Browse theory of change assessment Resources
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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 -
Designing a Results Framework for Achieving Results: A How-To Guide A results framework serves as a key tool in the development landscape, enabling practitioners to discuss and establish strategic development objectives and then link interventions to intermediate outcomes and results that directly relate to those objectives. This publication provides how-to guidance for developing results frameworks by discussing the following: Author: Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Sep 1, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Download (834.16 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 -
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 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) -
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 Challenge of Assessing Policy and Advocacy Activities: Part II - Moving from Theory to Practice This report synthesizes the results of a series of discussions that were a response to Blueprint's October 2005 report, "The Challenge of Assessing Policy and Advocacy Activities: Strategies for a Prospective Evaluation Approach" (q.v.) The discussions centered on three key themes of the 2005 publication:
- developing a theory of change,
- defining benchmarks and indicators and collecting data, and
- using findings.
This report is organized into two broad sections:
Author: Blueprint Research & Design Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2006
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The Challenge of Assessing Policy and Advocacy Activities: Strategies for a Prospective Evaluation Approach This publication begins with an overview of the advocacy evaluation field, noting challenges to evaluating advocacy, the current state of advocacy evaluation, and guiding principles for policy change evaluation. The report goes on to outline a "prospective evaluation approach" which (in contrast to a retrospective approach) allows evaluation to become a management and planning tool. The prospective advocacy evaluation approach involves four steps:
Author: Blueprint Research & Design Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Oct 1, 2006
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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 Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (419.72 KB) -
Theory of Change Assessment: A Cheat Sheet The Theory of Change Assessment: Cheat Sheet tool can be used to conduct an analysis of a theory of change. The tool walks users through elements common to theories of change, and offers considerations for conducting the assessment. Suggestions for use include:
Author: Ehren Reed Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Apr 1, 2011 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (110.62 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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