Browse Practitioners Resources
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Guidance Note #4: Use of Impact Evaluation Results This is the fourth guidance note in a four-part series of notes related to impact evaluation developed by InterAction with financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation.This fourth guidance note, Use of Impact Evaluation Results, highlights three themes crucial for effective utilization of evaluation results.
Author: David Bonbright Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 7, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.84 MB) -
Guide to Monitoring and Evaluating policy influence Author: Harry Jones Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Feb 23, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (171.99 KB) -
Guide to Strategic Planning The strategic planning section of Carter McNamara's Free Management Library covers the following topics:
- Recommended Approach
- Benefits;
- When Should Strategic Planning Be Done?
- Overviews
- Preparation for Strategic Planning
- Strategic Analysis
- Setting Strategic Direction
- Action Planning
- Writing and Communicating the Plan; and
- Monitoring, Evaluating and Deviating from the Plan.
Author: McNamara, Carter (ed.) Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 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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Hints for Designing Effective Questionnaires This digest offers tips on designing quality questionnaires. Some of the more prevalent problems in questionnaire development are identified and suggestions of ways to avoid them are offered. Author: Frary, Robert B. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 1996 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
How Can We Help Out Grantees Strengthen Their Capacity for Evaluation? There is a widespread and growing recognition in the nonprofit sector about the importance of evaluation--not only for measuring impact, but also for improving programs and better serving communities. While grantmakers generally see evaluation as necessary, most are not yet investing enough resources in this area. In 2014, nearly three quarters of nonprofits reported that their funders "rarely or never" fund impact measurement costs.
Author: Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) Type: Research & Reports Date: Aug 1, 2015 Be the first to review this resource! Download (728.72 KB) -
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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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) -
How to Use Data Visualization to Better Tell Your Story Memos and metrics, emails and texts, newsletters and reports: Is your organization suffering from information overload? We consume 34 gigabytes, or 100,500 words, of information every day. Our brains are overwhelmed and struggling to keep up. Data visualization–or dataviz–is one of the strongest weapons against information overload. Author: Ann Emery Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Feb 1, 2014 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
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 -
Idealware.org The Idealware website is a treasure trove of time-saving reviews, tips, and research. Idealware publishes unbiased reviews of software for nonprofits. Experts from all over the nonprofit technology community contribute the benefit of their experience through articles and blog posts. If you're trying to compare software packages, this is an excellent place to start--they might have already done the research for you.
Author: Quinn, Laura S. et al. Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Apr 4, 2008 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
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) -
If You Build It, They Will Evaluate: Upping the Nonprofit Evaluation Game Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery discussed how nonprofit evaluation is progressing as a discipline with impact, highlighting findings from Innovation Network's State of Evaluation project about nonprofit evaluation practices and capacity. Author: Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: May 21, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
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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Impact Evaluation in Practice This book provides an overview of impact evaluation from the perspective of the Wold Bank.
Author: Paul J. Gertler, Sebastian Martinez, Patrick Premand, Laura B. Rawlings, Christel M. J. Vermeersch Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2011 Be the first to review this resource! Download (3.06 MB) -
Innovation for Successful Societies "Country Experiences Case Studies" The ISS Country Experiences case series chronicles reformers' efforts to gather support for reform and build institutions in a wide array of contexts. Cases start with a problem and a decision maker, then explore the options considered, implementation challenges, mid-course corrections, and results. The cases rest on interviews with reform leaders, advisers, and critics or monitors.
Case studies include a diverse number of policy focus areas including
Author: Princeton University Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2010 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
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) -
Internal vs. External Evaluation Few resources exist that thoroughly and accurately describe when to choose an internal and/or an external evaluator to conduct an evaluation. This one-page resource provides a helpful, concise comparison between internal and external evaluators
Author: UNICEF Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: May 3, 2005 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
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) -
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 -
Introducing Program Logic Models A six-page summary of logic model concepts prepared by the Kellogg Foundation. Author: W.K. Kellogg Foundation Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Mar 17, 2001
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Introduction to Before and After Action Reviews (BARs and AARs) The Before and After Action Review is a simple, straightforward set of questions to ask before and after an important piece of work — whether it is preparing for a meeting, engaging with board members or launching into a new initiative.Author: Fourth Quadrant Partners, LLC Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Sep 16, 2020
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Introduction to Program Evaluation Brief slideshow introducing basic concepts in Program Evaluation Author: Lizzette Rojas, PhD and Flordeliz Serpa, PhD Type: Presentation Slides Date: Jun 14, 2010
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