Browse funders Resources
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Measuring What Counts: Meaningful Evaluation for Family Foundations Family foundations are in business to make a difference. As one family foundation leader put it, creating a family foundation is a “powerful statement about wanting to achieve impact.” Yet family foundations often get painted unfairly as not having impact, perhaps because tthey aren’t always very good at understanding or describing the impact they have, even to themselves.Author: Anne Mackinnon Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (569.13 KB) -
Mission Possible: Evaluating Advocacy Grants This article discusses the George Gund Foundation’s efforts in persuading the Ohio state legislature to create a trust fund to support low-income needs. It highlights benefits of advocacy, specifically capturing and leveraging public resources to further policy goals. The article offers several advocacy evaluation tips to funders, including discussion and agreement on common expectations between funders and grantees, accomodations for the adaptive nature of advocacy work, and focus of contribution over attribution. Author: Egbert, Marcia and Hoechstetter, Susan Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2006 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Monitoring and Evaluation for Human Rights Organizations: Three Case Studies These case studies profile the monitoring and evaluation efforts of three human rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs). They are intended to support efforts within the human rights community to explore and tackle monitoring and evaluation (M&E) challenges by providing concrete examples and transferable lessons about how to integrate M&E in useful ways. The cases emphasize both the methodologies used and the organizations’ efforts to build internal M&E capacity and support.Author: The Center for Evaluation Innovation Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2014 Be the first to review this resource! Download (308.16 KB) -
Movement Building Indicators This tool supports organizations in their strategic thinking around planning and assessing movement building work. It rejects the notion that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to assessing change strategies, and pays attention to the processes that need to be put in place and the contributions of groups who are working deeply rather than at a scale of mass mobilization.
Four key areas of movement building are addressed:
- Policy Change
- Leadership Development
- Communications
- Relationship Building.Author: Maria Nakae, Moira Cowman, and Eveline Shen Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Dec 31, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! Download (10.59 MB) -
New Research: The State of Evaluation 2010 What are nonprofits really doing to evaluate their work? How are they really using evaluation results? These are the questions we sought to answer in our State of Evaluation project. This blog post summarized key findings from State of Evaluation 2010, the first nationwide project that systematically and repeatedly collects data from U.S. nonprofits about their evaluation practices. Author: Johanna Morariu and Ehren Reed Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Oct 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
New Research: The State of Evaluation 2012 In 2010, Innovation Network set out to answer a question that was previously unaddressed in the evaluation field-what is the state of nonprofit evaluation practice and capacity?—and initiated the first iteration of the State of Evaluation project. In 2012 we launched the second installment of the State of Evaluation project. In this blog post for American Evaluation Assocaition, Johanna Morariu, Ann Emery and Kat Athanasiades share highlights from that research. Author: Johanna Morariu, Ann Emery and Kat Athanasiades Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Mar 7, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Nonprofit and Foundation Advocacy Blog The Nonprofit and Foundation Advocacy Blog describes itself as "a forum hosted by Alliance for Justice to strengthen the voices of nonprofits and foundations and to provide a better understanding of the laws that govern their participation in the policy process." Online since October 2005, this multi-contributor blog offers news, commentary, and technical assistance tips for advocates and funders. Author: Alliance for Justice Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Oct 1, 2005 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Nonprofit Genie Nonprofit Genie is a searchable collection of online resources operated by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services. Topics include:
Author: CompassPoint Nonprofit Services Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Objectifs de plaidoyer en faveur de l’accès à l’immunisation Le Groupement de la société civile partenaire de GAVI a identifié cinq objectifs comme éléments essentiels du plaidoyer en faveur d’un meilleur accès à l’immunisation au niveau national. En tant que communauté, nous comptons structurer notre plaidoyer autour de ces priorités et encourager d’autres acteurs, instances nationales et défenseurs mondiaux à les utiliser. Bien que notre groupe partage ces objectifs, il va de soi que chacune des organisations et communautés qui le composent pourra emprunter d’autres voies pour les atteindre.
