A Transformation of Program Evaluation

A Transformation of Program Evaluation

I’m writing a book!

 

 

April 9, 2024

Maryfrances Porter

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Nonprofit Service Provider Leaders Struggle

You’ve told me you can’t afford outside evaluators. You’ve also said that you don’t always have the confidence or capacity to analyze data when you do collect it. 

You’re not always sure how to clearly show success when people have different paces of growth or when stability is the goal. 

You struggle with compellingly showing long-term change for the people you work with.

 

Philanthropy Leaders Struggle

You’ve told me that you do not want to burden nonprofit grantees with data collection, but that you also need to feel confident when showing your board and donors data reflecting progress in priority areas.

You understand how hard it is to measure change, and you’re working with successful business leaders who expect simple, clear dashboards showing gains and losses.

You struggle with not knowing how to show compelling progress toward the systems change you are investing in. 

 

My Innovative Solution

Over the last 20+ years, I’ve worked with, or provided training for, more nonprofits providing local services and their funders than I can count.

And, over and over, I’ve seen how traditional program evaluation – rather than simply helping you show the value of your good work – can be disruptive and unwieldy, too vaguely defined, too expensive, and simply unsustainable.

 

I’ve listened and responded to what you’ve told me. Through our work together, I created the ImpactStory™ Strategy.

I have transformed traditional program evaluation into a first-of-its-kind framework and toolbox you can use day-to-day to track mission fulfillment and iteratively improve programs, separately or collaboratively together.

And…. I’ve just finished writing Part One of the ImpactStory™ book where I tell you how the Strategy is rooted in science, but how it breaks free from the rigid scientific structure and language.

The ImpactStory™ Strategy disentangles what is useful in academic science from what is useful in day-to-day practice and philanthropy.

What’s more!?!  Smaller organizations can build out the Strategy and run it in as little as about five hours a week.

 

You Can Make Trust-based Philanthropy Happen 

Even more important, the Strategy can be used to transform the way social sector partners work together, including being inclusively responsive to the needs and desires of the communities you serve.

When nonprofits and funders use the Strategy together, they are clear and confident in how they collaboratively define and measure meaningful success on a path toward systems change.

The Strategy proves a structure and guide for partners to iterate their work toward systems change and deepen trust and collaboration along the way.