Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Guidance Notes

The SCF2 MEL Guidance Notes outline a two-tier results measurement system consisting of event-level monitoring managed by partners and programme-level evaluation managed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). Partners are required to use specific tools—including pre- and post-event surveys and field notes—to capture baseline and end-line data, while adhering to GDPR standards for informed consent and data pseudonymisation. The guidance also mandates ethics planning for human subject engagement and environmental assessments to track and reduce the carbon footprint of funded activities.

• The SCF2 results measurement framework operates on two levels: event-level MEL, which is designed and implemented by partners based on specific event objectives, and programme-level evaluation, which is managed independently by SEI using a pre-defined theory of change and results measurement framework.
• Partners are required to use a combination of pre-event surveys, post-event surveys, and field notes for event-level monitoring. Pre-event surveys establish baseline data, while post-event surveys provide end-line information to measure outcomes; field notes are specifically required for stakeholder consultation events to document consultation processes and key discussion points.
• SEI independently administers programme-level tools, including a tracer study and the collection of 'Most Significant Change' (MSC) stories, which are conducted via online surveys approximately two to three months after an event concludes.
• Data handling must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), requiring partners to obtain informed consent covering the survey purpose, data handling methods, and the sharing of data with SEI and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). Partners must pseudonymise event survey datasets by removing names and organisational affiliations before sharing them with SEI.
• Partners must implement ethics planning for activities involving human subjects, which includes assessing risks to avoid harm and establishing special considerations for participants under 18 years old or vulnerable adults.
• To reduce the environmental footprint of SCF2-funded events, partners are required to report specific indicators in their field notes and final reports, including the number of air and land trips, hotel rooms used, and plans for food, waste, and printing management.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2022). Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Guidance Notes. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/annex-d1-2022-scf2-mel-guidance-note.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Guidance Notes. 2022. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/annex-d1-2022-scf2-mel-guidance-note.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Guidance Notes |date=May 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/annex-d1-2022-scf2-mel-guidance-note.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2022monitoring, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Guidance Notes}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/annex-d1-2022-scf2-mel-guidance-note.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }