We undertake evaluations, assessments and support effective monitoring and evaluation for WASH programs and wider sector monitoring systems.
View our projects
Partnerships for a Resilient and Climate Smart Water Sector Program
PROJECT | 2022-2024
ISF was commissioned by the Australian Water Association (AWA) to develop a Theory of Change (ToC) and a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework for their partnership program. This initiative aimed to build climate-resilient water utilities and associations in the Asia Pacific region.
The partnership program involved eight international utilities from Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vietnam, and Indonesia; four associations from Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Pacific; and eight Australian water utilities. The MEL report was informed by comprehensive data collection, including 162 short surveys before and after study tours, 36 micronarrative survey check-ins, 25 most significant change interviews, three case studies, and nine semi-structured interviews at the start of the program.
The report encompasses a range of insights and recommendations, featuring co-created responses that were collaboratively developed with the stakeholders involved in the program.
Research outputs
AWA Climate Resilient Partnerships MEL Report (2024) (Report)
Selecting options for water and sanitation technologies in health-care facilities
PROJECT | 2023-2024
ISF was commissioned by the World Health Organisation to develop guidance on selection of appropriate water and sanitation technology options for health-care facilities in the Western Pacific Region.
Research outputs
Water and sanitation technologies for health-care facilities: selecting options for adoption and scale-up in the Western Pacific Region (2024) (Guidance)
Self-supply water services in Asia and the Pacific
PROJECT | 2021-2023
ISF, in partnership UNICEF (EAPRO and ROSA), developed 21 country factsheets providing an overview of self-supplied water services across Asia and the Pacific.
Research outputs
Self-supply in Asia and the Pacific Country Profiles (2022)
You can also access the individual country profiles here
Multi-stakeholder platforms and mutual accountability in WASH
PROJECT | 2021-2022
ISF, in partnership with SWA country partners, reviewed multi-stakeholder platforms and mutual accountability across five countries.
Research outputs
Strengthening multi-stakeholder engagement and mutual accountability in water, sanitation and hygiene: Cross-country synthesis (2022) (Report)
Monitoring safely managed services Water for Women Learning Agenda
PROJECT | 2021-2022
ISF is coordinating an activity to reflect on and compile case studies concerning monitoring safely managed water and sanitation services.
Research outputs
Monitoring Safely Managed Water and Sanitation Services - Lessons from Water for Women (2022) (Website)
Mutual accountability in multi-stakeholder partnerships in WASH
PROJECT | 2020-2021
ISF co-led research on Sanitation and Water for All (SWA)’s Mutual Accountability Mechanism (MAM).
WASH and COVID-19
PROJECT | 2020
ISF collaborated with other sector professionals globally on a publication discussing links between WASH and COVID-19.
Research outputs
COVID-19: Urgent actions, critical reflections and future relevance of ‘WaSH’: Lessons for the current and future pandemics (2020) (Journal Paper)
Global water, sanitation and hygiene research priorities and learning challenges under Sustainable Development Goal 6
PROJECT | 2019
ISF contributed to efforts of the Sanitation and Water for All to develop a global research agenda for SDG 6.
Independent review of the Water and Sanitation Hibah schemes
PROJECT | 2018-2019
Incentivising local government and their water supply or sewerage companies to invest and add new household connections to water supply and sewerage is much needed to expand services.
Evaluation of WaterCredit Project, India
PROJECT | 2018-2019
Microfinance is a key pathway to support access to WASH services.
Learning for impact in WASH programming: how civil society organisations learn
PROJECT | 2015-2016
ISF undertook this research for the CS WASH Fund.
WASH access and indicator maps
PROJECT | 2011
ISF collated information for 52 countries from a range of global databases and presented it in a series of regional maps.
WASH sector briefing papers
PROJECT | 2011
ISF developed briefing papers for 20 countries.
ISF organises international WASH conferences
PROJECT | 2008, 2011
ISF researchers co-organised international conferences.
Independent review of Indonesia World Bank Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program and policy facility
PROJECT | 2012-2013
ISF led the independent review of PAMSIMAS and WASPOLA.
Independent review of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program
PROJECT | 2012
ISF conducted an independent review of BESIK 2 in Timor-Leste.
Promoting learning in civil society WASH programming
PROJECT | 2010-2011
ISF worked with WaterAid to design, deliver and document three learning events.
Independent evaluation of the Civil Society WASH Fund
PROJECT | 2009-2012
ISF led two independent reviews of AusAID's Civil Society WASH Fund.
NGO partnerships in the WASH sector
PROJECT | 2008-2011
Together with the International Water Centre, ISF investigated NGO partnerships.