Resource
M&E Indicator Bank — Thematic Areas
A curated indicator library organized by thematic area: livelihoods, health, financial inclusion, governance, and climate. Includes SMART criteria notes, disaggregation options, and suggested baseline targets.
Context tags indicate reporting alignment or funder familiarity; they do not imply donor endorsement.
About this indicator bank
This reference library provides curated indicators organised by thematic area. Each entry includes a definition, disaggregation options, SMART criteria notes, and typical data sources.
Use this bank to shortlist candidate indicators during log-frame or results framework design. Verify baseline data availability for your specific context before finalising.
Thematic Area 1: Livelihoods and Economic Wellbeing
| Indicator | Unit | Disaggregation | Typical data source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income (monthly, PPP-adjusted) | KES / USD | Sex of HH head, wealth quintile, geography | Household survey |
| Proportion of HH above national poverty line | % | Sex of HH head, rural/urban | Household survey |
| Livelihood diversification index (number of income sources) | Score 1–5 | Sex of HH head, age group | Household survey |
| Employment-to-population ratio (15–64 years) | % | Sex, age band, geography | Labour force survey |
| Proportion of youth (15–24) in formal employment | % | Sex, education level | Labour force / tracer study |
| Business survival rate at 12 months (programme-supported) | % | Sex, enterprise type | Administrative / follow-up survey |
| Value of monthly sales (programme-supported enterprises) | KES | Sex, sector, market type | Enterprise survey |
| Proportion of HH with savings (formal or informal) | % | Sex of HH head, wealth quintile | Household survey |
SMART criteria notes: Income indicators require a documented PPP conversion methodology. Enterprise survival rate: define "active" with a minimum monthly revenue threshold. Sex disaggregation at individual level is required for USAID CDCS alignment.
Thematic Area 2: Health and Nutrition
| Indicator | Unit | Disaggregation | Typical data source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) | Per 1,000 live births | Geography, wealth quintile | DHS / facility records |
| Prevalence of stunting (HAZ < −2 SD) | % | Sex, age group, geography | Anthropometric survey |
| Proportion of children 12–23 months fully immunised | % | Sex, geography, wealth quintile | Vaccination card / HH survey |
| Skilled birth attendance rate | % | Geography, wealth quintile | HH survey / facility data |
| ANC4+ coverage (4+ antenatal visits) | % | Geography, age of mother | HH survey / facility data |
| Prevalence of open defecation | % | Geography, wealth quintile | HH survey (WASH module) |
| Proportion of HH with access to improved drinking water | % | Rural/urban, wealth quintile | HH survey (WASH module) |
| Prevalence of anaemia in women (Hb < 12 g/dL) | % | Age group, geography | Biomarker survey |
SMART criteria notes: Anthropometric indicators require certified measurers and standardised equipment; include inter-rater reliability protocol. Facility-based indicators require verification of DHIS2 completeness rates. U5MR estimation requires DHS domain-level sample size guidance.
Thematic Area 3: Financial Inclusion
| Indicator | Unit | Disaggregation | Typical data source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account ownership (formal institution or mobile money) | % | Sex, age, rural/urban, wealth quintile | Findex / HH survey |
| Proportion of adults who saved in past 12 months | % | Sex, age, geography | HH survey |
| Proportion of adults with active formal credit | % | Sex, wealth quintile | HH survey / credit bureau |
| Average loan size relative to monthly income | Ratio | Sex, loan type | Survey + credit bureau |
| Proportion of borrowers in default (> 30 DPD) | % | Sex, product type | Credit bureau / MFI records |
| Digital payment adoption (past 30 days) | % | Sex, age, geography | HH survey |
| Proportion of women with individual (not joint only) account | % | Age group, geography | HH survey |
| Financial literacy score (composite, 0–10) | Score | Sex, education level | HH survey (OECD/INFE module) |
SMART criteria notes: Use Global Findex question wording for account ownership to enable national comparability. Digital payment: enumerate specific platforms to count. Financial literacy composite: document item weighting and response scale in codebook.
Thematic Area 4: Governance and Accountability
| Indicator | Unit | Disaggregation | Typical data source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion of citizens satisfied with public service delivery | % | Sex, geography, service type | Perception survey |
| Own-source revenue as % of total local government revenue | % | Administrative unit, year | Administrative data |
| Proportion of public procurement via open tender | % | Sector, contract value band | Administrative data |
| Citizen participation in budget process | % | Sex, age group, geography | Perception survey |
| Case resolution time (grievance mechanism) | Days | Case type, geography | Administrative records |
| Proportion of budget allocations publicly disclosed on schedule | % | Sector, administrative unit | Administrative data |
SMART criteria notes: Perception indicators are subject to acquiescence bias; use a Likert scale with a neutral midpoint. Own-source revenue: define denominator (total vs. recurrent revenue) consistently across time periods.
Thematic Area 5: Climate and Natural Resources
| Indicator | Unit | Disaggregation | Typical data source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion of HH experiencing crop loss from weather events (past 12 months) | % | Geography, farm size, crop type | HH survey |
| Land under sustainable management practices | Hectares | Land type, geography | Remote sensing / field survey |
| Proportion of HH with access to improved cookstoves | % | Geography, wealth quintile | HH survey |
| Proportion of HH relying on biomass as primary fuel | % | Geography, wealth quintile | HH survey |
| Net forest cover change | % / ha | Administrative unit | Remote sensing (Sentinel-2 / Hansen) |
| Proportion of farmers using climate-informed practices | % | Sex, crop type, geography | HH / enterprise survey |
SMART criteria notes: Remote sensing indicators require a baseline satellite imagery acquisition plan; specify resolution and data source. Cookstove indicators: define "improved" using ISO/IWA tier (Tier 3+) or a specific stove list. Climate-informed practices: enumerate specific practices to be counted; generic definitions reduce comparability across studies.
How to use this bank
- Shortlist 8–12 candidate indicators per thematic area relevant to your programme
- Verify baseline data availability for each candidate before committing
- Apply SMART criteria notes above to your specific context
- Confirm disaggregation feasibility against your sample size
- Map indicators to the relevant donor framework (FCDO DIME, USAID CDCS, EU ROM, GIZ results matrix)
For bespoke indicator selection workshops or results framework design, contact NM Research and Advisory.