FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why DARA?
DARA promotes a culture of evaluation and learning in the humanitarian action and international development fields in order to contribute to the global effort to alleviate human suffering and reduce poverty.
DARA’s main goals are to improve the effectiveness of aid, humanitarian action and mechanisms for quality, accountability and learning, as well as to promote the practice of evaluation as a useful tool for the purposes of humanitarian aid.
DARA also supports the participation and empowerment of citizens, proposing alternatives that combine the different points of view of the stakeholders in the processes in which DARA participates.
How does DARA work?
DARA’s work is based on three core principles: First of all, action should be geared toward improving the situation of local populations; secondly, actions are based on demand; and finally, the direct consequences of DARA’s work should be results-oriented. DARA supports the empowerment of affected populations so that they can take an active role in the resolution of their problems.
DARA works with highly skilled professionals who have held senior positions in post-conflict and emergencies environments and who have acquired significant experience in the development and humanitarian sectors. DARA serves a broad range of commissioners from both the public and private sectors, including international organisations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, as well as from non-governmental organisations.
Where does DARA work?
DARA is based in Madrid, but also works in developing countries, conflict areas, and wherever humanitarian assistance is needed. DARA has two supporting offices in Brussels and Washington, DC.
What is DARA’s added value?
DARA is a full member of ALNAP (Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action) and works with highly skilled professionals.
Since its establishment, DARA has acquired extensive experience in the evaluation of development and humanitarian action projects and programmes, which has allowed us to work for the United Nations, the European Commission, the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, and several non-governmental organisations.
Perhaps the most significant of DARA’s evaluations and studies was our participation in the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition in 2006. DARA was the only Spanish organization to participate in this process.
Our creation of the Humanitarian Response Index, whose methodology included conducting more than 1,000 surveys in the field and in headquarters, is another important imitative. Through the HRI, DARA has contributed to raising awareness of the Principles of Good Humanitarian Donorship in very diverse fields.
The principles that guide DARA’s actions are based on local demand in order to respond appropriately to the needs of affected people and improve their quality of life. In this sense, DARA promotes the empowerment of affected people and the active participation of all parties involved in the processes.
How is DARA funded?
DARA is a non profit organisation with a variety of funding sources. The majority of its funding comes from the professional work carried out by the foundation, the evaluations and technical assistance DARA provides for public and private clients.
DARA actively participates in public biddings to conduct evaluations and/or technical assistance projects on a national and international level (Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and other bilateral agencies, the European Commission, United Nations agencies and other multilateral organisations, regional development banks and international and national NGOs).
This income allows DARA to move toward economic sustainability, in addition to financing other activities that by definition are not profitable on their own, such as research projects, and the translation to Spanish, publication and circulation of reports, guides and manuals related to the evaluation of development and humanitarian aid.