Donors are increasingly using portfolio-based programmes that embrace ‘good failure’ and adaptive, political programming. But measuring their impact is challenging. One such example is that of the Indonesian government’s National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction and the Poverty Reduction Support Facility (PRSF) that was set up to support it. The programme is widely regarded as a success, but how this success was achieved is far less clear.

Based on a case study of the PRSF, this paper aims to increase knowledge and understanding of how the impact of certain types of portfolio-based programmes – especially those working on policy influence and building country systems – can be evaluated.