"The NRF must continually demonstrate the relevance and value of its activities and the judicious use of the public funds entrusted to it. The organisation recognises the demands for greater accountability in the way it conducts its affairs for the sake of those who govern and fund it and for the sake of those it serves. The continuous and critical assessment of the performance of the NRF and of those supported by the organisation is a key competency. The responsibility for these two divergent assessment functions is vested in the Evaluation Centre."

"The advent of the IDEAS, a voluntary, charitable membership based organization, is timely. A new development consensus has emerged, focused on sustained poverty reduction driven by economic growth; the removal of social and structural constraints to economic and human development; reforms that are owned by those who must carry them out; and an intent, especially in the public sector, to manage for results and measure for performance. In parallel, citizens in developing and developed countries alike, expect more efficient, more accountable and more transparent government and public sector programs and projects that have measurably greater development effectiveness than hitherto. Thus there is need to renew old and established evaluation mechanisms to help deliver results to ensure accountability and learn from mistakes."