| Session Title: Assessing Foundation Communications: A New Tool for Practitioners |
| Demonstration Session 566 to be held in Mineral Hall Section C on Friday, Nov 7, 10:55 AM to 11:40 AM |
| Sponsored by the Advocacy and Policy Change TIG and the Non-profit and Foundations Evaluation TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Edith Asibey, Asibey Consulting, easibey@gmail.com |
| Justin Van Fleet, University of Maryland, justinvanfleet@post.harvard.edu |
| Abstract: In response to a need expressed by foundation communication practitioners, the Communications Network has developed a tool to evaluate communication campaigns and programs. Informed by an academic and non-academic literature review, interviews with numerous evaluation, philanthropy and communication experts and a survey of 81 communication practitioners, the tool is designed to make the evaluation process approachable, doable and useful for foundations--and indirectly, its nonprofit grantees-- and to ensure continuous learning and sharing. The Communications Network has taken realistic organizational opportunities and constraints into consideration when placing this tool for effective evaluation in the hands of non-experts. Its creators, Edith Asibey and Justin van Fleet will provide an overview of the tool and its components, and discuss how early adopters are using the tool to assess their organizational and programmatic communications. |