FAQ: Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification & TerraMatch

This article includes the frequently asked questions about how you will collect, report, and quality assure data through the TerraMatch platform.

About Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification 

What is Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification? 

Monitoring  

Monitoring refers to the process of collecting and analyzing data and information to measure progress toward specific goals that the restoration effort aims to achieve. For a portfolio — a cohort of many restoration projects — such as TerraFund, an Indicator Framework is created as an organized way to view data about progress from different sources.

• The Indicator Framework for TerraFund is called the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Framework, and it consist of a collection of indicators and sub-indicators that serve as proxies for various dimensions of restoration impact, encompassing ecological, socioeconomic, and biophysical. An Indicator is a measurable variable used to represent change or the attainment of a goal (e.g., increased tree cover) for TerraFund. An indicator may be a composite of multiple sub-indicators.
• For example, the indicator “Trees Restored” is a composite indicator compiling 4 sub-indicators: number of trees under restoration reported by projects, number of seedlings or saplings grown in nurseries as reported by projects, number of trees counted through photointerpretation, and percent of tree cover assessed through remote sensing. The reason for composite indicators for trees restored is because the proof of trees restored is represented in a different format at different stages of time.

Within this framework, the TerraFund portfolio is monitored through data collected and analyzed from different sources at a predetermined frequency described in the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Framework. The consistent collection and analysis of data using the same method over time enables stakeholders to track changes—whether positive or negative—for each indicator, thereby monitoring its progress.

Reporting 

Reporting refers to data collected from Champions through project, nursery, and site reports, which are submitted on the TerraMatch platform in a standardized format every six months. TerraFund’s project managers and portfolio specialists assess the quality of the reported data, and the World Resource Institute aggerates and analyzes the data. During the quality assurance process, TerraFund staff check for errors and follow-up with Champions to ensure that every organization provides answers based on a consistent understanding of the question. 

Verification 

Verification refers to periodically subjecting reported information to some form of review, analysis or independent assessment to establish completeness and reliability. Verification improves accuracy and conformance with established procedures. Verification can take the form of first party (self-review/internal audit), second party (conducted by an interested/affiliated party), or third party (conducted by a completely independent and unaffiliated third party).  

For TerraFund, some form of verification is undertaken for all indicators because our funders expect credibility and trust. We also want to provide our Champions with an extra seal of approval for the quality of their work.

What is my role in Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification? 

In TerraFund’s Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification system, your role is to submit accurate site, nursery, and project profiles on TerraMatch, followed by reports for each profile every six months.
Also, you must collect and submit polygons indicating the locations of all areas where restoration work is conducted after planting. Alongside polygons, you will provide information about each restoration area, including the name of each polygon, restoration practice, target land use system, how trees are distributed, and planting date.
Your responsibility under Monitoring and Verification is to comply with requests for supplemental documents and be available for verification through additional data collection and site visits.
Your TerraFund project manager and portfolio specialist will closely assist you in gathering this data.

What if I don’t have staff in my organization tasked with regular reporting or someone familiar with using apps to collect data? 

In such cases, we recommend budgeting for hiring a GIS technician, either on a long-term basis or as a consultant, and someone dedicated to reporting. The GIS technician should have experience using a handheld GPS or mobile app for collecting GPS data that showcases the locations of your restoration areas. The staff devoted to reporting should have experience collecting and compiling data to write and submit reports. Regular reporting and polygon submissions are crucial responsibilities for all restoration champions, and noncompliance may impact your ability to continue with TerraFund. For sample scope of work or job descriptions for these roles, please contact your TerraFund portfolio specialist for more information.

Creating a Project Profile & Reporting on TerraMatch

How do I access my TerraMatch account? 

To get started, log in to your TerraMatch account at www.terramatch.org. This will already include all the information that you submitted for your application.

How do I add a new person or account to our organization on TerraMatch? 

The new user will create an account in their name. Once it is created and verified, they will have the choice to either:

1. Create a new organization on TerraMatch
2. Join an existing organization on TerraMatch (Your organization)

The new user should select the second option and type in the organization’s name, prompting the organization’s “admin” to approve their membership in the organization. If you are not sure who the admin of your organization is, contact our team at [e-mail].

Your TerraFund project manager and portfolio specialist will closely assist you in gathering this data.

How many persons can I have associated with my organization in TerraMatch? 

You can have as many as needed. We recommend that you add all staff that will fill out reports and those who would benefit from accessing the data. All users affiliated with your organization will have access to your information.

How do I create a project profile on TerraMatch? 

1. Go to your accepted application 
2. Click on the link to “Set-up monitoring project.”
3. Edit the responses transferred from your application to your project profile. 
4. Submit the changes once you have completed them. February 10 is the deadline.
5. A TerraFund staff member will review and provide feedback.
6. You will revise, if needed.
7. After all changes are satisfactory, your project profile will be approved by February 29.
   1. a. Non-profits will receive their second payment on completion of this step.

