Browse Advocacy/Public Policy Resources
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Getting Real About Real-Time Evaluation Evaluators Clare Nolan and Fontane Lo give a short introduction to Real-Time Evaluation (RTE) from a theoretical and practical standpoint. Additional issues covered in this article include:
- How is RTE different from traditional evaluation?
- Is a real-time evaluation right for me?
- What if my funder wants a traditional evaluation?
Author: Clare Nolan and Fontane Lo Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Mar 29, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Global Program Advocacy Grants: What Do They Tell Us About Evaluating Advocacy? Oxfam America (OA) funds a number of grants that explicitly aim to carry out advocacy work. Looking at thirty grant proposals (ten each from Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America), the author explores the variety of advocacy targets, tactics, expected outcomes, and proposed monitoring and evaluation methodologies. The report concludes with four broad implications about institutional vs. individual impact, diversity of strategies, classification of outcomes, and capacity issues. Author: Ng, Sandra N.W. Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2000 Be the first to review this resource! Download (314.91 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 -
Guidelines for Evaluating Non-Profit Communications Efforts The Communications Consortium Media Center has been engaged in its Media Evaluation Project since 2002, providing a review of current communications evaluation in the nonprofit world and the social science of communications strategies. The project produced four working papers by experts from the Berkeley Media Studies Group, Harvard Family Research Project and Michigan State University. These papers served as the research base for "Guidelines for Evaluating Non-Profit Communications Efforts." This working paper summarizes the project's findings and offers guidelines for the eva Author: Communications Consortium Media Center Type: Research & Reports Date: Apr 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (113.86 KB) -
Guiding Principles for Advocacy Grantmaking As more funders turn to advocacy and policy change strategies, they want to know what works. Instead of starting from scratch, people want to know what approaches and principles show promise. In the past year alone, four helpful resources were written to advise funders on issues related to advocacy and evaluation. These four complementary resources have been synthesized and streamlined to provide a holistic reference for what makes an effective advocacy funder. Author: Johanna Morariu, M.A. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Sep 14, 2010 Point K Pick
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Handbook Of Data Collection Tools: Companion To “A Guide To Measuring Advocacy And Policy” This handbook of tools is a companion to ORS' "A Guide To Measuring Advocacy and Policy" (q.v.) The data collection tools included in the handbook have been used in real-world evaluation efforts, and are applicable to six outcomes areas:
- Shifts in Social Norms
- Strengthened Organizational Capacity
- Strengthened Alliances
- Strengthened Base of Support
- Improved Policies; and
- Changes in Impact.
Author: Reisman, Jane et al. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Apr 30, 2007
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How to Design a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for a Policy Research Project This guidance note focuses on the designing and structuring of a monitoring and evaluation framework for policy research projects and programmes.
The primiary audience for this guidance note is people designing and managing monitoring and evaluation. However, it will be a useful tool for anyone involved in monitoring and evaluation activities.
The framework presented in this guidance note is intended to be used in a flexible manner depending on the purpose and characteristics of the research project.
Author: Methods Lab Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2016 Be the first to review this resource! Download (346.06 KB) -
Identify an Issue's Life Cycle Stage and the Next Steps for Advocates This one-page tool outlines six stages of an issue's development. For each stage of issue development, the tool offers characteristics of the issue, general next steps to take, and specific actions to support those next steps. Author: Advocacy Institute Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Sep 10, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (63.37 KB) -
Identify an Organization’s Life Cycle Stage and the Next Steps for Advocates This one-page tool describes six stages of organizational development and offers suggestions for actions advocates should consider at each stage. Author: Advocacy Institute Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Sep 10, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (110.5 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) -
Immunization Advocacy Goals Civil society has now rallied around a new Immunization Advocacy Goals framework, presenting a menu of advocacy options to improve access to vaccines around the world.
