INTL 640 Gender Analysis in Development Planning        Spring 2009

Professor Anita M. Weiss

                                          Assignments

Students are responsible for three interrelated assignments

I. Preliminary Mapping Project

For Wednesday, April 8^th, identify an issue that you ascertain is crucial for the global empowerment of women, and write a 2-page review of why you have selected this issue. This is to be a very practical, realistic task. It should also be something that deeply interests you. Following our discussion of these issues, you will then conduct a preliminary mapping of those organizations in Lane County that share your concerns. Presumably, these will be NGOs, though for some of your interests you may determine that it is important to include other groups as well. The mapping, designed to be an individual exercise, is due in two parts: i) on April 15^th, be prepared to discuss what you have already completed. At this time, we may identify prospective project partners (two per group; three in one group if the seminar has an uneven number of participants); and ii) final mapping is due on April 22^nd.

II. Group Project 

The goal is to develop a fundable Project Proposal (PP). Based on the kind of project you select, student partners will determine their project details. It is preferable to develop a generic project that will have applications in different countries and provide examples of generalizable significance (this seems to be the thrust of many donor agencies these days), but you may make your project comparative, country or region specific if your partner agrees.

For the project, we will use the USAID format for an RFA (Request for Applications), also often referred to as a Project Design (or formerly a PID, Project Identification Document), bearing in mind that different donor agencies use various terminologies and formats for this kind of initial document (consult sample RFAs for further clarification). For this assignment, you are to:

      i. Develop a "Project Purpose" (maximum 480 characters);

ii. Divide your PP into three sections: (1) Program Factors/Perceived Global and Theoretical problem; (2) Project Description; and (3) Factors Affecting Project Selection and Further Development.. To write this PP effectively, you will need to assess:

1. Program Factors/Perceived Global and Theoretical problem: when this is a formal response to an RFA developed for USAID for a specific country, it would include a subsection on the recipient country's development strategy and programs, as well as a subsection dealing with the relationship of the proposed project to the USAID Country Development Strategy Statement (CDSS). For our purposes, you are to address the program factors in an ideal sense: how does your project address and bring in current views on development strategies (such as those agreed upon in the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW, or other reports) to promote women's empowerment?

 2. Key components in project description: what major issue is at the heart of your concern; where might the project be developed and why; who might be involved, why, and how they might be involved; what tools can best be used to evaluate the project design, proposal and implementation?

3. Factors Affecting Project Selection and Further Development. how (based on what criteria) will partner organizations be selected, and related matters.

Other points to include:

            i.      a component affirming how this project intrinsically incorporates gender analysis;

            ii.     what data need to be collected to address the project needs, and how you propose to do so;

            iii.    what methods should be employed to obtain and analyze the gathered information;

            iv.    what methods should be employed to develop appropriate strategies and goals for the project;

            v.     what is the likely impact of this project? how will it change people's lives, and what is the likelihood that its activities can be sustained and/or replicated by the beneficiaries, local organizations, and government(s) after the project ends?

            vi.    estimate a realistic time-line and, as far as you can ascertain, realistic funding guidelines and associated requirements for the project's implementation;

            vii.   create a series of evaluation methods for use during the project period, as well as to ascertain its effectiveness at its conclusion. Bear in mind that these should also include a component to evaluate the project's effectiveness in empowering women.

We will address each of the above only when students assess they warrant further discussion. All PPs are due on the day they are presented. We will determine in class, as a group, how many copies you are to submit. Presentations based on the PPs will be made in class May 20^th and May 27^th.

III. Final assignment

Return to those organizations you had initially contacted in the preliminary mapping stage, and provide them with a copy of your final Project Proposal. Follow through on international connections you may have made in the course of the mapping or Project Proposal development stages, and ask for feedback from practitioners (if possible). Finally, investigate so you can identify any three bilateral and/or multilateral donor agencies that fund the kind of project for which you wrote the Project Proposal. Plan to send revised copies (after Professor Weiss gives you feedback) to them! Write up a brief report on how you distributed and intend to further distribute your PP.

This final assignment is due no later than Monday, June 8^th (the first day of finals week). If your PP is presented May 20^th, you might want to submit it sooner so the other seminar participants can learn what you intend to do as well.