Evaluating the Effectiveness of Organizational Capacity Building Program: A Single Case Study with a Non-Governmental Organization in Yemen

Focussing on a capacity building (CB) evaluation, this study used key informants’ interviews, material reviews, and questionnaires to enquire into an organizational CB’s post-project evaluation and its orientation toward organizational performance and mission impact. In approaching this, the study first explores the implications of performance measures in the evaluation process. By doing so, the paper initially explores the extent to which evaluators involve organizational performance measurement into the post-project evaluation. Secondly, the paper examines the orientation of a post-project evaluation toward a non-governmental organization’s (NGO) mission by exploring the correlation between the outcomes of an institutional CB program and the programmatic goal of the selected site. The paper is grounded upon the concept that the usefulness of organizational CB should be established upon its overall contribution to organizational performance and programmatic goals. Furthermore, it builds upon the concept that organizational performance should be interpreted differently based on the organization's size and age. To examine the applicability of these concepts, this paper aims to generate better understanding on the criteria that the external evaluator used to establish the effectiveness of the applied CB effort. A case study of NGOs in Sana’a, Yemen, explored the content of a post-project evaluation. Results indicated significant differences in how members of the evaluation team, including an external evaluator, executive officers (EOs), and administrative officers (AOs) perceive CB effectiveness. Results leading to the indicators such as increase in the institutional capacity, progress in organizational performance and sustainability of services provision, are major indicators reflecting the effectiveness of an organization’s CB.