Nonprofits and evaluation: Managing expectations from the leader's perspective

Alaimo, Salvatore

doi:10.1002/ev.269

Cited by 30 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…However, demonstrating ac countability for funders has become essential for NGO survival in competitive environments (Carman & Fredericks, 2010;Cousins, Goh, Elliott, & Bourgeois, 2014;McCoy, Rose, & Connolly, 2013). Increasingly, NGOs are embracing evaluation's potential as a vehicle for accountability and program improve ment (Alaimo, 2008;Moxham, 2014). This need for information necessitates increased focus on organizational evaluation literacy for NGOs' ongoing sus tainability.…”

Section: Mots Clés : éValuation Littératie En Matière D' éValuationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Theories of evaluation use can assist in understanding the different ways in which NGO employees engage with evaluation. Evaluation use is typically split into fi nd ings use and process use (Alkin & Taut, 2003). The literature identifies three main types of findings use: instrumental, conceptual, and symbolic (Kirkhart, 2000).…”

Section: Evaluation Use and Internal Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation Literacy: Perspectives of Internal Evaluators in Non-Government Organizations

Rogers

Kelly

McCoy³

2019

Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation

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While there is an abundance of literature on evaluation use, there has been little discussion regarding internal evaluators’ role in promoting evaluation use. Evaluation can be undervalued if context is not taken into consideration. Evaluation literacy is needed to make evaluation more appropriate, understandable, and accessible, particularly in non-government organizations (NGOs) where there is a growing focus on demonstrable outcomes. Evaluation literacy refers to an individual’s understanding and knowledge of evaluation and is an essential component of embedding evaluation into organizational culture. In recognition of the value of the internal perspective, a small exploratory exercise was undertaken to reveal internal evaluator roles and ways of engaging with colleagues around evaluation. Th e exercise examined a key question: What is the role of evaluation literacy in internal evaluation in the non-government sector? Three Australian auto-narrative examples from internal evaluators highlight evaluation literacy and locate it among the multiplicity of roles required for optimal evaluation uptake. Analysis of the narratives revealed the underlying issues affecting evaluation use in NGOs and the skills needed to motivate and enable others to access, understand, and use evaluation information. Responding to the call for expanded research into internal evaluation from a practice perspective, the authors hope that the findings will stimulate a wider conversation and further advance understanding of evaluation literacy.

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Section: Mots Clés : éValuation Littératie En Matière D' éValuationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evaluation Use and Internal Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation Literacy: Perspectives of Internal Evaluators in Non-Government Organizations

Rogers

Kelly

McCoy³

2019

Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation

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“…evaluation findings) to make changes; (b) is integrated with work activities, and within the organization's infrastructure (e.g., its culture, systems and structures, and leadership and communication mechanisms); and (c) invokes the alignment of values, attitudes, and perception's among organizational members." Alaimo (2008) noted that "evaluation becomes a part of organizational learning when it is institutionalized as part of the organization's information, power structure, processes, and systems that influence decision making and action" (p. 77).…”

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Organizations that engage in evaluation as an honest, transparent, and ongoing discussion rather than as a bureaucratic process become learning cultures driven by leadership who is willing to learn from mistakes, reward good ideas, and encourage staff toward continuous improvement (Hoole & Patterson, 2008). Alaimo (2008) found that CEOs who encouraged evaluation activity as programdriven and outcome-focused (versus donor agency accountability driven) 1) hired staff dedicated to evaluation, 2) used evaluation results to improve programs, and 3) demonstrated a long-term commitment for program evaluation.…”

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building Evaluation Capacity within an Agricultural NGO using SWOT Analysis

Kelsey¹

2018

JIAEE

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Evaluation capacity building (ECB) aims to create a learning organization committed to increasing evaluation knowledge and skills among employees (Fitzpatrick, Sanders, & Worthen, 2011). ECB framework was used to determine the scope of monitoring and evaluation activities within an international agricultural non-governmental organization (NGO) using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analyses (SWOT). The objectives were to analyze current practices, capacity for evaluation activity at the project and organizational level, and propose a model for building evaluation capacity within the NGO. Existing documents and artifacts were content analyzed (Krippendorff, 2004) and 44 NGO employees, donor agency representatives, and similar NGO representatives were interviewed regarding their evaluation practices. Results indicated that project-level evaluation staff had sufficient training and expertise to conduct evaluation within the scope of their projects (strength). However, ECB and organizational learning from evaluation efforts were not institutionalized (weakness). The NGO lacked evaluation expertise and leadership at headquarters level due to staff attrition and lacked technology to capture data for aggregation purposes to report on progress made toward mission between projects and over time (threat). Opportunities included promoting an Evaluation Specialist to lead efforts by recruiting from within the NGO and advancing the individual's knowledge and skills through pursuit of a doctoral degree in evaluation. The NGO is advised to adopt a knowledge management system to capture and aggregate data between projects and over time to communicate better overall mission accomplishments to stakeholders and donors.

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“…In general, partner agency staff increased understanding of how to measure outcomes but inconsistent growth in the ability to implement the measures on their own. Leaders who prioritize evaluation are more likely to create a sustainable evaluation system than those who evaluate programs as a matter of compliance for funders (Alaimo, 2008). While the art organization partners worked hard on evaluation during the YEA Initiative, only one -which had less turnover -appeared able to maintain the capacity once the initiative ended.…”

Section: Innovation For Community Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%