field projects are "demonstration areas" for testing and promoting better methods for helping farmers reclaim land and increase productivity and income. Through technical assistance, we help other NGOs increase the impact and coverage of their projects. We work to establish an ongoing debate on better ideas and methods (best practices) for achieving sustainable development.
Evaluation
Demonstration area projects are monitored every two weeks and all projects are monitored every month. Changes in farming practices that reclaim land (water infiltration ditches, damming gullies, re-seeding pastures, etc.) or increase productivity (construction of farm ponds, vaccination of cattle, construction of rustic stables for dairy cattle) are evaluated at the end of each rainy and dry season. Land reclaimed, increases in productivity, and increases in income are evaluated at least every two years using a sample survey.
Technical assistance to NGOs is provided in accordance with the project cycle -- i.e., helping NGOs assess better strategies and methods for helping farmers reclaim land and increase income, re-plan projects to incorporate these strategies, implement the re-planned projects, evaluate the results, and improve the projects once again. Progress is monitored in accordance with these phases of the project cycle and the technical assistance in their performance. The results of the technical assistance are evaluated in terms of land reclaimed and increases in income of the project beneficiaries. This is done as part of the technical assistance in evaluating results and generally by sample survey. Independent external evaluators also evaluate the technical assistance projects. (An external evaluation of our technical assistance program is available upon request.)
