Strategic Formative Evaluation of WFP’s Adaptation to the Evolving Partnership Landscape

What worked – or didn’t – and why?

The evaluation found a widening gap between WFP’s strategic vision for its partnerships and its readiness to make that vision a reality. WFP’s ambition, and the systems for achieving it, are most clearly seen where partnerships support resource mobilization and success can be measured through the monetary value of contributions received. There is less clarity regarding how partnerships can leverage additional contributions; support policy engagement, systems change and capacity gains; and generate and share knowledge. 

WFP has made meaningful progress in broadening its partner base and expanding its engagement modalities while also navigating an evolution in its relationships with established partners. As a result, WFP employees are engaging in increasingly complex and high-stakes partnership arrangements that require them to make significant judgments. However, the systems and processes needed to deal effectively with this increasingly complex partnership environment are not yet consistently available across the organization. WFP internal incentives, staffing models, decision-making processes, corporate guidance, decision support mechanisms and reporting systems have not yet caught up with the demands of this new environment and remain largely oriented towards a more transactional and grant-based humanitarian operating model. 

Global partnerships have delivered some significant benefits for national governments and systems in terms of catalyzing additional financing. They have also delivered non-financial benefits for WFP while strengthening WFP’s own funding quality, strategic access and reputation. WFP global partnerships increasingly generate innovation, but information about this benefit is not yet captured or communicated effectively.

What should WFP do?

The evaluation makes three recommendations to WFP: 

1. Secure the future of transformative partnerships by strengthening structures, staff skills and cross-functional collaboration beyond individual champions; 
2. Reinforce the institutional frameworks, guidance and financing mechanisms required for WFP to engage effectively as a strategic partner; 
3. Unlock the full value of WFP’s global partnerships by elevating strategic messaging, storytelling and visibility.