by 
Larry Dershem, Evaluation Team Leader 
Maya Komakhidze, Researcher
Mariam Berianidze, Junior Researcher
October 2020
This publication was produced at the request of the PC/Georgia and through the financial support of the United 
States Agency for International Development (USAID) Small Project Assistance (SPA) Program. It was prepared 
independently by PMCG’s staff Larry Dershem, Maya Komakhidze, and Mariam Berianidze. 
This report is made possible by the support of the American people through USAID. The authors’ views expressed 
in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
EVALUATION 
 
Retrospective Impact Evaluation of Peace Corps’ Small 
Projects Assistance (SPA) Program in Georgia
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Photo on the cover
Photo credits
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Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
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List of Photos
ACRONYMS
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Page 1
1. Executive Summary
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2. Introduction
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3. Background
USAID/Peace Corps – Georgia
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Peace Corps-Georgia’s Small Project Assistance (SPA) Program
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Types of PCVs Implementing SPA Projects
SPA Project Guidelines
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4. Evaluation’s Purpose, Approach & Methods
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5. SPA Project Characteristics & Trends
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11 https://www.peacecorps.gov/stories/7-reasons-peace-corps-volunteers-make-the-best-startup-workers/
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Figure 1: Number of SPA Projects and # of PCVs from 2010 to 2019*
Figure 2: Total Annual SPA Grants by EE and IOD-PCV Projects from 2010 to 2019.
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Figure 3: Average SPA Grant in Constant Dollar Value for EE-PCV and IOD-PCV Projects from 2010 to 2019 
(2010 base year)
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Figure 4: Average SPA Budget for EE-PCV Project in 2010 Constant Dollars by Sources $ (N=165)
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Total Project Budget
Community in-kind 25% of threshold for 
community contribution
Community cash
3
rd Party Contribution
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Figure 5: Average SPA Budget for IOD-PCV Project in 2010 Constant Dollars by Sources (N=105).
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Figure 6: Average Percentage of Expenditures in Nominal Dollars from SPA Grant Funds from 2010 to
2019.*
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Figure 7: Number of EE-PCV and IOD-PCV Projects by Geographic Coverage.
Figure 8: Number of SPA Projects Implemented in Regions of Georgia from 2010 to 2019 (N=273).
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Table 1: EE- and IOD-PCV SPA Projects by Sector from 2010 to 2019.
SPA Project Sectors
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Figure 9: Median # of Weeks for EE-PCV and IOD-PCV SPA Projects by Year (N=270).*
Figure 10: Length of SPA Projects (median # of weeks) by Sector (N=273).
SPA Project Sectors (cont.)
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Table 2: Number of Beneficiaries of EE-PCV Projects (N=165).
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Table 3: Number of Beneficiaries of IOD-PCV Projects (N=105).
Table 4: Number of Beneficiaries of R-PCV Projects (N=3).
Table 5: Cost Per Beneficiary by Program in Nominal and Constant Dollars.
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Table 6: Ratio of Total SPA Grant Funds to Community Contribution.
6. Qualitative Assessment of Performance
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Figure 11: Evaluation Rubric to Assess and Rate SPA Project Performance. 
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Figure 12: Percentage of SPA Projects by Evaluation Rubric Categories (N=273).
Figure 13: Proportion of EE-PCV Projects by Evaluation Rubric Rating from 2010 to 2019 (N=165).
Figure 14: Proportion of IOD-PCV Projects by Evaluation Rubric Rating from 2010 to 2019 (N=105).
