How much of a project budget should go to MEAL?

Why is MEAL budgeting often too low?

MEAL is easy to cut. A budget is too high by 8 percent, and the baseline survey looks like the item nobody will miss. Six months later, the team cannot show change, and the donor asks for numbers that do not exist.

MEAL means monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning. It is how a project knows if it is on track, hears from the people it serves, and learns what to change. A MEAL budget that is too small leads to weak data, late problem detection and thin reports. The IRC MEAL Handbook says that if a budget cannot cover all planned MEAL activities, the gaps should be raised with the project lead and the MEAL approach should be revised. That is the right order: be honest about the gap, then adjust the plan.

What percentage of a project budget is normal?

There is no single legal or global figure. Several agencies use a range of about 5 to 10 percent as a guide.

• The Mercy Corps design, monitoring and evaluation guidance describes a rule of thumb of 5 to 10 percent of project budgets, and notes that donor guidance varies within that range.
• The IRC MEAL Handbook says a country can estimate MEAL at about 5 to 10 percent of total project cost, and that the cost rises with new feedback technology, baseline and endline surveys or independent evaluations.
• The Global Fund guidance for health grants also recommends 5 to 10 percent for M&E.

Treat this as a check, not a target. Your donor agreement, your indicators and your context decide the real number. Donor rules differ, so check your own agreement or ask a qualified adviser.

What should you count as MEAL cost?

Add up every cost that supports MEAL, even when it sits inside another line, such as a part-time officer's salary.

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How do you build a MEAL budget in five steps?

1. List your indicators. Open the logframe. For each indicator, write how you will measure it and how often.
2. Mark the expensive ones. Outcome indicators, such as changes in behaviour or conditions, usually need surveys or focus groups. Output counts from attendance sheets cost little.
3. Cost each activity. Include staff days, transport, phone credit, training and tool costs. Use real local prices.
4. Add the shared costs. Include the share of the MEAL officer, accountability channels and learning events.
5. Check the total. Divide total MEAL cost by total project cost. If it is far below 5 percent, check that you have not left out a baseline, an evaluation or the accountability system.

When should the percentage go up or down?

Mercy Corps guidance gives clear examples. Pilot projects and high-profile projects may need more than the usual range. A very large programme may need less in percentage terms, because some MEAL costs do not grow in line with the budget. The same guidance says very short projects, of nine to twelve months or less, may only be able to measure outputs, so they may not need the full amount.

In Myanmar, other factors apply. Remote data collection by phone can save travel cost but takes more staff time and may reduce sample quality. Limited access may mean you need local monitors and extra verification steps. Burmese and English forms, and translation of findings, add cost. Build these into the budget at the proposal stage rather than asking for changes later.

What if the donor will not fund enough MEAL?

First, ask. Many donors accept a clear explanation. Show the MEAL plan and what each activity costs.

If the money is fixed, reduce the plan, not the quality of the plan. Fewer indicators, a smaller sample or one evaluation instead of two are honest choices. Weak data on many indicators is worse than good data on a few. Record the decision in the MEAL plan so the donor and your team know what is covered. Our guide to a proposal budget narrative shows how to explain MEAL costs line by line, and simple MEAL dashboards shows how to use the data you collect.

How EMPO can help

EMPO is a trusted, Yangon-based training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. We run MEAL and intensive support training, and help organisations design MEAL systems, online or in person across Myanmar, in English and Burmese. See our services or contact us.

Sources

• Design, Monitoring and Evaluation Guidebook Supplement, Part 1 — Mercy Corps
• IRC Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Handbook — International Rescue Committee, 2022