Browse blog Resources
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A Dataviz Technique New to aea365 Johanna Morariu describes treemaps, a relatively new data visualization technique, especially to evaluators. The technique was created in the 1990s by Dr. Ben Shneiderman for mapping computer hard drive usage. Treemaps are useful for visualizing hierarchical data, or tree structure data. Area is used to proportionally illustrate differences in values, i.e., how many program participants fall into each of the nested categories. She also shares resources for making your own treemaps. Author: Johanna Morariu Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Jun 23, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Advocacy Evaluation Update #9 In This Issue:
1. Feature: Framework of Factors that Affect Political Support
Why do some issues receive priority attention from political leaders while others receive very little? Political scientist Jeremy Shiffman has developed a framework that offers a response to this question.
2. Spotlight: Evaluating Community Organizing
Catherine Crystal Foster and Justin Louie identify what to consider when evaluating community organizing efforts. They also offer example benchmarks and methods for capturing organizing outcomes.
Author: Julia Coffman (ed.) Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: May 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Download (329.6 KB) -
An Evaluation Approach for an Environmental Think Tank and Advocacy Organization Johanna Morariu described how Innovation Network worked with the Post Carbon Institute to develop an organizational evaluation framework. We developed and fine tuned several assessment areas for think tank evaluation and advocacy evaluation with interview data collected from key informants. Then, in consultation with key staff from the Post Carbon Institute, we created an organizational theory of change. The theory contains information about the organization’s mission; audiences; strategies; focusing events, crises, and windows of opportunity; desired shifts, and impact. Author: Johanna Morariu Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Apr 19, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Approaches to Supporting Evaluation Capacity Building Myia Welsh and Johanna Morariu outline six lessons gleaned from their evaluation capacity building experiences with nonprofits, highlighting Innovation Network's white paper titled "Evaluation Capacity Building: Funder Initiatives to Strengthen Grantee Evaluation Capacity and Practice." Author: Johanna Morariu and Myia Welsh Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Aug 28, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Blog: "Monitoring and Evaluation NEWS" Monitoring and Evaluation NEWS is a frequently-updated blog / news website managed by Rick Davies in the UK. The site focuses on M&E methods for aid / development programs, and includes news, opinion, jobs, and events.
Author: Davies, Rick Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 1997 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Conquering the Dusty Shelf Report: Data Visualization for Evaluation In this blog post for Visualising Data, Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery share three tactics for tackling the Dusty Shelf Report in evaluation: captivating the readers with visuals, choosing the design that's right for the reader, and strengthening the dataviz literacy of readers. Author: Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: May 7, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
CT Health Foundation - Findings from a 10-Year Evaluation of a Health Leadership Fellows Program In late 2014 the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) commissioned an in-depth evaluation of its Health Leadership Fellows Program (HLFP). This signature program had been running for a decade and it was time to determine its impact and effectiveness.As a learning organization, CT Health believed it was important to undergo this important process.Author: Johanna Morariu & Katherine Haugh Type: Presentation Slides Date: Jul 1, 2015 Be the first to review this resource! Download (700.01 KB) -
Data Visualization Approaches for Program Evaluation (and Beyond) Simone Parrish writes, "When you hear the phrase “program evaluation findings,” are you bored already? Most people—even within the evaluation field—perceive evaluation as dry. The major output of an evaluation is often a weighty report that gets read once (if at all) before it begins its long-term dust-collecting destiny.
Author: Simone Parrish Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Apr 29, 2014 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Evaluation Blogging: Improve Your Practice, Share Your Expertise, and Strengthen Your Network (Presentation slides) Want to start blogging about evaluation, but not sure where to start? Started, but want to know what to expect (or what to do next, or how to keep it going)? Ready to take your independent consulting practice to the next level? Author: Ann K. Emery, Susan Kistler, Chris Lysy, Sheila B. Robinson Type: Presentation Slides Date: Oct 19, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Download (2.84 MB) -
Get Graphic for Better Conversation Facilitation: Graphic Recording at Evaluation 2013 What is graphic recording? Graphic recording is organizing information in a visual way using words, symbols, and pictures. This is often done in real time, paced with the information generated in a panel session, a meeting, a focus group, etc. In this post, Kat Athanasides shared tips for getting started with graphic recording. Author: Kat Athanasiades Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Dec 6, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
How Charities Learn from Evaluating Themselves, and Tips for Measuring Results This article examines evaluation as a way for nonprofits to gain knowledge and deliver their services more effectively. Author: Roth, Kimberlee Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Jun 1, 2003
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How to Use Data Visualization to Better Tell Your Story Memos and metrics, emails and texts, newsletters and reports: Is your organization suffering from information overload? We consume 34 gigabytes, or 100,500 words, of information every day. Our brains are overwhelmed and struggling to keep up. Data visualization–or dataviz–is one of the strongest weapons against information overload. Author: Ann Emery Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Feb 1, 2014 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Idealware.org The Idealware website is a treasure trove of time-saving reviews, tips, and research. Idealware publishes unbiased reviews of software for nonprofits. Experts from all over the nonprofit technology community contribute the benefit of their experience through articles and blog posts. If you're trying to compare software packages, this is an excellent place to start--they might have already done the research for you.