11.4
57.9
22.3
8.5 8.4
67.9
20.6
3
16.2
42.9
25.7
15.2
0
33.3
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66.7
Poor Adequate Good Excellent
Total projects (273) EE PCV projects (165) IOD PCV projects (105) RPCV projects (3)
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Necessity & Sufficiency Example
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Figure 15: SPA Program’s Theory of Change (Evaluator’s developed model)
Table 7: Factors Identified by Stakeholders as Influential to Project Success
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Table 8: Crisp Data Set Used for Necessity and Sufficiency Analysis
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Figure 16: QCA Crisp-Set Raw Data Matrix
Table 9: Analysis of Necessary Conditions
Case START LENGTH ADM SUPP NEED TRAINER CBCORE INCENT YOUTH FOLLACT OUTCOME
Project 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Project 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1
Project 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
Project 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
Project 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
Project 6 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Project 7 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1
Project 8 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1
Project 9 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0
Project 10 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
Project 11 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Project 12 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
Project 13 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Project 14 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
Project 15 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Project 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
Project 17 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0
Project 18 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
Project 19 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1
Project 20 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1
Project 21 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0
Project 22 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
Project 23 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0
Project 24 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Project 25 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
Project 26 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Project 27 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Project 28 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Project 29 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1
Project 30 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
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Table 10: Complex to Simple (Sufficient) Pathways to Success
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Figure 17: Combined Factors Related to Increased Likelihood of a Successful SPA Project.
Process Tracing of the Necessary & Sufficient Factors – Case Studies
Case 1: Rubric Rating “Excellent” – SPA Project, SELF CAMP, West Georgia – SELF 
Camp (Self Esteem and Leadership Through Fitness)
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Case 2; Rubric Rating “Excellent” – SPA Project, Increasing the Awareness and 
Engagement of Kutaisi’s Youth, Imereti, 2019
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Case 3: Rubric Rating “Excellent” – Khobi Tech Training Room, Samegrelo, 2016
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Case 4: Rubric Rating “Poor” – Samtredia Community Resource Center, Imereti, 2015
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Examining the Sufficient Pathways to NON-success
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Table 11: Complex to Simple (Sufficient) Pathways to NON-Success
Figure 18: Combined Factors Related to Increased Likelihood of an Unsuccessful SPA Project.
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7. Findings for Cross-Cutting Issues
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Volunteer Roles
Table 12: Percentage of SPA Projects by PCVs’ Roles.
Gender Issues
Female PCVs and Georgian social norms
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Parents’ concerns regarding mixed-gender camps
Stereotypes regarding sports 
Positive Unintended Outcomes/Impacts
Invited to be local government advisor
Broad community use of training materials 
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Amplifying PCV’s assignment
Increased teacher/student bonding
Negative Unintended Outcomes/Impacts
“Cash Cow” Expectations of SPA Program
Hesitancy to host another PCV
Marginalized community members and groups
View of PCVs in the online survey
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Inclusion by broad outreach
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Confidentiality of marginalized status
Outreach via marginalized community member
Local knowledge to identify marginalized groups
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Engaging marginalized communities may incur additional costs
Being respectful to encourage participation
8. Four Key Evaluation Questions Answered
To what extent did SPA projects address community-identified priorities?
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2. To what extent were the SPA projects designed and implemented with community 
involvement?
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To what extent have SPA projects achieved their expected results?
4. How has the work of the Volunteer and SPA project-partners increased the capacity of 
local communities and/or organizations to carry out low-cost, grassroots sustainable 
development?
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Table 13: Delivery of Capacity Building in the SPA Projects
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Table 14: Capacity-Building Delivered to Individuals and Service Providers by EE-PCV Projects from 2014 
to 2019 (N=98)*
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Table 15: Capacity-Building Delivered to Individuals and Service Providers IOD-PCV Projects from 2014 to 
2019 (N=68)*
Table 16: Capacity-Building Delivered to Individuals and Service Providers by R-PCV Projects in 2016, 2017, 
and 2019 (N=3)
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9. Recommendations
1. Relevance & Appropriateness
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2. Efficiency
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3. Effects & Sustainability
4. Post Project
5. Additional Recommendations
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10. References
http://www.eba.se/
https://www.qca-addin.net
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Annex 1: Conflict of Interest Statement
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Annex 2: Evaluation Statement of Work
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Annex 3: Description of the Evaluation Design and Methods
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Annex 4: Data Collection Tools
1. Focus Group Discussion Guide for SPA Committee Members
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2. Interview Guide for PCVs
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3. Interview Guide for PCV Counterparts
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4. Interview Guide for previous SPA Coordinators
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5. Interview Guide for USAID (donor) Representative
6. Interview Guide for PCVs / Counterpart involved in Camp Projects
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7. PCV Online Survey Questionnaire
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Annex 5: Information and Data Sources