Browse leadership capacity Resources

The fourth issue of Innovation Network's Advocacy Evaluation Update includes the following:

1) New publications from Innovation Network and The Atlantic Philanthropies;

2) a scan of available advocacy evaluation trainings (fifteen organizations included); and

3) AEA 2008 schedule, including sessions hosted by the Advocacy and Policy Change Topical Interest Group (TIG).

This fun infographic by Community Solutions shows 30 ways to build a culture of evaluation into your organization. Examples include starting with simple evaluations to demonstrate benefits and worth, positioning evaluation as a way of giving staff a voice, and scheduling time up front in the program planning phase to discuss evaluation.

This article explores what it takes to build the capacity for measuring and managing performance. It is written for nonprofits

Leap of Reason is the product of decades of management insights from philanthropist Mario Morino, McKinsey & Company, and more than a dozen experts and practitioners. With more than 40,000 copies in circulation, the book is helping nonprofit and public-sector leaders achieve more for those they serve, even in the midst of this era of scarcity.

The manual consists of 12 chapters, starting with definitions of various cost analyses and explaining their importance. A suggested
timetable breaks the measurement process into specific tasks, identifies who needs to be involved, and presents concrete assignments for each person on the data collection and analysis team.

This free online guide captures and organizes good practices for nonprofits and foundations.  Literally thousands of  effectiveness-building tips and resources are available here, searchable by topic. Topics include:

• Advocacy,
• Evaluation,
• Financial management,
• Fundraising,
• Governance,
• Marketing and communications,
• Organizational management,
• Technology, and
• Volunteer management.

The approach to M&E described in this guide is called SMILER. It is a comprehensive and practical approach to developing a project monitoring system that incorporates processes for learning based on robust evidence. It has been written for CRS project managers, technical, and M&E staff to guide their work with partners and communities by describing how to develop an M&E system in which data are systematically collected, reported and used to make project decisions.