The framework’s five goals unite civil society – from implementers in Afghanistan, to research and development advocates in Australia – under shared goals that provide an intellectual underpinning for local, regional, and global advocacy on immunizations.Author: GAVI Alliance Civil Society Constituency Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Dec 1, 2012
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Indicators for Programming in Human Rights and Democratic Development: A Preliminary Study This paper is the result of a preliminary study on using indicators to track progress in human rights and democratic development efforts. The paper briefly outlines the experience of development organizations in measuring results in political development. It then examines some of the methodological issues relating to performance indicators, generally, and human rights and democratic development programming indicators, in particular. Author: Kapoor, Ilan Type: Research & Reports Date: Jul 1, 1996 Be the first to review this resource! Download (112.62 KB) -
Intense Period Debrief Protocol The Intense Period Debrief is a data collection instrument for advocacy campaigns. It was developed in connection with Innovation Network's work with the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform to capture the intense activity surrounding a policy window. This instrument complements other methodologies, filling gaps in information-gathering that can occur with other types of data collection instruments. Author: Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Feb 1, 2007 Be the first to review this resource! Download (136.31 KB) -
International Advocacy: Measuring performance and effectiveness This paper examines the assessment of two NGOs working in international advocacy and policy change: Oxfam Community Aid Abroad and the Foundation for Development Cooperation. The study suggests that organizations can use best practices and outcomes assessment to track the effectiveness of their advocacy work. Author: Kelly, Linda Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 30, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Download (216.18 KB) -
Juvenile Justice Evaluation Center - Program Evaluation Briefing Series This Program Evaluation Briefing Series includes several documents:
Author: Justice Research and Statistics Association Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Dec 31, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Key Questions for Developing Your Objectives Advocacy Institute offers four questions that advocates or organizations should ask themselves before developing strategic objectives:
- Who are we?
- What is the problem?
- What is our vision of change?
- What objectives--or piece of our vision--are we focusing on?
Author: Advocacy Institute Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Learn Foundation Law The legal staff at the Packard Foundation, Gates Foundation, Hewlett Foundation and Moore Foundation developed this free, first-of-its-kind resource, which covers the basic legal rules around what staff are allowed to fund and engage in at a private foundation. It takes less than an hour to complete and features “Maya,” a new program officer that leads participants through the course. Participants can also return to the training at any time for a refresher and click on the individual modules to refer back to specific topics.
Author: Legal staff at the Packard Foundation, Gates Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, and Moore Foundation Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Lessons in Evaluating Communications Campaigns: Five Case Studies This publication is the fourth report from the Communications Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project. The author presents five case studies of completed campaign evaluations. The case studies represent an array of campaign types and evaluation approaches, and offer specific examples of evaluation responding to challenges. The five case studies are: S
Author: Coffman, Julia Type: Research & Reports Date: Jun 1, 2003 Be the first to review this resource! Download (212.52 KB) -
Linking the Levels? The Organisation of UK Development NGO’s Advocacy Dr. Hudson researched the advocacy experiences of United Kingdom-based NGOs working with the UK Department for International Development. He discusses his research findings and their implications for policy and practice, including specific findings in regard to evaluation of advocacy efforts. Though written specifically about UK-based development and advocacy NGOs, the report's findings and recommendations may be applicable to any NGO engaged in advocacy. Author: Hudson, Alan Type: Research & Reports Date: Jun 1, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Download (207.29 KB) -
Looking Through the Right End of the Telescope An evolving dialogue has emerged over the past few years between advocates, evaluation professionals, and funders concerned with evaluating advocacy. An earlier focus on questions regarding whether it is possible to evaluate advocacy has given rise more recently to a concern with producing innovations aimed at responding to the real and perceived unique challenges to evaluating advocacy.
Author: Jim Coe & Rhonda Schlangen Type: Research & Reports Date: Jun 1, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (102.56 KB) -
Making Change Happen This conference report discusses overall themes and topics from a November 2001 meeting of the same name, attended by forty-nine people engaged in international advocacy and citizen participation efforts. In its final chapter, "How to Assess Success," the publication discusses many of the tensions and issues in evaluating advocacy efforts, as well as the need to perform evaluations in order to further learning. Author: Clark, Cindy Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2001 Be the first to review this resource! Download (796.03 KB) -
Measuring Impact in Practice: A Case Study of The Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS) is the nation’s largest animal protection organization. Just like all nonprofits, The HSUS is accountable—to the thousands of animals it helps or protects each year, and to the thousands of individual, corporate, and foundation donors who enable The HSUS to fulfill its mission of celebrating animals and confronting cruelty.
Author: Beth Rosen Cohen Type: Research & Reports Date: Aug 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Download (97.59 KB) -
Measuring Impact in Practice: A Case Study of The Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS) is the nation’s largest animal protection organization.1
Just like all nonprofits, The HSUS is accountable—to the thousands of animals it helps or protects each year,
and to the thousands of individual, corporate, and foundation donors who enable The HSUS to fulfill its
mission of celebrating animals and confronting cruelty.Author: Beth Rosen Cohen Type: Research & Reports Date: Aug 31, 2010 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (97.59 KB) -
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)