| Session Title: Advocacy Evaluation: Practical Research Findings |
| Demonstration Session 615 to be held in Adams Room on Friday, November 9, 1:55 PM to 3:25 PM |
| Sponsored by the Advocacy and Policy Change TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Lily Zandniapour, Innovation Network Inc, lzandniapour@innonet.org |
| Johanna Gladfelter, Innovation Network Inc, jgladfelter@innonet.org |
| Jackie Williams Kaye, The Atlantic Philanthropies, j.williamskaye@atlanticphilanthropies.org |
| Thomas Kelly, Annie E Casey Foundation, tkelly@aecf.org |
| Abstract: Nonprofit advocacy and evaluation is a field of growing interest demanding practical, usable information. As part of its Advocacy Evaluation Project, Innovation Network has conducted original research and will present the following in this demonstration: -Advocacy strategies and capacities that have been proven effective; and -Common short-term and intermediate outcomes that can be used as milestones towards success. Short-term and intermediate-term milestones are important in assessing progress since a 100% policy change victory is rare and heavily influenced by external factors beyond the control of the advocacy organization, and many advocacy campaigns have a longer duration than a typical grant. This demonstration will share findings from our publication about the sector's current use and needs related to advocacy evaluation tools and approaches. This understanding is crucial to develop advocacy evaluation resources to build the capacity of nonprofits engaging in advocacy to measure and evaluate their success, and to move the field of advocacy evaluation forward. |