How to measure progress on localization
How local NGOs and partners can measure localisation: funding that reaches local actors, partnership quality, decision-making power and simple tools.
Short answer
Measure localisation in two ways: how much funding reaches local and national organisations directly, and how equitable the partnership really is. Use agreed definitions of local actors and direct funding, then add indicators for decision-making, overhead, capacity sharing and voice. Collect evidence with a short self-assessment, interviews and document review, and repeat it every year.
Key points
- Agree definitions first: who counts as a local actor and what counts as direct funding.
- Track money, but also track partnership quality and decision-making power.
- The Grand Bargain target is 25 per cent of humanitarian funding to local and national actors as directly as possible.
- Use a short set of indicators and several methods, not a long survey.
- Share results with partners and donors and agree actions.
Why measure localisation?
Many agencies say they support localisation. Few can show what changed. Without measurement, talk stays general, and local organisations cannot show where promises are not kept.
A framework from the Humanitarian Advisory Group and the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs says that gathering data creates an evidence base. For international actors, it helps track localisation commitments. For national and local organisations, it gives evidence to advocate for accountability. If you are new to the idea, read what localisation means for local organisations.
What can you measure about funding?
The Grand Bargain includes a commitment to reach, by 2020, a global aggregate target of at least 25 per cent of humanitarian funding going to local and national actors as directly as possible. To measure this, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee's working group agreed definitions in 2018. They matter because without them, organisations count different things.
The IASC paper defines three categories of funding:
| Category | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Direct funding | From the original donor to local or national organisations without an international intermediary |
| As directly as possible | Through a pooled fund directly accessed by local actors, or through a single international organisation to a local actor |
| Indirect funding | Involves two or more transaction layers |
The paper says only the first two count towards the 25 per cent target, and that grants should be tracked separately from goods in kind. It also says the target is aggregate and does not have to be met by every individual donor or organisation.
For your organisation, the practical questions are:
- What share of our funding comes directly from the donor, and what share through an intermediary?
- How many steps does money take before it reaches us?
- How long does a payment take to arrive?
What about partnership quality and power?
Money alone does not show whether a partnership is fair. The measuring localisation framework from the Humanitarian Advisory Group and PIANGO divides measurement into seven areas, each with an impact indicator and a short set of progress indicators covering quantitative and qualitative aspects. The first area is partnerships, with the impact indicator "equitable and complementary partnerships between local, national and international actors". The framework includes a sample self-assessment survey, and it is meant to be adapted: not all components are relevant in all contexts.
Another tool is the Localisation Performance Measurement Framework from the NEAR Network. It says performance against its indicators can be assessed through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, direct observation, document review and secondary data, and that the assessment does not have to include all indicators, only those most relevant.
Add questions that reflect your own experience, such as:
- Did we help design the project, or only implement it?
- Do we have a say in budget changes?
- Does the budget include our overhead and core costs? See why local partners need overhead too.
- Is reporting proportionate? See reducing the reporting burden on local partners.
- Do we sit in coordination forums and influence decisions?
A simple five-step method
- Choose the unit. Decide whether you are measuring your own organisation, one partnership, or a whole programme.
- Pick five to eight indicators. Mix funding (direct share, number of intermediary layers), partnership (joint design, equitable decision-making), overhead and reporting.
- Choose the methods. Use a short self-assessment, a review of agreements and budgets, and two or three interviews with partners.
- Collect a baseline. Record where you are now, with dates and evidence.
- Repeat and share. Measure again each year. Share results with partners and agree one or two actions.
Keep it light. The NEAR framework itself says you do not need every indicator.
What should you watch for in Myanmar?
- Remote management. When international staff cannot visit, decision-making power and risk can shift to local partners without matching resources. See managing partnerships remotely and risk sharing.
- Safety. Do not publish partner names, locations or contract details in a way that could put people at risk. Share the least detail needed.
- Definitions. Check how each donor defines local actor and direct funding. The IASC definitions are a common reference, but agreements may differ. Check your own agreements.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Counting only money and ignoring who makes decisions.
- Using different definitions in different documents.
- Collecting data and not sharing it.
- Making a long survey that partners never complete.
- Measuring only once.
How EMPO can help
EMPO is a reliable, 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 support organisational development, including strategy, policy and MEAL systems, and train teams in English and Burmese, online or in person across Myanmar. See our services or contact us.
Sources
- Measuring Localisation: Framework and Tools — Humanitarian Advisory Group and PIANGO, 2019
- Localisation Marker Definitions Paper — IASC Humanitarian Financing Task Team, 2018
- Localisation performance measurement framework — NEAR Network
Questions people ask
Who counts as a local actor?
In the definitions agreed by Grand Bargain signatories, local and national non-state actors are organisations engaged in relief that are headquartered and operating in their own country and not affiliated to an international NGO. Being part of a network does not by itself make an organisation affiliated.
Can a small local NGO measure localisation?
Yes. Use a short self-assessment on your own partnerships: funding routes, overhead, decision-making and reporting demands. It gives you evidence for talks with partners and donors.
Is funding the only measure?
No. Funding is easiest to count, but frameworks also measure partnership quality, local leadership, capacity and influence. Money without decision-making power may not change much.