This article describes how the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) has attempted to ensure that their results are measured not only in terms of immediate tangible products but also in what it argues are equally or more important, longer term, less tangible results, such as building social capital.
The article describes in some detail the conceptual tool developed by the Foundation for this purpose, which is called the Grassroots Development Framework or 'cone.' Case studies are given from pilot tests of the Framework which reveal how it use can show a Project in a very differemt light to traditional evaluation procedures.
In spite of some shortcomings that are outlined in the article, the author believes that the Framework is revealing its potential in that it is spreading to other countries and organisations who are also keen to look beyond immediate results in evaluating their development efforts.