Author: GAVI Alliance Civil Society Constituency Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jul 16, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.54 MB) -
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) -
Participatory Analysis: Expanding Stakeholder Involvement in Evaluation Veena Pankaj and Myia Welsh described Innovation Network's participatory approach to evaluation, highlighting how stakeholders can be involved in the analysis and interpretation of data. They also shared tips from Innovation Network's white paper titled "Participatory Analysis: Expanding Stakeholder Involvement in Evaluation." Author: Veena Pankaj and Myia Welsh Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Jun 6, 2011
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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) -
Pathfinder: Resource List This annotated bibliography is meant to accompany Innovation Network's Pathfinder: A Practical Guide to Advocacy Evaluation series. It includes resources for each of the topics covered in Pathfinder. Author: Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Nov 3, 2009 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (211.66 KB) -
Pathways for Change 2013 Author: The Center for Evaluation Innovation Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Download (211.06 KB) -
Performance Management and Evaluation: Two Sides of the Same Coin (Presentation slides) Performance management and evaluation-what's the difference? With an increasing emphasis on measurement and impact, service providers and their funders are pushing for increasingly sophisticated evaluation approaches such as experimental and quasi-experimental designs. However, experimental methods are rarely appropriate, feasible, or cost-effective for the majority of organizations and service providers. Author: Isaac Castillo, Ann K. Emery Type: Presentation Slides Date: Oct 16, 2013 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.42 MB) -
Performance Monitoring Framework for Conservation Advocacy, A This report was written in response to the New Zealand Department of Conservation’s environmental advocacy work. It "sets out a framework for monitoring the effectiveness of conservation advocacy programmes in increasing public awareness about, and involvement in, conservation." The report offers advocacy monitoring and evaluation guidelines applicable beyond the environmental advocacy field. Author: James, Bev Type: Research & Reports Date: Mar 1, 2001 Be the first to review this resource! Download (229.7 KB) -
Philanthropic Strategies and Tactics for Change: A Concise Framework This article discusses the various tactics grantmakers rely on to create impact. The author describes theories of change, theories of leverage, programmatic tactics, and grantmaking tactics. Within programmatic tactics he discusses the need for evaluations to allow for ongoing program adjustments and to inform future efforts. Author: Frumkin, Peter Type: Research & Reports Date: Aug 31, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Philanthropy and Mistakes: An Untapped Resource This article discusses how foundations and their nonprofit partners might think about failure and share their hard-learned lessons. The authors first distinguish among different types of mistakes and how they relate to specific types of foundation investments. The authors then discusses three examples that represent different types of mistakes that foundations and their nonprofit partners make. Finally, the authors offer lessons to foundations about adapting, learning, and sharing in the face of failure.
Author: Robert Giloth and Susan Gewirtz Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2009 Be the first to review this resource! Download (520.58 KB) -
Philanthropy and the Social Economy: Blueprint 2015 Philanthropy and the Social Sector 2015 is an annual industry forecast about the social economy -- private resources used for public benefit. Each year, the Blueprint provides an overview of the current landscape, points to major trends, and directs your attention to horizons where you can expect some breakthroughs in the coming year. This year I'm excited to broaden my horizons to include insights from 14 countries other than the United States. This is possible due to a new working relationship with betterplace lab in Berlin.
Author: Lucy Bernholz Type: Research & Reports Date: Dec 1, 2014 Be the first to review this resource! Download (2.36 MB) -
Portfolio Evaluation vs. Grant Evaluation In this webinar Johanna Morariu and Ehren Reed discuss four levels of evaluation: grant-level, portfolio-level, foundation-level, and issue-level. The presentation addresses the pros and cons of these four levels of evaluation, and when one level may be more appropriate than another. Also included are considerations for right-sizing your evaluation approach—design, data collection, analysis, and reporting differences between grant and portfolio evaluations.Author: Johanna Morariu and Ehren Reed Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Feb 22, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Power, Participation, and State-based Politics: An Evaluation of the Ford Foundation's Collaborations that Count Initiative The Applied Research Center (ARC) conducted a two-year participatory evaluation to provide an account of the Ford Foundation's "Collaborations That Count Initiative." The report identifies areas in which the 11 statewide collaborations succeeded, and draws attention to ways in which support to collaboration might be more effectively provided in the future. Author: Applied Research Center Type: Research & Reports Date: Apr 21, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.85 MB) -
Program Evaluation Guide A general introduction to Evaluation, this guide walks the reader through the process of answering the following seven basic questions
1. What do we want to evaluate?
2. What is the purpose of the evaluation?
3. What type of evaluation do we want to use?
4. What information do we need to answer our questions?
5. How do we get the information?
6. How will we analyze the information?
7. How will we use and share the results?Author: Katie Cangemi and Maggie Litgen Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Dec 31, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (195.46 KB) -
Program Evaluation: Assessing and Measuring Your Program’s Performance Innovation Network's slideshow (from a presentation to the 2007 Nonprofit Technology Conference in Washington, D.C.) about the importance of planning for effective program evaluation, using our online tools, and leveraging online communities for knowledge-sharing. (1.15 MB .pdf file; may take some time to download.) Author: Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Presentation Slides Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.15 MB)