Umhlaba Rural Services is a rural services consultancy with specific thematic expertise in land reform and rural development, and decentralised rural local government. In terms of the project/program cycle for development intervention, Umhlaba Rural Services provides a holistic and integrated package of services. This enables the company to engage at any point in the development process.

Project and Program Planning

A key starting point to any successful development intervention is sound project and/or program formulation. Umhlaba Rural Services provides project and program planning services to government institutions, donor agencies and civil society organisations. URS planning consultants are experienced in Logical Framework and Objectives Oriented approaches to planning.

Project/Program and Fund Management

In addition to project and program planning, Umhlaba Rural Services provides output-oriented project/program implementation management. This includes financial management and administration; monitoring and evaluation; stakeholder management to ensure buy-in to objectives and implementation processes and to stakeholders and other interested parties informed of progress In relation to fund management Umhlaba Rural Services provides financial management (including management of accounts, auditing, and financial reporting); grant cycle management (including administration of the grant cycle through project identification, procurement, assessment, approval, monitoring and project closure); and, fund tracking and reporting to project principals.

Evaluation and Reviews

Umhlaba Rural Services has extensive experience in evaluation and reviews. The company, working through experienced and skilled associate consultants, uses clear and consistent indicator-driven methodologies in conducting evaluation and reviews. Umhlaba Rural Services specialises in both project and program reviews (result and indicator driven in terms of a logical framework methodology), and organisational evaluations. In addition, Rural Services also provides assistance (especially to donor institutions) in assessing project and other funding applications (against terms of reference, and in terms of logical framework and other application criteria).

Research and Policy Development

Research is an activity that cuts across a number of the service areas presented above. Thus, for example, situational research is an important starting point in project/program planning, and basic data gathering is critical in evaluation and review work. In addition to this integrated research function, Umhlaba Rural Services also provides specialist research as an independent service area. The company has particular expertise in planning and undertaking feasibility studies, and in planning and implementing applied research to inform policy development and development practice. URS directors and associate consultants all have extensive research experience. Moreover, the Company has strong relationships with academic institutions such as Wits and the University of the Western Cape, and regularly draws on research capacity in these institutions. The company prides itself in the quality of its research undertakings.

Skills Development and Training

Success and sustainability in development depends on adequate and appropriate human capacity and knowledge. In this regard, Umhlaba Rural Services provides skills development and training support in a number of areas, including accredited training in Logical Framework Analysis and Project Cycle Management. Umhlaba Rural Services provides formally accredited training through a modular and workshop based interventions, and also provides ongoing capacity support through the placing of mentors in client organisations where applicable.