A Trust-Based Framework for Learning & Evaluation in Philanthropy
Industry standard, funder-driven evaluation tends to take a top-down, extractive approach to gathering and analyzing data, focusing on quantitative metrics and project-specific, short-term outcomes. However, once we address some underlying assumptions and reframe our focus on impact measurement as an opportunity to learn about what is working and what’s not, the possibilities are endless.
This short guide introduces a framework for approaching evaluation and learning from a more expansive, trust-based perspective, focusing on three strategies funders can use to understand their impact:
Learning for Accountability
Learning for Decision-Making
Learning for Long-Term Impact
This resource is a follow-up to the January 25, 2022 webinar co-hosted by the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and the Center for Evaluation Innovation. Watch the webinar recording here and read a post-event reflection co-authored by the executive directors of the organizations.