Remember that these communications are sample templates. You should feel free to discard them and create your own messages or to edit them according to your needs.

Block One

Welcome message to all participants

Dear [XXX]:

Welcome to the M&E for Research Capacity Building Activities Workshop. We are very pleased that you have chosen to join us. Let me introduce myself/ourselves. [Insert introduction of facilitator(s); bio and background].

I would like to start with a quick overview of the workshop, which is divided into three parts – two that are conducted in a distance learning format and one as a face-to-face training. This workshop aims to offer you the tools and skills necessary to monitor and evaluate your Research Capacity Building Activities, starting by developing your understanding of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and building practical know-how to integrate M&E into your work. The workshop dates are:

Block One (distance): [insert dates]

Block Two (face-to-face workshop): [insert duration, dates/location]

Block Three (distance): [insert dates]

We have just started Block One. During this time, we will:

1. Get to know each other

2. Complete a Pre-Workshop Questionnaire.

3. Read through a short M&E case study and answer some multiple-choice questions

4. Prepare data for our individual M&E Framework Projects, which will form the core of our
work during and following the face-to-face training

Although people work at different paces and might need to spend more or less time assembling their M&E data, we suggest that you set aside about [insert approx. hours] hours a week for each week before the face-to-face training.

We will take everything step-by-step, so the first order of business is to introduce ourselves to each other. [Insert information on logging into platform (if using)]. Please do so following these three steps:

1. Complete the Pre-workshop Questionnaire and submit [insert instructions] by [insert date].

2. [email/post] a brief profile, explaining a bit about your background and work and what you hope to get out of the workshop by [insert date].

3. I would also like to compile a contact list of participants that I can share (names and emails). Please authorise us to share your contact details by [insert relevant process here].

I am looking forward to getting to know you over the next few days. I am also [attaching here/posting to the platform] the Participant Guide for the workshop. Please look over it and we will be in touch soon!

Best,

[Facilitator]

Detailed description of the face-to-face training

Dear [XXX]:

As we get started with our workshop, I want to make sure that all of you are aware of the logistical details for Block Two of this workshop – our face-to-face training.

The training will take place during [insert dates] at [insert location]. Your travel arrangements should be complete by now. If for any reason you have not been able to make travel arrangements, please contact us as soon as possible.

You will find an agenda for the training attached here, as well as some logistical information about our location, meals, and transportation. Before arriving, please take some time to review the schedule.

Best,

[Facilitator]

Workshop details and case study

Dear [XXX]:

Now that we have had a chance to get to know each other a bit, we can get started!

I have already asked you to have a brief look over the Participant Guide. Now, I would like to ask you to read through the M&E Case Study [appropriate link or page reference] and to answer the associated multiple-choice questions. I am interested to hear what questions the exercise raises for you. Please complete this exercise by [insert date] so we can discuss your questions.

As you have probably gathered from reading the introduction to the Participant Guide, this workshop is highly participative and hands-on. Your work will be built around creating an M&E Framework for a real research capacity building activity that you will be able to implement. To take full advantage of the face-to-face training, you will need to submit a set of relevant data for this project by [insert date].

Your first task is to select the activity for which you will build the M&E Framework. Again, it should be a research capacity building activity (training, workshop, course, etc.) that you are coordinating or co-coordinating, ideally in the next six months. The M&E Framework constitutes the major project for this course and will be the activity that we use for assessing your participation in the workshop.

Once you have selected the activity, fill out the attached M&E Framework Data Collection Template and return it to me [insert how the participants are to return the form] by [insert date].

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to be in touch.

Best,

[Facilitator]

Reminder to send M&E worksheet and data

Dear [XXX]:

I hope that gathering data for your M&E Framework Project is going well.

As a quick reminder, the Research Capacity Building Activity (training, workshop, course, etc.) that you use for this project should be coming up in the next six months. Remember that we will need your M&E Framework Data Collection Template by [insert date] to prepare for our upcoming training.

If you have any questions, please be in touch.

Best,

[Facilitator]

Final reminder to send M&E worksheet and data

Dear [XXX]:

This is a final reminder for those of you who still need to submit the M&E Framework Data Collection Template. Remember that we will need this data by [insert date] to prepare for our upcoming training.

If you have any questions, please be in touch.

Best,

[Facilitator]

Welcome to the face-to-face training

Dear [XXX]:

Welcome to our M&E for Research Capacity Building training!

I am looking forward to meeting all of you face-to-face tomorrow. As a reminder, we will begin our training at [insert time] at [insert location].

If you have any questions, please be in touch.

Best,

[Facilitator]

Block Three

Reminder of expectations, rubric, and deadlines

Dear [XXX]:

Hello and welcome to Block 3 of the M&E for Research Capacity Building Activities Workshop. As we have already discussed, the next [insert time allowed] should give you adequate time to complete your M&E Framework Projects using the concepts and tools we worked with during the training. Remember that the deadline to submit your Framework is [insert date]. [Insert how to submit details including format].

As you complete your Framework, keep in mind that you can use the rubric to check in on your progress and how well you are meeting the criteria explained in detail there. You can find the rubric in your Participant Guide or here [direct link]. Please contact me if you have questions.

[If you are offering a certificate for this workshop you should include relevant details here.]

I look forward to seeing your frameworks soon!

Best,

[Facilitator]

Reminder of Block 3 Process and Final Course Evaluation

Dear [XXX]:

Thank you for submitting your Final M&E Framework Projects. I am enjoying reading them in detail and will be in touch with you individually with an evaluation and feedback based around the rubric by [insert date].

In the meantime, I would like to hear more from you about your experience in the workshop. To that end, I would ask you all to complete the final workshop evaluation [either attached to email or in the distance learning platform / link] by [insert date]. Your feedback is important to us and will have an impact on how we organise future editions of this workshop.

Thank you!

Best,

[Facilitator]

Farewell

Dear [XXX]:

Thank you for being part of the M&E for Research Capacity Building Activities Workshop. I have enjoyed learning with you and will be in touch soon with feedback on your M&E Framework Project (if I have not already contacted you). [If you are offering certificates you should include relevant information about how/when they will be sent here.]

I wish you the best with your work and hope you will stay in touch and let us know how it develops. I also hope that you will stay in touch with each other and attach a contact list for all the participants in the course who have given permission to share their details.

Best,

[Facilitator]

Individual evaluations

Dear [XXX]:

I include a complete evaluation of your M&E Framework Project here [attached or available via the learning platform]. As you will see, this assessment includes a numerical scoring according to the rubric and comments and suggestions for further developing this framework. If you have any questions about this evaluation or about its application to your research capacity building activity, please do not hesitate to be in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your participation in this workshop and for all your efforts. I hope it will prove useful for you in your work on research capacity building.

Best,

[Facilitator]