Author: Quinn, Laura S. et al. Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Apr 4, 2008 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
If You Build It, They Will Evaluate: Upping the Nonprofit Evaluation Game Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery discussed how nonprofit evaluation is progressing as a discipline with impact, highlighting findings from Innovation Network's State of Evaluation project about nonprofit evaluation practices and capacity. Author: Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: May 21, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Lori Wingate and Daniela Schroeter on Introducing the Evaluation Questions Checklist for Program Evaluation - See more at: http: A checklist for identifying criteras for creating effective and appropriate evaluation questions. Author: Lori Wingate and Daniela Schroeter Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Jan 16, 2016 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Network Analysis and Mapping with Gephi and Node XL Johanna Morariu shares two extremely useful network analysis and mapping tools: Gephi and NodeXL. She describes how she uses NodeXL for collecting, organizing, and analyzing network data and Gephi for attractively presenting sociograms or network maps. Author: Johanna Morariu Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Feb 21, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
New Research: The State of Evaluation 2010 What are nonprofits really doing to evaluate their work? How are they really using evaluation results? These are the questions we sought to answer in our State of Evaluation project. This blog post summarized key findings from State of Evaluation 2010, the first nationwide project that systematically and repeatedly collects data from U.S. nonprofits about their evaluation practices. Author: Johanna Morariu and Ehren Reed Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Oct 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
New Research: The State of Evaluation 2012 In 2010, Innovation Network set out to answer a question that was previously unaddressed in the evaluation field-what is the state of nonprofit evaluation practice and capacity?—and initiated the first iteration of the State of Evaluation project. In 2012 we launched the second installment of the State of Evaluation project. In this blog post for American Evaluation Assocaition, Johanna Morariu, Ann Emery and Kat Athanasiades share highlights from that research. Author: Johanna Morariu, Ann Emery and Kat Athanasiades Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Mar 7, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Nonprofit and Foundation Advocacy Blog The Nonprofit and Foundation Advocacy Blog describes itself as "a forum hosted by Alliance for Justice to strengthen the voices of nonprofits and foundations and to provide a better understanding of the laws that govern their participation in the policy process." Online since October 2005, this multi-contributor blog offers news, commentary, and technical assistance tips for advocates and funders. Author: Alliance for Justice Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Oct 1, 2005 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Nonprofit Rating Systems In the past few years efforts to use common measures to assess and compare nonprofit performance seem to have multiplied. Interest in comparing nonprofit performance is in a dramatic upswing, and new/different sets of common measures seem to emerge frequently. Some sets of measures have been developed for niche fields, while others seek to compare across the entire sector. As evaluators, we should be aware of these efforts and aware of their possible implications. Author: Johanna Morariu and Debra Natenshon Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Sep 24, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Participatory Analysis: Expanding Stakeholder Involvement in Evaluation Veena Pankaj and Myia Welsh described Innovation Network's participatory approach to evaluation, highlighting how stakeholders can be involved in the analysis and interpretation of data. They also shared tips from Innovation Network's white paper titled "Participatory Analysis: Expanding Stakeholder Involvement in Evaluation." Author: Veena Pankaj and Myia Welsh Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Jun 6, 2011
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Program Evaluation: Igniting the Untapped Power An introductory piece about the power of evaluation, including Innovation Network's approach and things to consider before beginning an evaluation effort. Author: Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Mar 1, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Download (227.62 KB) -
Proofiness: The Dark Arts of Mathematical Deception and the Evaluation Profession Johanna Morariu describes how she explains the merit and appropriateness of qualitative designs when helping individuals and organizations design and evaluation approach or when presenting qualitative findings. Author: Johanna Morariu Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Jan 18, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Pros and Cons of Evaluation A solid two-page overview of why foundations should get involved with evaluation presented in a straightforward Pro vs. Con fashion. Author: Janet Carter Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Jan 1, 2003 Be the first to review this resource! Download (57.57 KB) -
Remarks made at the Environmental Evaluators’ Network Forum: NAVIGATING EVALUATIVE COMPLEXITY IN THE AGE OF OBAMA The author draws on her vast evaluation experience, especially in federal evaluation, to confront issues of complexity in evaluation. She offers the idea of using comprehensive checklists, and supplies her own example.
An exerpt:
Author: Eleanor Chelimsky Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Jun 8, 2010 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (81.2 KB)