CoLABOR was selected to carry out an evaluation of the Local Social Development Contracts (CLDS) program, promoted by the Agency for Development and Cohesion, IP (AD&C), within the scope of the Portugal 2030 Global Evaluation Plan.
Local Development Strategies (CLDS) constitute an important public policy instrument for promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and social exclusion, and strengthening territorial cohesion, through community-based interventions developed in partnership with local actors.
The evaluation will focus on the most recent generations of the CLDS program (4G and 5G), covering the Portugal 2020 and Portugal 2030 programming periods, with the aim of analyzing the results achieved, the impacts produced in the territories and target populations, as well as identifying success factors and opportunities for improvement.
This study will allow for a deeper understanding of the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the interventions developed within the framework of the CLDS (Local Development Support Programs), as well as an assessment of the extent to which the observed results and transformations are enhanced by funding from European Funds. The evaluation will contribute to the production of evidence to support decision-making and the improvement of public policies for social inclusion.
Using an approach based on the triangulation of sources and methods, CoLABOR will work closely with the entities involved, promoting the collection and analysis of information from the various stakeholders and beneficiaries of the measures.
The completion of this study reinforces CoLABOR's position in the area of evaluating public policies and programs funded by European funds, consolidating its commitment to producing rigorous and socially relevant scientific knowledge for the development of more effective, inclusive, and sustainable policies.