Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation are key to the success and effective management of European Fund Programmes providing the information necessary to measure progress and inform changes to strategy or implementation. Effective monitoring and evaluation also helps in highlighting and sharing good practice.

Monitoring and evaluation needs to be considered at two levels:

• Project level
• Programme level.

Project Level

Project monitoring provides a vital bridge from funding to learning, focusing on the value of the grant and understanding the value of the results. Monitoring visits form an important part of the ongoing monitoring of projects, which is also carried out through claim forms, physical site checks and progress update meetings.

Regular and timely submission of project claims is a key monitoring tool and is critical if the Programmes are to meet overall annual expenditure targets. Where these targets are not met funds are lost to Programmes and fewer projects can be funded.

Importance of Record Keeping

Effective record keeping systems are key to the production of accurate claims and monitoring information. Record keeping systems require to include

• evidence of the financial part of the claim (including invoices, payroll records and asset registers)
• beneficiary information
• progress towards the performance targets specified in the application.

Who can Monitor or Audit ESF/ERDF Projects?

Three kinds of monitoring/audit visits are common.

• SEP Ltd Monitoring Visit
• Scottish Executive - Verification and Compliance (VAC) Visit
• European Commission Visit.