Browse organizational theory Resources
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Advocacy Evaluation Update (Issue #5, February 2009) The fifth edition of Innovation Network's Advocacy Evaluation Update (AEU) newsletter includes the following:
1. News from the Advocacy Evaluation Advances convening in California;
2. Advocacy evaluation session summaries from the American Evaluation Association (AEA) annual meeting;
3. AEA 2009 call for sessions; and
4. News on the upcoming Foundation Review issue on advocacy and policy change.
Author: Innovation Network Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: Feb 1, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! 
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AEA Paper: "Accountability and the No Child Left Behind Act: Implications for Public Policy" Cindy Roper of Clemson University delivered this paper (and a presentation of the same title) at the 2008 American Evaluation Association conference. Roper examined accountability measures for a policy initiative (in this case, the No Child Left Behind act) through the lens of organizational theory. Author: Roper, Cindy Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 8, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (54.08 KB) -
AEA Presentation: "Accountability and the No Child Left Behind Act: Implications for Public Policy" Cindy Roper of Clemson University delivered the following slides (and a paper of the same title) at the 2008 American Evaluation Association conference. Roper examined accountability measures for a policy initiative (in this case, the No Child Left Behind act) through the lens of organizational theory. Author: Roper, Cindy Type: Presentation Slides Date: Nov 8, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (44.7 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! 
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Brief: "Pathways for Change: 6 Theories about How Policy Change Happens" ORS' Sarah Stachowiak discusses six theories on the process of policy change. This brief was published with the support of The California Endowment. Author: Organizational Research Services Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! Download (200.21 KB) -
Grantcraft: Evaluation Technique Series To help grantmakers understand some newer evaluative approaches and weigh their advantages, GrantCraft has developing a collection of briefing notes. Each note explains the basics of one technique and answers some common questions about its use. A mini-case, based on one grantmaker’s experiences, is featured in each guide. Additional literature about the topic is also provided.
Participatory Action Research - Involving "All The Players" in Evaluation and Change
Author: Grantcraft Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Guidance Note #3: Introduction to Mixed Methods in Impact Evaluation Mixed methods (MM) evaluations seek to integrate social science disciplines with predominantly quantitative (QUANT) and predominantly qualitative (QUAL) approaches to theory, data collection, data analysis and interpretation. The purpose is to strengthen the reliability of data, validity of the findings and recommendations, and to broaden and deepen our understanding of the processes through which program outcomes and impacts are achieved, and how these are affected by the context within which the program is implemented.
Author: Michael Bamberger Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Sep 5, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Guide to Monitoring and Evaluating policy influence Author: Harry Jones Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Feb 23, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (171.99 KB) -
ILAC Brief 16: "Contribution analysis: An approach to exploring cause and effect" In this brief from Biodiversity International's Institutional Learning and Change Initiative (ILAC), John Mayne discusses the steps involved in contribution analysis (including the development of a theory of change), an evaluation approach that may be useful when others are not practical. More specifically, Mayne provides an example of an evaluation capacity building project for agricultural research organizations. Author: Mayne, John Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: May 1, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (129.56 KB) -
Orientation to Theory of Change Organizational Research Services produced this document to introduce its clients to Theory of Change and the "Layer Cake" model. Author: Organizational Research Services Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Jan 1, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (110.1 KB) -
Pathfinder Advocate Edition: A Practical Guide to Advocacy Evaluation Pathfinder is a practical guide to the advocacy evaluation process. This edition guides advocates through the advocacy evaluation process from start to finish. Editions for evaluators and funders are also available. Drawn from Innovation Network’s research and consulting experience, Pathfinder encourages the adoption of a “learning-focused evaluation” approach, which prioritizes using knowledge for improvement. Author: Innovation Network Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Nov 1, 2009 
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Pathfinder Evaluator Edition: A Practical Guide to Advocacy Evaluation Pathfinder is a practical guide to the advocacy evaluation process. This edition guides evaluators through the advocacy evaluation process from start to finish. Editions for advocates and funders are also available. Drawn from Innovation Network’s research and consulting experience, Pathfinder encourages the adoption of a “learning-focused evaluation” approach, which prioritizes using knowledge for improvement. Author: Innovation Network Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Nov 1, 2009 Point K PickBe the first to review this resource! Download (1.4 MB) -
Pathfinder Funder Edition: A Practical Guide to Advocacy Evaluation Pathfinder is a practical guide to the advocacy evaluation process. This edition guides funders through the advocacy evaluation process from start to finish. Editions for advocates and evaluators are also available. Drawn from Innovation Network’s research and consulting experience, Pathfinder encourages the adoption of a “learning-focused evaluation” approach, which prioritizes using knowledge for improvement. Author: Innovation Network Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Nov 1, 2009 Point K PickBe the first to review this resource! Download (1.17 MB) -
Report: "Ten Considerations for Advocacy Evaluation Planning: Lessons Learned from KIDS COUNT Grantee Experiences" The Annie E. Casey Foundation and Organizational Research Services, Inc. detail ten lessons learned from an evaluation of five KIDS COUNT grantees that began in 2007. The evaluation was designed to test some of the ideas presented in "A Guide to Measuring Advocacy and Policy", a report produced by AECF and ORS in 2006. Author: Organizational Research Services Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! Download (289.93 KB) -
The Community Builder’s Approach to Theory of Change: A Practical Guide to Theory Development The Community Builder’s Approach to Theory of Change is a practical guide about theory of change development, and includes a toolbox of examples. Author: Andrea A. Anderson, Ph.D. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2000 Be the first to review this resource! Download (532.38 KB) -
The Grantmaker’s Role in Theory of Change Innovation Network developed these three introductory evaluation documents as part of Building Nonprofit Capacity to Evaluate, Learn, and Grow Impact, a workshop we presented in partnership with Grantmakers for Effective Organizations' Scaling What Works initiative. Author: Johanna Morariu, Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Research & Reports Date: Apr 1, 2012 Point K PickBe the first to review this resource! Download (419.72 KB) -
THEORY OF CHANGE FOR FUNDERS: PLANNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE This report talks through three different types of theories of change, each relating to one type of funder impact:
Author: Angela Kail, Dawn Plimmer Type: Research & Reports Date: Dec 1, 2014 
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Theory of Change Glossary A theory of change is a document created to communication the strategies, activities, outcomes, and other elements on nonprofit and philanthropic initiatives. Various terms can be used to describe the components of a theory of change. This is one glossary that seeks to define many of the common elements contained within a theory of change.
Author: Community Resource Exchange and Hunter Consulting, LLC Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Dec 1, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Download (187.53 KB) -
Theory of Change: A Practical Tool for Action, Results and Learning Every community needs a roadmap for change. A theory of change (TOC) outlines how to create that change. It is an essential part of a successful community transformation effort. This manual, created for the Casey Foundation's Making Connections initiative, defines theory of change using Casey's impact, influence and leverage platform, and shows community advocates how to create their own TOC by showing the relationships between outcomes, assumptions, strategies and results.
Author: Annie E. Casey Foundation and Organizational Research Services (ORS) Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jun 4, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (369.64 KB) -
What Makes an Effective Coalition This paper explores the evidence base for what makes an effective coalition with the assumption that understanding what makes them effective and how to assess and improve them will increase their effectiveness as an advocacy tool and reduce potential frustrations associated with operating in coalition.
Author: Jared Raynor, TCC Group Type: Research & Reports Date: Mar 1, 2011
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