Ecorys awarded EU evaluation of innovative civil society support programme in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ecorys will evaluate the EU-funded SAIL programme in the DRC, assessing innovative support to local civil society organisations, governance and aid localisation efforts.

Ecorys is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a new contract by the European Union Delegation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to carry out the final evaluation of the project Facilités des initiatives locales pour la gouvernance en RDC (SAIL). The assignment will assess an innovative EU-funded programme designed to strengthen local civil society organisations and promote inclusive governance across the country. 

Implemented by Louvain Coopération, the SAIL programme supports local civil society organisations through a combination of cascade grants, technical assistance and coaching. The initiative was specifically designed to reach smaller, community-based organisations that traditionally have limited access to international donor funding. To date, the programme has supported 85 microprojects across 20 provinces in the DRC, covering areas such as governance, peace and security, human development and sustainable development. 

The evaluation will examine the programme’s effectiveness, sustainability and impact, with particular attention to whether the combination of financial support and close technical accompaniment provides a viable model for strengthening local civil society in fragile contexts. It will also explore lessons learned that may inform a potential second phase of the programme and contribute to broader discussions on the localisation of development assistance. 

The Ecorys team will combine documentary review, fieldwork across several provinces and consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society organisations, local authorities, beneficiaries and development partners. 

The project further strengthens Ecorys’ portfolio of evaluations in fragile and conflict-affected contexts in Africa and demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting evidence-based decision-making, democratic governance and locally led development.

We look forward to working closely with the European Union Delegation, Louvain Coopération and other stakeholders to generate actionable insights that can help strengthen support to civil society organisations across the DRC.