Best Practices - Monitoring, Evaluation, Knowledge, and Adaptive Management

The GFCR follows adaptive management approaches and works to openly share results, lessons learned, and other information through the GFCR M&E and knowledge management systems.

Adaptive Management can be defined as “a systematic approach for improving resource management by learning from management outcomes.” It begins with an understanding that learning is necessary for achieving long-term success and that we are not starting with all the required information. It is based on a feedback system where information generated during implementation is rapidly fed back into the decision-making process and program design and implementation. 

The GFCR Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) system plays a key role in adaptive management by identifying and assuring the collection, analysis and sharing of key performance indicators (KPIs) that provide decision-makers and planners with an understanding of progress towards desired outcomes including the link between activities, outputs, and ultimately outcomes. The M&E system also feeds into the GFCR annual reporting system and thus into the Knowledge Management Ecosystem – REEF+.

Together, these three functions: M&E, Knowledge Management, and Reporting are an integrated information-generating, processing, and sharing system that seeks to continuously refine the GFCR’s initiatives and strategy to achieve both the desired four GFCR Outcomes from its theory of change and share lessons learned with the broader coral reef community so that gains can be replicated and scaled. Knowledge generated will be shared via the GFCRs websites, through presentations at conferences, written reports and articles, webinars, and other forms of media and communication. 

You can access more GFCR Investment Principles' best practices here.
The full document covering all the best practice series can be downloaded from here: GFCR Best Practice General Principles 2022.pdf.