Browse building Resources
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Sample Size Calculator This online sample size calculator can help you rapidly estimate how large your sample needs to be to compensate for different margins of error and confidence levels. Free and easy to use, the page also includes good introductory information on how to apply the resource. Author: Raosoft Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Simplifying Complex Initiative Evaluation In this article, the author highlights two major lessons learned from theory-of-change and cluster evaluation about how to evaluate complex initiatives: articulation of a theory of change, and using the theory of change as a basis for evaluation planning. In addition, the author shares tips on how she applied the lessons to meet her evaluation challenges. Author: Coffman, Julia Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: Jun 1, 1999 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Smart Chart 3.0 Spitfire Strategies produced Smart Chart (now in version 3.0) as "a tool to help nonprofits make smart communications choices." This free online tool is built around a chart with five "strategic decision sections":
Author: Spitfire Strategies Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Feb 1, 2004
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Social Movements and Philanthropy: How Foundations Can Support Movement Building Building on research conducted for the California Endowment, this article describes five core movement-building elements and provides a framework for activities that foundations can support to foster movement building. Movement building presents unique challenges to foundations. Because movements, by definition, must be driven by the people who are most affected, foundations cannot determine the goals and timetables of a movement. Foundation investments in movements are just that – investments for the long term. Author: Barbara Masters, M.A., and Torie Osborn, M.B.A. Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: Oct 2, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Download (326.55 KB) -
Social Research Update: Photo-Interviewing for Research Rosalind Hurthworth offers insight into multiple uses of photography in evaluation. Author: Hurworth, Rosalind Type: Research & Reports Date: Mar 1, 2003 Be the first to review this resource! Download (156.06 KB) -
Software for Nonprofit Evaluation and Case Management Many systems exist to manage the wealth of data nonprofits collect. As part of our evaluation consulting work, Innovation Network team members are often asked to recommend systems to our nonprofit clients. The purpose of this document is to share with the field our most recent scan of existing software (a/o January 2010). We hope this information is helpful to you, and we encourage you to contact us with feedback. Author: Johanna Morariu, Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 31, 2010 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (86.51 KB) -
Speaking for Themselves: Advocates' Perspectives on Evaluation "Speaking for Themselves: Advocates' Perspectives on Evaluation" will give you a better understanding of advocates' views on evaluation, the advocacy strategies and capacities they find effective, and current evaluation practices. Based on Innovation's Network's research, the report includes recommendations for advocates, funders, and evaluators. Both the research and publication were made possible by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and The Atlantic Philanthropies. Author: Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Research & Reports Date: Aug 12, 2008 Point K Pick
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State of Evaluation - Russian translation The Project: Nonprofits hear a lot of talk about evaluation these days—metrics and measurements, indicators and impact, efficiency and effectiveness. Everyone, from donors to board members, seems to want evaluation results. But there was a big knowledge gap around evaluation practice: What are nonprofits really doing to evaluate their work? How are they really using evaluation results? What support are they getting? What else do they need?
Author: Innovation Network Type: Research & Reports Date: Feb 3, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (6.78 MB) -
State of Evaluation 2010: Evaluation Practice and Capacity in the Nonprofit Sector Nonprofits hear a lot of talk about evaluation these days—metrics and measurements, indicators and impact, efficiency and effectiveness. Everyone, from donors to board members, seems to want evaluation results. But what are nonprofits really doing to evaluate their work? How are they really using evaluation results? What support are they getting? What else do they need?
Author: Innovation Network, Inc.; Morariu, Johanna; Reed, Ehren. Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2010 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (5.55 MB) -
State of Evaluation 2012: Evaluation Practice and Capacity in the Nonprofit Sector The State of Evaluation 2012 report marks the second time Innovation Network has surveyed the U.S. nonprofit field to learn about evaluation practices and capacities! To learn more about the project, visit www.stateofevaluation.org. Author: Johanna Morariu, Katherine Athanasiades, and Ann K. Emery of Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2012 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (2.63 MB) -
Statistical Confidence in a Survey: How Many is Enough? An informative article about the "myths, misinformation, and must-haves" about sample sizes and confidence intervals. Author: Van Bennekom, Fred Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: Oct 1, 2003 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Statistics Every Writer Should Know Simple explanations of basic statistics written for reporters and writers, but useful for everyone who needs to work with statistics and evaluation reporting. Author: Niles, Robert Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Statistics Tutorial Offered at a number of international workshops, this PowerPoint tutorial aims to help you develop a 'gut feeling' for key statistical concepts, concentrating on meaning rather than formulae. Author: Dix, Alan Type: Presentation Slides Date: Jan 18, 2008
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Strategic Communications Audits This Issue Brief, a Working Brief from the Communication Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project, explains how a nonprofit organization can conduct an analysis of its communications efforts in the areas of Strategy, Implementation, and Support and Alignment. The Issue Brief can also be used as a tool, as it includes a table relating Essential Strategic Communications Practices and their corresponding Quality Criteria/Standards. Additionally, there is an organizational "Practice Maturity Scale" to assist a nonprofit in determining its level of communications expertise. Author: Coffman, Julia Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2004
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Strategic Communications Toolkit An archived initiative of the Benton Foundation, "Strategic Communications for Nonprofits" produced a toolkit for planning and implementing a strategic communications plan. Though it hasn't been updated since 2002 (and some of the web graphics are missing), the toolkit's "Think it Through" and "Put it to Work" still offer sound and relevant advice and resources for planning and implementing a communications plan. Author: The Benton Foundation Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Strategy Development: Key Questions for Developing an Advocacy Strategy In this strategy discussion publication, the author clarifies the difference between tactics and strategies, and offers nine questions that are part of an effective strategy:
- OBJECTIVES: What do you want?
