This Working Paper aims to produce an overview of NGO impact and effectiveness across Bangladesh, Uganda, Zimbabwe and India. It begins with a summary of the main findings of the research, drawing attention to factors which contribute to successful outcomes, as well as weaknesses in several of the projects. The background to the study is laid out in the following section, in which the rationale for the choice of the countries and projects is explained, and the overall objectives of the research are outlined. The main body of the paper examines the results of the evaluations, focusing on distributional impact, the involvement of women, the role of groups, management and staffmg, innovation and replication, credit, sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and the constraints posed by the external environment.