the fluid process of nonprofit evaluative capacity building
TRANSCRIPT
The Fluid Process of Nonprofit Evaluative Capacity Building
Isaac D. CastilloVenture Philanthropy Partners@Isaac_outcomes@vppartners
GEO Learning ConferenceMay 31, 2017
VPPARTNERS.ORG | 05/31/17 | INVESTING IN SOCIAL CHANGE
Dan TsinUrban Alliance @UrbanAlliance
Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP) and youthCONNECT
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Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP) and youthCONNECT
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What are the Important Nonprofit Evaluation Capacity Building Questions?
• What is the organization’s current level of evaluation
capacity?
• Where do you want the organization’s level of evaluation
capacity to be (in general, or at the end of your
investment)?
• What will it take to move the organization to that higher
level of evaluation capacity?
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Determining an Organization’s Evaluation Capacity as an Outsider
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Who is the Organization Serving?
There are 3 big picture questions you should ask to help determine an organization’s sophistication level
regarding evaluation capacity:
How Well is the Organization Serving its Clients?
Is the Organization Ready to Successfully Innovate / Evolve / Scale?
Demographic Information
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Who is the Organization
Serving?Level 1:
Little to No Data Collected
Level 2: Basic Demographic Information
Serving Clients
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How Well Is the Organization
Serving its Clients?
Level 3:Dosage / Output Data Collected
Level 4: Outcome Data Collection and Use
Innovation, Evolution, or Scaling
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Is the Organization
Ready to Successfully Innovate /
Evolve / Scale? Level 5:Formal evaluation projects
(low rigor – frequently internal)
Level 7: Second (or 3rd) High Rigor
Formal Evaluation
Level 6: High Rigor Formal Evaluation
(external)
Evaluation Capacity “Ramp”
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Level 1: Little to No Data
Level 2: Basic Demographics
Level 3: Dosage / Outputs
Level 4: Outcome Data and Use
Level 5: Formal evaluation projects
Level 7: Multiple High Rigor Evaluations
Level 6: High Rigor Evaluation
Evaluation Staff as a Proxy for Capacity
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No staff person formally assigned data and evaluation tasks
Evaluation tasks part of someone’s duties(junior or mid-level person)
Senior leader/staff responsible for evaluation tasks
Junior / mid-level person has 100% of their time committed to evaluation tasks
Senior level person has 100% of their time committed to evaluation tasks
3 or more full time staff devoting 100% of time to evaluation
2 full time staff devoting 100% of time to evaluation
Assessing Evaluation Capacity
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Level of Evaluation Capacity
Data and EvaluationInfrastructure
Staffing
Advanced
Multiple high rigor evaluations
3+ full time staff spending 100% of time on evaluation
High rigor evaluation 2 full time staff spending 100% of time on evaluation
Formal evaluation project Senior person spends 100% of time on evaluation
ModerateOutcomes Junior / mid person spends
100% of time on evaluation
Dosage / outputs Part of senior person’s job
LowBasic demographics Part of junior/mid person’s
job
Little to no data No assigned staff
Final Things to Consider
• Do you (or your organization) have the expertise to
provide evaluation capacity building to nonprofits at
every level?
• At what point would you need to bring in someone else
to help with advanced evaluation capacity building?
• How long is your typical investment / grant cycle and
what can be realistically done during that time period?
• Are you willing to commit resources to move
organizations to the highest levels?
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Contact Information
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Isaac D. CastilloVenture Philanthropy Partners@Isaac_outcomes@[email protected]
Dan TsinUrban Alliance @[email protected]