1. An unmeasured date
– date due to the fund-raiser
Meeting reporting time-lines
– what is our experience and
how can we do it better?
A facilitated discussion for the Oxfam Programme Funding Department's
Learning and Development Event
11 November 2010
Unipart Conference Centre, Garsington Road, Cowley, Oxford, UK.
by
Christopher John Wardle
Funding Coordinator for Kenya and Uganda

2. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

3. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

4. Background

Experimental role

Geographical dislocation from programme
team

Are the issues I'm facing, unique to this role?

5. Audience demographics
23 people representing :

Affiliates 3

Regional offices 4

PFD staff 7

In-country fund-raisers 9

6. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

7. Where is our reporting focus?

A measure of organisational reporting
performance by country and region, is on
compliance with <Date due to donor>

Scapegoats or heros – where do fund-raisers
sit in relation to this measure?

8. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

9. Is there a problem?

As you consider the last four donor reports
you reviewed:
− Did you make the donor submission
date for all of them?
− Response = 30%
7 of the 23 people represented here,
successfully met the date due to
donor.

10. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

11. If there is a problem,
what is its scope?

As you consider the last four donor reports
you reviewed:
− Was the date due to fund-raiser
achieved for all of them?
− Response = 8.6%
2 of the 23 people represented here,
successfully met the date due to fund-
raiser.

12. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

13. What has worked well? (1 of 3)

Enabling factors:
− What characterised your experience of
timely receipt of reports?
Participant responses:
− Good coordination by fund-raisers
(an early warning system)
− Assertiveness by fund-raisers
− Conscientious Programme Managers
− Supportive Country Directors (owning the process)
− Key performance Indicators (KPIs) linked to meeting
reporting deadlines

14. What has worked well? (2 of 3)

Enabling factors:
−What characterised your experience of
timely receipt of reports?
Participant responses:
− Realistic reporting time-frames
− Naming and shaming (accountability) in
Donor Reporting Schedule (DRS)
− Audits in CRIMSON/HR Gold (under trial)
− Initial programmes design covers HR for post-
programme reporting

15. What has worked well? (3 of 3)

Enabling factors:
What characterised your experience of
−
timely receipt of reports?
Participant responses:
− Team approach
(not just leaving it all to the Programme Manager)
− Shared responsibility
− Lying to programme staff about the real deadlines!

16. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

17. How can we turn this around?

Barriers to be overcome:
− What were the reasons for missing the
<Date due to the fund-raiser>
deadline?

Solutions:
− How can we reverse these barriers?

18. Barriers and Solutions (1/2)
Lack of positive feedback Awards for quality and
mechanisms timeliness of reports
Not seen as the PM’s job Motivation by the RD
Inadequate staff numbers Better HR management
Capacity of team Capacity building (Staff
(implementers c.f. selection based on both
writers) skills)
Poor planning Start-up workshop and
information sharing
Inadequate data Tools

19. Barriers and Solutions (2/2)
Weak focus on More feedback to report
organisational learning writers
culture
Lack of clear roles and Reoporting KPIs for
responsibilities Programme Managers
Poor recognition of Respect affiliate
Oxfam affiliate deadlines and factor into
needs/interest in the planning
reporting process
Mind-set/Priority Taking ownership of the
reporting process

20. Overview

Background

Where is our reporting focus?

Is there a problem?

If there is a problem, what is its scope?

What has worked well?

How can we turn this around?

Building an evidence base.

21. Building an evidence base.

Anecdotal evidence from group discussions

A more formal study:
− Underpinned by extraction of data from
CRIMSON on compliance with donor
reporting time-lines;
− Comparing this data with the
achievement of the respective
<Date due to the fund-raiser>; and
− Using this as an evidence base
for policy change.

22. Contact information
Christopher John Wardle
Funding Coordinator for Kenya and Uganda
Mobile: +44 754 764 3944
cwardle@oxfam.org.uk
cjwardle@gmail.com
Online at Skype, Yammer, facebook, twitter, LinkedIn:
<cjwardle>