We meet organizations where they are and craft a tailored set of activities to help nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies better measure their impact and manage their course to mission fulfillment.
Group learning sessions to build evaluation capacity of the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation environmental literacy grantees
We look for every opportunity to make our own thinking as evaluators and strategists transparent, model our techniques, and ensure that our processes are inclusive and collaborative in order to help our clients walk away with concrete tools for engaging in ongoing evaluation and organizational learning even after our work together is over.
Our philosophy in approaching capacity-building engagements is driven by adherence to three key principles: respect, honesty, and trust.
Respect: Nonprofit organizations are the experts regarding their work, their programs, and their clients. Capacity-building and technical assistance can offer specific skills and expertise, provide perspective and experience about similar challenges in other organizations, and offer solutions that have proven effective elsewhere in addressing these challenges.
Honesty: Our approach emphasizes the importance of being honest about observations – both positive and developmental – while finding the best way to deliver the messages so that they are clear and transparent, and reflect our intent to help the organization by serving as a “critical friend.”
Trust: Taking the time to build a trusting advisory relationship with the organization is essential for effective capacity-building work. This requires careful listening to hear what the organization really needs, and to ensure that the capacity-building and technical assistance efforts add value in ways that concretely address those needs, within the context of the organization’s stage of development.