The Research Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) programme has been contributing to the organisational learning environment by providing results through its monitoring, assessments and research mechanisms. The programme has not only been facilitating the management in identification of the strategic issues but has also been supporting in devising coping strategies to tackle the issues. The RME programme has been documenting, interpreting and disseminating the SUNGI’s experiences in the field of advocacy and development through its two major components the Recording and Information System (R&IS) and Research and Creativity (R&C) section.

The R&IS component has provided extensive facilitation in fine-tuning the SUNGI’s Strategic Plan (SSP, 4 year funding proposals). The section has facilitated the programmes in the preparation of their work-plans and budgets. The SSP has been circulated to the existing and potential donors for comments. The section drafted two six monthly reports, quarterly programmatic monitors and updates. It has facilitated an assessment study on less functional VCs in Batagram zone. In this study quantitative and qualitative aspects of the field realities have been analysed and forward to the management along with the guiding recommendation. The R&IS section has constantly reviewed the organisational monitoring systems in order to strengthen the key areas of research and assessment. The programme progress data from zones have been regularly collected and updated in a database at RME section. Monitoring visits have been conducted to zones for supporting learning and sharing of the programmatic achievements.

RME’s Research and Creativity (R&C) section has been actively involved in the analysis and documentation of the organisational experiences. The R&C component published a book titled - voices of the marginalised containing - a gist of SUNGI's engagement in advocacy and development. It comprises of sixteen thematic and field research papers written over the last many years. The main theme of the book has been reflecting the SUNGI's experiences in the field of advocacy and development. The R&C-section has initiated operational research studies on assessment of the impacts of the development initiatives on the reduction of poverty and factors affecting the accessibility of the poorest to the credit facility of SUNGI. The section has documented a study on the assessment of the community’s management skills.

The research section has facilitated the management in the documentation of Dadar disaster situation analysis for envisaging the ground realities. The section drafted SUNGI’s annual progress report 2000, analysed the programme case studies. It has initiated activities in addressing gender issues in programme areas with special reference to domestic violence against women in education and health. The research section has extended major facilitation in the analysis organisational decentralisation process and drafting of a report.