The UK Integrated Security Fund (ISF) is a government-wide fund that addresses the highest-priority threats to UK national security, at home and abroad.
The ISF takes a whole-of-government approach to finding creative solutions to the most complex national security challenges. The Fund delivers a range of programmes, many of which are in volatile and challenging environments.
Itad is leading, in partnership with First Call Partners, a three-year contract to support the ISF to better manage results and understand the impact of ISF programming at the Fund level. We are doing this through strengthening the Fund’s overarching MEL system, enhancing the use of evidence in decision-making, and building lasting MEL capacity within the network.
Our role
Our work centres on three workstreams: i) we are delivering independent evaluation and synthesis at the Fund level; ii) we are providing technical advice to support existing Fund-wide MEL systems; and iii) we are strengthening the capability of ISF staff to use evidence for decision making.
We take a partnership-based approach to delivery, supporting ISF staff to better manage results and understand the impact of ISF programming at the Fund level.
Our approach builds on Itad’s 10 years of experience providing MEL support to the ISF (and its predecessor CSSF) across the globe.
Find out more about our work on ISF
Our methods & approaches
We employ a combination of practical, evidence-driven approaches that focus on both strengthening internal systems and enhancing broader learning. We do this by:
Strengthening Fund-level monitoring and reporting
We work closely with the ISF portfolio to develop robust MEL tools that track programme effectiveness and outcomes. This includes improving monitoring frameworks and ensuring that evidence is continually used to adapt and optimise interventions, as well as supporting ISFU to better monitor and report on Fund performance.
Designing and delivering global evidence products
Our team creates high-quality global evidence products that provide insights into the effectiveness of ISF interventions. These support decision-makers across the Fund to understand the impact of their investments and make evidence-based choices for future programming.
Building MEL capacity and promoting evidence use
To ensure sustainable impact, we focus on building MEL capacity within the ISF network. This involves delivering tailored training and mentoring alongside developing tools to enable teams to effectively use evidence in decision-making processes.
Employing a responsive and adaptive approach
Throughout the process, we remain responsive to the evolving context and needs of the ISF portfolio. By listening to feedback and adapting our approach, we ensure that our solutions remain relevant and effective.
We combine technical expertise with a focus on practical, user-friendly tools and systems and work in partnership with the Fund to strengthen the ISF’s ability to monitor, evaluate and use evidence effectively across all its projects.
Outcomes and impact
Our support to ISF is focused on:
- Strengthening the MEL system by developing and implementing robust MEL frameworks that track programme effectiveness and support adaptive decision-making.
- Enhancing evidence use by generating robust, timely evidence and help decision-makers across the ISF engage with and apply evidence to maximise the value of their investments.
- Improving MEL capacity within the ISF network to create a long-term shift towards more evidence-informed programming.
These efforts will lead to a more effective and adaptive approach to development programming, contributing to better outcomes across the ISF portfolio.
The broader impact will also be reflected in the way these strengthened systems and capacities inform best practices in MEL, setting a foundation for broader sectoral impact and contributing to the wider development community’s learning.