When will I create our site and nursery profiles on TerraMatch? 

By June 1, you will create the profiles of all sites and nurseries that will be active through June 30, 2024. This process will start only after your project profile has been approved, and you have been trained on reporting and polygon collection in April. Do not create sites or nurseries before you have received this additional training.

When are my reports due and how often am I supposed to report? 

Reports are expected twice per year: on July 31, covering progress from January 1 to June 30, and on January 31, covering progress from July 1 to December 31. You must submit a report for your project and for each site profile and nursery profile that you have created. The July report must include your annual financial report for your project, in addition to information about the people that you have employed.

If no activities occurred on a given site or nursery during the reporting period, you can indicate that there is nothing to report.
More information about what to include in these reports will be shared during the April monitoring workshops. 

Collecting GPS Points & Polygons

What is a Geographic Information System (GIS)? 

A GIS consists of integrated computer hardware and software that store, manage, analyze, edit, output, and visualize geographic data. It combines spatial information, such as maps and coordinates, with attribute data, like population statistics or land use, to solve various spatial problems in various industries like restoration to environmental management.

How should I collect geospatial location data for my restoration areas? 

There are two approaches to collecting geospatial data of your restoration areas. Which approach you will use depends on the size and number of areas you will be restoring through this project.

First, you and a TerraFund staff member will determine which of the two following categories your project fits: 

• Concentrated: You have 1-50 areas, and each area is more than 3 hectares in size on average.
• Distributed: You have more than 50 areas, and each area is less than 3 hectares in size on average.

If your restoration areas are concentrated, you are required to visit each planting location with the Flority App and walk the perimeter of the area. In addition, each polygon requires attribute information including name of each polygon, restoration practice, target land use system, how trees are distributed, and planting date.
If your restoration areas are distributed, you are required to collect GPS points of the center of each area where trees have been planted using the Flority App. Each point requires attribute information including name of each polygon, restoration practice, target land use system, how trees are distributed, and planting date. If you prefer to provide polygons, you will be required to walk the perimeter of the area.
More information about the app and data collection will be shared in our in-person training on reporting and polygons, scheduled for April.

What equipment do I need to collect GPS points or polygons? 

Your organization should already have the approvals necessary through community and/or government engagement to restore your sites. Once restoration work has begun, preferably on the same day of planting, you will collect polygons or GPS points representing the locations where trees have been planted.
To do this, you will need an Android cell phone with Wi-Fi or cellular data. Before heading to the site, you will need to download the Flority app. If you happen to lose cellular service, the Flority app will continue to function offline, and you should continue using it, even without connectivity.
Once you have finished your field activities and regain a connection, the data will be automatically uploaded to the Greenhouse cloud-based platform where you can visualize, edit and download collected data. Then, the polygons are taken off Greenhouse, quality assured, and then uploaded by the TerraFund team to your TerraMatch profile. Training on how to use this application and system will be shared during the April in-person training workshops.

Do I need to know how to use GIS software to collect geospatial location data for my restoration areas? 

No, the Flority app is designed for people without GIS experience to use. As long as you are comfortable using a phone app and reading a map, you can collect polygons showing the locations of your planting areas. We will provide additional training during the next set of in-person onboarding workshops.

When should I collect polygons and GPS points of my restoration areas? 

Polygons and GPS points should be collected during or right after planting.

How do I submit polygons and GPS points? 

If you use the Flority app to collect polygons and GPS points, the collected data is then shared directly with the team and then housed on TerraMatch. If you want to use another application or system, you must receive approval from the TerraFund monitoring, reporting, and verification team. 

Needing Help

How do I reset my TerraMatch password if I have forgotten it? 

1. Go to www.terramatch.org and click "Sign In." 
2. Instead of entering your email and password, click "Reset Password." 
3. Enter your email address and click the blue button that says "Reset Password." 
4. Check your inbox (or spam folder) for a message from WRI TerraMatch (sender address is "[e-mail]"). The subject line will be "Reset Your Password." 
5. The link will be valid for 2 hours; if you miss that timeframe, simply repeat these steps to generate a new password reset email.
6. Click on the link in the message and follow the guidelines to set up a new password.

Where should I reach out if I encounter an issue or errors while logging into my account or editing my information in TerraMatch? 

Contact the TerraMatch Help Center with any inquiries related to the TerraMatch platform:

• Email: [e-mail]
• Whatsapp: [phone]

What do I do if I don’t know who to contact if I have any questions related to TerraFund? 

If you are not sure to whom you should ask a question, reach out to our TerraMatch Help Center using the provided email or Whatsapp number. However, your assigned TerraFund project manager is often your best first point of contact.

Where can I find more guidance? 

You can find all the guidance you need in our TerraMatch Help Center by visiting the Help Center Cohort Member Hub.