Browse capacity building Resources
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The Communication Initiative Network An extensive website of resources related to communication for development, with a strongly international reach. Available topics include baseline data, programme experience, evaluation and planning methodologies, theories of change, and more. The site also offers active discussion forums and an e-newsletter, The Drum Beat.
Author: The Communication Initiative Network Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
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 Community Toolbox The Community Tool Box is a global resource for free information on essential skills for building healthy communities. It offers practical guidance in creating change and improvement in a wide range of areas.
Part A. Models for Promoting Community Health and Development: Gateways to the Tools
Part B. Community Assessment, Agenda Setting, and Choice of Broad Strategies
Part C. Promoting Interest and Participation in Initiatives
Part D. Developing a Strategic Plan, Organizational Structure, and Training System
Author: Work Group for Community Health and Development Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2011
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The Evaluation Checklist Project Th site provides Author: The Evaluation Center of Western Michigan University Type: Templates & Samples Date: Jun 30, 2010 Point K Pick
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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) -
The Guide to Community Presentive Services The Guide to Community Preventive Services is a free resource to help you choose programs and policies to improve health and prevent disease in your community. Systematic reviews are used to answer these questions:
- Which program and policy interventions have been proven effective?
- Are there effective interventions that are right for my community?
- What might effective interventions cost; what is the likely return on investment?
Author: Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (OSELS) Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Mar 22, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
The How and Why of Advocacy This publication offers many pieces of advice generally related to advocacy, as well as specifically in regard to how an organization can monitor and evaluate its advocacy work. The Monitoring and Evaluation section walks through key questions:
- Why monitor and evaluate your work?
- What kind of monitoring indicators are there?
- What to evaluate?
- Who defines success?
Author: BOND Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (203.13 KB) -
The ‘Most Significant Change’ Technique This 104-page guide discusses the "Most Significant Change" ("MSC") technique and its use in advocacy evaluation. The technique involves collecting stories from program participants, reviewing stories and choosing the "most significant," sharing those stories, and discussing their value and impact. The guide states that "When the technique is implemented successfully, whole teams of people begin to focus their attention on program impact." Author: Davies, Rick and Dart, Jess Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Apr 1, 2005 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.2 MB) -
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) -
Tools and Resources for Assessing Social Impact (TRASI) TRASI is a browsable and searchable database of approaches to impact assessment, guidelines for creating and conducting an assessment, and ready-to-use tools for measuring social change.
It features more than 150 assessment tools and resources, community networking services, and informational videos and podcasts.
Author: The Foundation Center Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Transactions Transformations Translations: Metrics That Matter for Building, Scaling, and Funding Social Movements Metrics can help organizations articulate where they are going, what road they are taking, and what they expect to find along the way. They can help groups strike the right balance in the trade-offs above, allocating time and energy to be maximally effective. They can serve as a guide and tool for lifting up lessons for the field and for funders.
Author: Manuel Pastor, Jennifer Ito, Rachel Rosner Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2011
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Unique Methods in Advocacy Evaluation This brief describes four new methods developed to respond to advocacy’s unique measurement challenges:
- Bellwether Methodology
- Policymaker Ratings
- Intense Period Debriefs
- System Mapping
It was authored by Ehren Reed of Innovation Network and Julia Coffman, an evaluation consultant, with the support of The California Endowment. They first presented this brief at the Advocacy Evaluation Advances convening in Los Angeles, CA in January, 2009.
Author: Coffman, Julia; Reed, Ehren Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2009
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USAID Performance Monitoring and Evaluation TIPS TIPS
USAID's Performance Monitoring and Evaluation TIPS provide practical advice and suggestions to USAID managers and partners on issues related to performance monitoring and evaluation. These publications are supplemental references to the Automated Directive Service (ADS) Chapter 203 (pdf, 264kb).