- AUDIENCES: Who can give it to you?
- MESSAGE: What do they need to hear?
- MESSENGERS: Who do they need to hear it from?
- RESOURCES: What have we got?
- GAPS: What do we need to develop?
- FIRST EFFORTS: How do we begin?
- EVALUATION: How do we tell if it's working?
Author: Shultz, Jim Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Strengthening Anti-Hunger Advocacy in California: Evaluation of the California Nutrition Initiative 1998-2001 MAZON launched the California Nutrition Initiative (CNI) in 1998. The CNI’s purpose was "to improve the nutritional health and well-being of low-income Californians by strengthening the capacity of the state’s non-profit and anti-hunger network." This evaluation report on the projects first four years identifies strategies that could be used to replicate MAZON's successes, including network development and awareness-building. Author: Leventhal/Kline Management Inc. Type: Research & Reports Date: Jun 1, 2003 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.32 MB) -
Strengthening Family Planning Policies and Programs in Developing Countries: An Advocacy Toolkit This toolkit "assist[s] advocates in the family planning/reproductive health field in their efforts to promote policy dialogue on the health, social, and economic benefits of increasing access to family planning services. By tailoring the messages included in the toolkit, advocates can present culturally relevant arguments to promote family planning and birth spacing in their particular settings." It contains several sample tools for advocacy planning. Author: The POLICY Project Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Dec 2, 2005 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.16 MB) -
Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity Capacity building enables nonprofit leaders and organizations to develop the skills and resources they need to improve their work. Since each situation is unique and circumstances are always changing, effective capacity-building support is tailored to best suit the needs of grantees. This publication offers practical guidance and considerations to help grantmakers design an impactful approach. Author: Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Type: Research & Reports Date: Feb 19, 2015 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Summary of Expert Interview Findings for Evaluating Policy and Advocacy Organizational Effectiveness This report summarizes TCC’s recent interview findings with selected policy advocacy experts (such as funders, researchers, consultants and practitioners) as well as a literature review of recent research. Drawing from its own work in organizational development and organizational effectiveness, TCC probed experts around four capacities TCC has found to be central to organizational effectiveness (leadership, adaptive, management and technical). The primary purpose of the research was to understand how the framework applies specifically to effective advocacy organizations. Author: TCC Group Type: Research & Reports Date: Jun 28, 2006
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Supporting Civic Advocacy: Strategic approaches for donor-supported civic advocacy programs This 59-page draft document is "a reflection of USAID’s experience in advocacy. Compiled in consultation with the top advocacy trainers, it distills the best practices and lessons learned in advocacy programming." In the advocacy evaluation section, the publication offers long term performance measures, a discussion of levels of change, and appropriate performance indicators. Author: USAID, Office of Democracy and Governance Type: Research & Reports Date: Dec 7, 2001 Be the first to review this resource! Download (59.67 KB) -
Survey Question Content The Question Content section of section of Cornell University’s "Research Methods Knowledge Base", a comprehensive web-based textbook that addresses many topics in social research methods Author: Trochim, William M.K. Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2000 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Survey Research The survey section of section of Cornell University’s "Research Methods Knowledge Base," a comprehensive web-based textbook that addresses many topics in social research methods. Author: Trochim, William M.K. Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2000 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Survey Response Options A compilation of scaled survey response options. There are samples range from dichotomous scales to 7-point scales. Author: Harris, Betty A. Type: Templates & Samples Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
System Mapping: A Case Example Innovation Network's Ehren Reed introduced this handout at a panel titled "Body of Evidence or Firsthand Experience? Evaluation of Two Concurrent and Overlapping Advocacy Initiatives" at the 2009 American Evaluation Association conference. The handout demonstrates the concept of system mapping using a simplified version of a map produced as part of an advocacy evaluation capacity building project for CARE USA.
Author: Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Templates & Samples Date: Nov 1, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! Download (143.92 KB)