Per capita expense is one of the most important outcome and impact indicators to measure within its Monitoring and Evaluation Plans. The updated Poverty Assessment Tool (PAT) categorizes the surveyed population by income level through the use of sixty six focalized questions on expenses. This is based on ENCOVI 2011. Per capita expense is one of the most important outcome and impact indicators to measure within its Monitoring and Evaluation Plans. The updated Poverty Assessment Tool (PAT) categorizes the surveyed population by income level through the use of sixty six focalized questions on expenses. This is based on ENCOVI 2011.

As one of its first tasks under the newly awarded Monitoring and Evaluation Program (MEP), DevTech adapted and updated PAT based on the most up-to-date ENCOVI (2011). The team (formed by DevTech and the Instituto de Agricultura, Recursos Naturales y Ambi-ente (IARNA) at the Rafael Landivar University) used a multiple regression analysis on ENCOVI’s 2011 database to identify the most statistically significant variables with regards to household expense and pinpoint the most pertinent questions. Based on this analysis, the team generated a questionnaire with sixty six questions that maintains ENCOVI’s rigor while taking advantage of the PAT’s simplicity to determine per capita expense among target populations. MEP has finalized its assessment.

After calibrating and validating it, the updated PAT can be used as a low-cost tool by USAID, the Government of Guatemala, and other international cooperation entities at a targeted and national level.