| Session Title: Rethinking Evaluation of Civic Engagement |
| Think Tank Session 121 to be held in Huntington C on Wednesday, Nov 2, 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Sponsored by the Non-profit and Foundations Evaluation TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Jane Reisman, Organizational Research Services, jreisman@organizationalresearch.com |
| Discussant(s): |
| Audrey Jordan, Annie E Casey Foundation, ajordan@lcworks.org |
| Anne Gienapp, Organizational Research Services, agienapp@organizationalresearch.com |
| Mary Achatz, Westat, maryachatz@westat.com |
| Mayur Patel, John S and James L Knight Foundation, patel@knightfoundation.org |
| Kimberly James, W K Kellogg Foundation, kimberly.james@wkkf.org |
| Abstract: Annie E. Casey Foundation has a deep and long-standing interest in civic engagement and how to thoughtfully evaluate this work. Casey has recently begun to develop a framework and tools/approaches that would be useful for both its own internal efforts and those of other foundations, while simultaneously, being useful to organizations and initiatives engaged in this work. Organizational Research Services (ORS) is supporting the development of this thinking. The emerging framework and tools build on Casey's place-based evaluation frameworks developed as part of the Foundation's comprehensive community change initiatives. To develop the framework, Casey seeks to engage other foundations as thought partners, similar to what were successful collaborative field-building experiences in the area of advocacy evaluation. Casey is also engaging in thought partnership with other foundations. This session will present the emerging framework and thinking to date and engage participants in a thoughtful discussion about key questions facing this field. |