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KPI definition & ToC updates for 2026 Science Programs and Accelerators

James Hammond

Portfolio Performance Unit

Office of the Chief Scientist

10 November 2025

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Overview

  • Requirements and Timeline
  • ToC Tool Updates for 2026
  • The KPIs – definition, operation, and challenges
  • MELIA Studies
  • W3 & Bilateral Projects
  • QA / review of the ToC, KPIs, and PORB
  • Resources
  • Q & A

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Requirements and Timeline

  • The ToCs and the Planning Module are linked to form the PORB
  • The ToC must be updated to account for revised program structure & implementation, including granular KPIs
  • The ToC must be published to send the information to the Planning Module so that the Centres can apply budgets

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ToC Tool Updates for 2026

  • “I” for Indicators Module (Results Framework Module)
  • “M” for MELIA Studies Module
  • “P” for W3/Bilateral Projects
  • Impact Pathways can be customised (“wiggle” button)
  • Intermediate Outcomes can be outside AoWs
  • Improved drag and drop of result nodes
  • Changes to AoW need technical support
  • Requirement to summarise the main changes made and justifications (form here)
  • MELIA FPs can add team members

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ToC Content Updates

General advice for all P/A is to make the ToC as complete as possible, as the information in the ToC flows into various other processes including Planning, Reporting, and Projected Benefits. The data points that flow into other processes include:

  • Result statements – HLOs, Intermediate Outcomes, 2030 Outcomes, Impacts.
  • Indicators and targets – should be present and appropriate for all result nodes.
  • Targets disaggregated by Center (W1/2 funding) and by W3/Bilateral projects
  • Geographies in which results are expected to be achieved
  • Partners and cross-Program collaborations
  • W3/Bilateral mapping to P/A results
  • MELIA studies

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Change Type 

Definition 

Approval 

Examples 

Major 

Changes to P/A structure 

GLT & IPB 

Changes to areas of work. 

Moderate 

Changes to P/A objectives 

OCS 

 

Any change which alters outcome or impact results, indicators, or targets; or changing research questions.  

Minor 

Changes to P/A implementation 

P/A Director, OCS informed 

Changes to HLO targets, geographies, partners, cross-program collaborations, MELIA studies, assumptions, bilateral/W3 project result mapping, or causal logic within the ToC. 

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The KPIs – definition

There is now a requirement for highly granular KPIs which enable a high degree of accountability for the spending of W1/2 funds.

In order to provide the required level of accountability and specificity, each deliverable (within the PODs) must have a KPI.

The KPIs are the mechanism to describe the deliverables prioritized by P/A leadership. They will form the basis for creation of the Plan of results and Budget (PORB) and the basis for reporting of outputs at the year end.

All the information required for the KPIs should be in the original submissions of deliverables and PODs received by P/As.

Outcomes and Impacts do not require KPIs at this stage.

The KPI is composed of:

  • A short statement drawn from the deliverable short name and the description of the thing being measured
  • The standard indicator type (e.g. knowledge product, innovation development, capacity sharing, other)
  • The unit of measure (e.g. number of journal articles published, number of trainees, number of workshops held with partners)
  • The target value for 2026 (zero values are not permitted, see section 5b below)
  • The locations of work
  • The responsible Center (or Centers)
  • Partners who will receive W1/2 funds

Together, this information should fulfil the SMART criteria – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timebound.

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The KPIs –operation

KPIs are inputted to the ToC via the Indicators Module

KPIs should be inputted at Output Level, and linked to the related HLOs

Responsible Centers MUST be identified

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This short video demonstrates how to input deliverable KPIs into your 2026 ToC

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The KPIs – challenges

  • Existing HLO information on longer term planning is obscured by KPIs
    • Either delete or enter no value for 2026
    • We will improve this before Re-plan, and support a revised target setting exercise
  • Work which will not achieve the result within the planning year
    • Targets of Zero are not allowed
    • Set target for an “Interim Result” or Other Output -> Progress Report, and state what will be achieved.
  • Centres collaborate on a KPI but with different targets
    • Enter a row for each Centre, or a new KPI if they have different Indicator types
  • Bugs in the ToC
    • Sometimes inputted information is not visible in the Indicators module but visible in the excel download.
    • Contact us direct or on teams

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MELIA Studies

At a minimum, the MELIA studies proposed for 2026 must be listed in the ToC, and linked to the relevant outcome or impact in order to assign budgets in the planning Module.

Rules have been set as to which result level specific MELIA studies can provide evidence for. In most cases, this means that MELIA studies cannot be used to provide evidence for the achievement of Outputs (or HLOs), but can be used to provide evidence of Outcomes or Impacts. Note that the written report from a MELIA study may still also be submitted as a knowledge product.

  • MELIA studies should be added using the “M” module
  • And then added within the relevant Outcome or Impact Result Node

Reviews of the inception report MELIA plans showed that in most cases

  • Programmatic impact was inadequately supported by MELIA studies
  • MELIA studies were typically underfunded.
  • Roles and FTEs for MELIA staff were poorly defined

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W3 & Bilateral Projects

Final agreed W3/bilats were added to the ToC tool last week, but some tweaks are still underway

It is desirable the align projects to specific results in the ToC

Targets (KPIs) are not required per W3/bilat but are allowed

The next round of w3/bilat project mapping will be in Q2 2026 and apply to 2027

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QA / review of the ToC, KPIs, and PORB

  • Immediate QA planned to review KPIs, PORBs, and ToCs, 17-21st Nov
  • Longer term QA planned to review ToC quality, targets, and MELIA Plans, Dec – Feb
  • Other inputs will be received (e.g. Evaluability Assessment reports) and ToC Tool updated
  • Finalised PORBs and ToCs for 2026 to be submitted during replan / adaptive management window Mar-May 2026

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Resources

ToC 2026 Full Guidance Document (includes KPI guidance)

KPI Creation Video

ToC “changes and justification” form

Support: James Hammond, Hugo Andrieu, Enrico Bonaiuti, Moayad Al-Najdawi.

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  • PRMS Planning Module v2 l here  
  • PRMS Planning Module User Guide l here 
  • Performance & Results Hub 2026 Planning page l here 
  • Standard CGIAR Output Indicator Categories l here 
  • W3/Bilateral dashboard l here 
  • Program and Accelerator Theory of Change (ToC) and MELIA Planning Update Guidance for 2026 l here 
  • Risk Management Guidance for Programs and Accelerators l PDF 
  • Risk Management Module User Guide l PDF 
  • Information sessions Risk Management l Slide deck l Meeting recording 
  • Risk Management Module https://risk.cgiar.org/
  • ISDC Review of 2025-2030 Research and Innovation Inception Reports l PDF 

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Q & A

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