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Session Title: Friend or Foe? Collaboration Among Evaluation and Program Staff Within Foundations
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Panel Session 962 to be held in Balboa C on Saturday, Nov 5, 2:20 PM to 3:50 PM
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Sponsored by the Non-profit and Foundations Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Phillip Chung, Colorado Trust, phillip@coloradotrust.org
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| Abstract:
For many foundations, effective collaboration across evaluation and program departments remains a considerable barrier to developing, implementing, assessing and learning from a grant investment. Indeed, while there is frequent talk among foundations of being "interdisciplinary", what does this actually mean and look like? This session brings together program officers and evaluation officers from two different foundations for an insider look into their varying models of integrating evaluation and evaluative learning into the work of a foundation. In particular, panelists will discuss the challenges and opportunities evaluation and program officers face in meaningfully collaborating across the grantmaking and managing spectrum to achieve a common goal; practical strategies in making evaluation findings useful and used; and, the impact that effective or ineffective evaluation-program officer partnerships may have on grantees. We will also engage in discussion on how implementing an interdisciplinary approach can affect a foundation's vision of becoming "strategic grantmakers".
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Program-Evaluation Collaboration in a Strategic Learning Environment: The Evaluation Perspective
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| Phillip Chung, Colorado Trust, phillip@coloradotrust.org
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In 2007, The Colorado Trust evolved the focus of its evaluation department to encompass a more strategic emphasis on systematically integrating research, evaluation and learning into foundation practice. This vision, embarked on earlier by several foundations across the country, sought to foster a culture and process of using evaluation findings, data and research as cornerstones in informing how grants are conceptualized, developed and implemented. Moreover, it was envisioned as a platform to promote constant reflection and inquiry by foundation staff at all levels, but especially among program and evaluation staff. Over the years, we have encountered many fits and starts throughout this process. One of those "fits and starts" reflects how The Trust's shift in evaluation has impacted the way in which program officers and evaluation staff effectively collaborate. This presentation will discuss the evaluation perspective for how this issue has manifested.
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Program-Evaluation Collaboration in a Strategic Learning Environment: The Program Perspective
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| Chris Armijo, Colorado Trust, chris@coloradotrust.org
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Program officers play an integral role in identifying, understanding and using evaluation findings to regularly inform their work with a grantee organization or in assessing the impact of a grant strategy. In order, however, to realize that vision program officers must be more actively involved in thinking about evaluation, proactively involve evaluation staff at key times, and be open to difficult conversations about evaluation findings. Indeed, a critical question that The Colorado Trust continually addresses is how to make the program-evaluation collaboration a more intentional and systematic process that occurs on an ongoing basis. Moreover, what can program officers do individually to foster greater internal partnership, and how does this translate into a more cross-departmental practice, especially as we seek to integrate evaluation and evidence-based practice throughout our grantmaking?
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Evaluation in a Foundation Setting: The View From Evaluation Staff
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| Marisa Allen, Colorado Health Foundation, mallen@coloradohealth.org
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Over the past three years, the Colorado Health Foundation (TCHF) designed and implemented an innovative evaluation model which tracks the progress in achieving its mission of making Colorado the healthiest state in the nation. In 2008 TCHF began developing meaningful evaluation strategies to support the Foundation in achieving its mission, provide a valuable tool for foundation staff and board members to determine grantmaking successes and inform future strategies for high-impact, cost-effective grantmaking. One of the challenges of building a new evaluation model has been integrating evaluative thinking into the existing grantmaking process. From this session, funders and interested others will learn what worked for TCHF, the challenges we faced, and some strategies for integrating evaluation into Foundation strategy and practices.
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Evaluation in a Foundation Setting: The View From Program Staff
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| Brenda Sears, Colorado Health Foundation, bsears@coloradohealth.org
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The Colorado Health Foundation's (TCHF) implementation of a new evaluation model changed the grant review process and the day-to-day work of program officers. From the perspective of program staff, integrating evaluation activities into grant recommendations has required a focus on developing a skill set not previously required of program officers. Though a steep learning curve for some, the shift in mindset across staff at all levels towards more evaluative thinking has created several benefits. Evaluation is not an afterthought, but often a first step in the grant review process. Staff throughout the organization actively participates in evaluation planning, supports data collection, and discusses key findings. Session participants will leave with practical strategies for engaging program staff in evaluation and providing the education necessary for thoughtful contributions.
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