How We Evaluate
Evaluation is not an event that occurs only at the end of something. For us, it’s learning through a continuous feedback loop; an essential and ongoing part of the grant-making process. It starts at the beginning, with our program guidelines and our initial conversations with prospective applicants. It continues in our grant review process, and in our communication with successful applicants. It is a key part of our monitoring and reporting activity, and culminates in final reports and staff review. And this process feeds into our active assessment of program design and effectiveness.
Our approach to evaluation is in keeping with the Foundation's values and philosophy of funding: supportive but not directive; collaborative; accessible; practical; and not overly bureaucratic. As such, we think our learning through evaluation is enhanced if we are:
Inquisitive
Good questions stimulate discussion. Ongoing dialogue between the Foundation and funded organizations is the cornerstone of our evaluation process. It helps both parties come to a better understanding of the initiatives underway, what happens as they proceed, and their ultimate effect. Open and continuous communication within the Foundation, and between the Foundation and others in the community, is also important to our learning.
Rigorous
There needs to be as much clarity as possible in the expression of goals and intended impact. There needs to be clear and deliberate thinking applied to strategies and implementation. There needs to be a commitment to creative and open assessment, and to sharing reflection about the work and its effects – intended or otherwise. We strive for this ourselves, and also expect it of grantees.
Encouraging
We work together with grantees from the beginning to explore and develop an approach to project evaluation. We want to encourage good project evaluations by the organizations we fund. These are beneficial for the organizations themselves, as well as a key component of our own assessment of a funding program.
Flexible
Project evaluation should be appropriate to the scale of the project and the organization. Evaluation may proceed differently in different organizations, and with different projects. It should not be a detrimental burden of time and expense for an organization.
A Context For Evaluation >
Why We Evaluate >