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Advocacy and evaluation: national organizations as advocates Canadian Evaluation Society's approach to advocating evaluation at the national level, focusing on transnational sharing of evaluation knowledge to promote the use of evaluation in society. Author: Joe Kpachevsky, Marie-Hélène Adrien, & Charles Lusthaus Type: Research & Reports Date: Sep 1, 2000 Be the first to review this resource! Download (33.25 KB) -
Advocacy Capacity Tool The Advocacy Capacity Tool (ACT) is for organizational assessment. ACT, released in May 2012, is a self-assessment tool that allows organizations of any size and issue area to gauge their advocacy skills, knowledge and abilities.
The Tool includes four sections of assessment, and gives users an individual scoring report as well as the ability to compare results with other organizations of similar size, issue area, and location.
Author: Bolder Advocacy (an initiative of Alliance for Justice) Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: May 1, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Download (719.51 KB) -
AEA Presentation: "Online Evaluation Resources: Knowledge Sharing for the Field" Sue Hoechstetter of Alliance for Justice presented the following slides at the American Evaluation Association 2008 conference. The presentation provides a brief overviews of AFJ's online tools for advocacy evaluation.
The following resources were also presented during the same session at AEA:
Author: Hoechstetter, Sue Type: Presentation Slides Date: Nov 5, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (8.09 MB) -
Background: Building Capacity for Public Policy Iniative The National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) evaluated the Building Capacity for Public Policy (BCPP) project. The results of the evaluation are summarized in this newsletter. NCNA states that "the lessons learned are applicable to any nonprofit organization trying to focus their efforts, to evaluate their readiness to engage in or to enhance their public policy efforts." It offers eight indicators of capacity for state associations to effectively engage in public policy: Author: National Council of Nonprofit Associations Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: Oct 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (549.21 KB) -
Best Practices for Asking Questions about Sexual Orientation on Surveys In 2003 the Ford Foundation began funding a multi-year project that sought to increase the quantity and quality of data on gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, and, by extension, on heterosexual people. Over a five-year period, many researchers participated in the expert panel funded by the grant, thus contributing to the knowledge embodied in this report.
Author: Sexual Minority Assessment Research Team (SMART) Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! Download (923.87 KB) -
BoardSource Knowledge Center BoardSource is a nonprofit organization that offers consulting, publications, and membership services to increase the effectiveness of nonprofit boards. Though many of the resources on BoardSource's website are available only to members, don't let that scare you. The Knowledge Center section of the website contains several free-access resources, including articles, white papers, and an extensive FAQ file. Author: BoardSource Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008
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Capaciteria Capaciteria is a community site for nonprofit capacity building. A free membership gives you access to a broad collection of capacity-building resources (over 3400 links!). The site encourages rating of resources and forum discussions, but it looks like those features aren't being fully used. Still, there's a lot of knowledge here. Author: Internaut Consulting Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008
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Characteristics of An Effective Stakeholder Participatory Process Creating opportunities for diverse stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue is often challenging. Stakeholders have different reasons for participating and have varying knowledge about the topics under discussion. A lack of trust in or understanding of the process and each other can also hinder participatory practices. The characteristics listed in this resource page show how to address these challenges and ensure and effective participatory process.
Author: Abinader Group Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Download (575.86 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 CAPACITY BUILDING: Funder Initiatives to Strengthen Grantee Evaluation Capacity and Practice Evaluation Capacity Building (ECB) is the process of improving an organization’s ability to use evaluation to learn from its work and improve results. Organizational learning is incredibly important. Organizations that are adept at learning from mistakes and adapting to new challenges are more likely to be successful, and in the nonprofit sector, more likely to make significant progress toward mission-related outcomes. In general, ECB can be used to:
Author: Myia Welsh and Johanna Morariu Type: Research & Reports Date: Jun 15, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (248.37 KB) -
Evaluation Research The evaluation research section of Cornell University’s "Research Methods Knowledge Base", a comprehensive web-based textbook that addresses many topics in social research method Author: Trochim, William M.K. Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Oct 20, 2006 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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IdeaEncore.com Knowledge sharing, made simple. Since you're reading this, you are obviously aware of Point K's free online resources. IdeaEncore takes a similar knowledge sharing concept and runs with it. Its goal is "nothing short of worldwide, sector-wide sharing of all kinds and types of nonprofit information, knowledge, activities and ideas."
Author: IdeaEncore Network Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jul 19, 2010 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Intro to Logic Models A simple but informative introduction to Logic Models. What ithey are, why they are used, and how to build them. Author: Eric Graig Type: Presentation Slides Date: Dec 31, 2006 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Introduction to Evaluation The Introduction to Evaluation Research presents an overview of what evaluation is and how it differs from social research generally. We also introduce several evaluation models to give you some perspective on the evaluation endeavor. Evaluation should not be considered in a vacuum. Here, we consider evaluation as embedded within a larger Planning-Evaluation Cycle.
Author: William M.K. Trochim Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Oct 20, 2006
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LearnPhilanthropy LearnPhilanthropy's Knowledge Library is a resource for people who are new to grantmaking or those seeking new ideas and tools to improve their grantmaking practice. Here you will find essential learning and new research on a range of common issues and key challenges in philanthropy. Working with leading organizations across the field, LearnPhilanthropy regularly updates this centralized library with reports, tools, and other resources. Author: LearnPhilanthropy Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Sep 23, 2014 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Measuring Influence: Advocacy Evaluation Challenges and Successes This resource was created as an introduction to advocacy evaluation, and its intended audience is nonprofit staff with no evaluation expertise or experience. Knowledge Manager & Webmaster Simone Parrish developed this article as a synthesis of lessons learned from Innovation Network's advocacy evaluation work from 2005 to 2008. Now a single 16-page document, the article was originally presented as a five-part, weekly series on Grantstation.com in the fall of 2008. Author: Simone Parrish Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: May 28, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.39 MB) -
My M & E (Monitoring and Evaluation) My M&E is an interactive WEB 2.0 platform to share knowledge on country-led Monitoring and Evaluation systems worldwide. In addition to being a learning resource, My M&E facilitates the strengthening of a global community, while identifying good practices and lessons learned about program monitoring and evaluation in general, and on country-led M&E systems in particular. Author: UNICEF and others Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Participatory Asset Mapping Toolkit Healthy City supports communities in identifying, organizing, and sharing its collective voice with decision makers at the local and state levels. Through their Community Research Lab, Healthy City share best practices and methods for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) interested in supporting their strategies with research that combines community knowledge with Healthy City technologies. Toward this aim, they have developed the Community Research Lab Toolbox. The toolbox presents research concepts, methods, and tools through topical guides and toolkits. Author: Healthy City Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Apr 8, 2012
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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 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.12 MB) -
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 Pick Be 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 Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.17 MB) -
Performance, Learning, Leadership and Knowledge Everything you wanted to know about Instructional Systems Design in one place.
Author: Professor Don Clark Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Sep 2, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
ProPack III - The CRS Project Package: A Guide to Creating a SMILER M&E System 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.
Author: Susan Hahn, Guy Sharrock Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jun 15, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.18 MB) -
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)