Establishing a monitoring and evaluation system for SMILO
Supporting sustainable governance of small islands
SMILO (Small Islands Organisation) is an international organization dedicated to supporting small islands in achieving sustainable management of their territories. Its work is centered on the "Sustainable Island" label, which promotes integrated local initiatives in governance, environmental protection, and human development.
In a context of network expansion and strategic structuring by 2030, SMILO sought to strengthen its management tools to better track the actions supported on its member islands.
The project’s challenges
The project aimed to provide SMILO with a coherent, operational, and shared monitoring and evaluation system capable of:
- supporting the strategic management of actions funded by the Islands Fund;
- strengthening support for local stakeholders, particularly insular civil society organizations;
- improving the clarity of results and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 14 (Life below water) and SDG 5 (Gender equality);
- encouraging collective learning and capitalization of experiences within the SMILO network.
Arko Consulting’s approach
Arko Consulting supported SMILO through a progressive and participatory process, centered on co-constructing tools with the association’s teams and their insular partners.
The approach combined:
- an in-depth analysis of existing practices and SMILO’s specific needs;
- structuring a monitoring and evaluation framework tailored to insular realities and the labeling process;
- developing simple tools for data collection, analysis, and reporting;
- a strong pedagogical focus, including the creation of a manual and training modules for field actors.
This method ensured the system was grounded in users’ real practices while aligning with the organization’s governance and overall strategy.
Results and contributions
The project enabled SMILO to implement a structured, scalable, and partner-friendly monitoring and evaluation system.
Today, it contributes to:
- more effective management of supported actions on the islands;
- better tracking of progress under the "Sustainable Island" label;
- strengthened local capacities in monitoring, analysis, and continuous improvement;
- enhanced visibility of the impacts of actions with institutional and financial partners.
A reference project
This mission highlights Arko Consulting’s expertise in supporting international organizations facing complex, multi-stakeholder contexts. It underscores the importance of monitoring and evaluation systems designed as true governance tools, serving impact, learning, and the sustainability of actions.