Author: USAID Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Use of Qualitative Interviews in Evaluation A guide in qualitative interviewing from Meg Sewell at the University of Arizona, Tucson and Children, Youth and Families Education Research Network (CYFERnet). Includes bibliography. Author: Sewell, Meg Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jun 1, 1998 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
User-Friendly Handbook for Mixed Method Evaluations A guide to evaluation specifically geared to grantees of the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Education and Human Resources Author: Westat, Inc. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Aug 1, 1997
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Using Evaluation to Reduce the Burden of Asthma: a Web-based introduction to CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluation The National Asthma Control Program, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, has created a four-part Webinar series on program evaluation basics. Nationally recognized experts present a general introduction to program evaluation; note challenges in conducting useful evaluations as well as methods for overcoming those challenges; and introduce the six steps of the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation using examples that are relevant to state partners of the National Asthma Control Program.
Author: Maureen Wilce Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Dec 15, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Using Focus Groups For Evaluation A guide from Mary Marczak & Meg Sewell at the University of Arizona on using focus groups to collect qualitative data for evaluation purposes. Author: Marczak, Mary and Sewell, Meg Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 1998 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Using Information for Policy Change: The Only Reason to Do Evaluation (In This Context) Patricia Patrizi, a "career-long evaluator," reflects on the current trends in evaluating advocacy efforts and offers suggestions. She proposes that "Policy change should be evaluated only when there is a reason to evaluate," and likens policy change evaluation to evaluating a campaign for public office. Patrizi asserts that an outcome evaluation is unnecessary, but an ongoing evaluation during the course of the campaign is helpful. Author: Patrizi, Patricia Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Mar 6, 2006 Be the first to review this resource! Download (35.5 KB) -
Using Survey Research to Evaluate Communications Campaigns This is the second Working Brief from the Communication Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project. The authors seek to provide advice to nonprofit organizations that may consider using survey research to evaluate the effectiveness of a communications campagin. The Working Brief outlines the questions a nonprofit needs to ask in the design stages of a communications campaign to maximize the benefit of a survey effort. Author: Belden Russonello & Stewart Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (140.12 KB) -
Utilization Focused Evaluation Checklist Utilization-Focused Evaluation begins with the premise that evaluations should be judged by their utility and actual use; therefore, evaluators should facilitate the evaluation process and design any evaluation with careful consideration of how everything that is done, from beginning to end, will affect use. Use concerns how real people in the real world apply evaluation findings and experience and learn from the evaluation process. The checklist is based on Essentials of Utilization-Focused Evaluation (Patton, 2012, Sage Publications). Author: Michael Quinn Patton Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Download (595.48 KB) -
Voices for Change: A Taxonomy of Public Communications Campaigns and Their Evaluation Challenges This research report makes the case that communications campaigns cover a broad range of different types and characteristics, and can be differentiated along the axes of Purpose, Scope, and Maturity. It examines what communications campaigns that fall on different areas of these three axes look like, and how this positioning may affect the lead to distinct evaluation challenges and needs. Author: Berkeley Media Studies Group Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Download (643.93 KB) -
Volunteer Today VolunteerToday is an e-newsletter on volunteerism, published monthly by MBA Publishing. Each issue contains tips and strategies for management, training, recruitment and retention. Author: Volunteer Today Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
VolunteerMatch VolunteerMatch offers online services to connect nonprofits, volunteers and business leaders committed to civic engagement. VolunteerMatch is used by more than 40,000 nonprofit organizations. Author: VolunteerMatch Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Wading Through the Data Swamp A tutorial that uses a case study approach to address evaluation program design, baselines, validity, evaluation instruments, and more. Author: SAMHSA Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
What is Success? This publication, which draws on VeneKlasen and Miller’s book A New Weave of Power, People & Politics, argues that a successful advocacy effort needs to produce change in five dimensions: Government, Private sector, Civil society, Political space and culture, and the Individual. The publication also offers an Advocacy Action and Impact Chart that can be used as a checklist planning and evaluation. The framework is shaped by the experience of long-time social justice advocates around the world who found that advocacy success needs to produce multidimensional change. Author: VeneKlasen, Lisa, and Miller, Valerie Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Jun 14, 2006 Be the first to review this resource! Download (24.54 KB)