“Is international aid value for money?” This is a question many people around the world ask, especially as the budget deficits of some of the world’s largest donors are growing due to the global financial crisis. As unemployment and poverty levels are rising in donor countries, the moral argument for promoting aid is losing ground too: why help others when we’re not taking care of our own? The development community agrees that aid could be more effective. Therefore, research results should be considered in order to improve aid effectiveness and agencies’ accountability.