Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Development Projects in Ethiopia: The Case of GOAL Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was necessitated by the fact that past models of development program interventions need to be gaged in the achievement of their impacts beyond the level of project periods through validating key determinants of sustainability. This was guided by five objectives that aims towards establishing whether community participation, better M&E schemes, full-fledged exit strategies and comprehensive fund development contributed to a more sustainable projects. Review of relevant literature revealed that development projects in general have a poor track record of sustaining their impact socially, economically and environmentally. The literature review revealed that project management competencies and practices such as the M&E system, project implementation and exiting strategies, the fund development and management system and stakeholder management play quite significant role in sustaining project impact. Hypothesizing on such factors, the research adopted both descriptive and explanatory research design employing questionnaire and key informant interview as the primary data collection tools. The study employ mainly a quantitative data analysis method complemented by qualitative data analysis technique. Twenty-two respondents from the sample size of nine projects of four program areas of GOAL Ethiopia, the case in point, have responded to the questionnaire and KII’s with five program management staffs were conducted. The findings indicate that hypothesized variables such as community participation, M&E system and practices, exit strategies and the way project developed and manage funds could significantly contribute to the sustainability of development projects. In order to achieve sustainable development projects, there has to be a correlation and a chain of connectivity of various aspects and indicators. This study, therefore, concludes that community participation, management practices, exit strategies and fund development are all factors that positively influence the sustainability of donor funded development projects. However, the correlation can only justify the 76.2% of factors that contribute to the sustainability of development projects. It is, therefore, recommended that there be further studies to understand other factors (variables) that explain the 23.8% of variance.