Storytelling is a powerful way to for community-based programs to build stakeholder engagement, attract funding, and build trust with clients and communities. Data-driven storytelling is even more powerful. Data-driven stories enhance credibility, increase transparency, and demonstrate accountability. In other words, data helps to ground a story in evidence. But what is the most effective way…
Evaluation Methods Quarterly is a blog series by Dr. Anthony Clairmont, EVALCORP’s Lead Methodologist. Each quarter, Dr. Clairmont explores key methodological concepts, challenges, and innovations in evaluation, offering insights to strengthen practice and advance the field. There are several truly difficult aspects of evaluation that demand years of patient study to approach with any confidence:…
Welcome to Evaluation Methods Quarterly, a blog series by Dr. Anthony Clairmont, EVALCORP’s Lead Methodologist. Each quarter, Dr. Clairmont explores key methodological concepts, challenges, and innovations in evaluation, offering insights to strengthen practice and advance the field. One of my observations over my years of working with many nonprofits and government agencies is that randomization…
Organizations across sectors are prioritizing sustainability and long-term impact more and more each day. Achieving meaningful and lasting change requires more than just good intentions—it demands strategic planning that aligns with mission-driven objectives, stakeholder engagement, and data-informed decision-making. Without a well-structured strategy, social impact initiatives risk inefficiency, short-term gains, or missed opportunities for systemic change.…
Community-based initiatives are more than just good intentions—they’re powerful vehicles for positive social change. In this post we’ll explain both how program evaluation can maximize community impact and how to work effectively with an evaluation consultant. At its core, program evaluation is about maximizing a program’s potential—ensuring that every effort is purposeful, effective, and continually…
As EVALCORP’s lead methodologist, I was proud to represent the firm in a presentation: “Requirements for Measuring Subjective Experiences,” on measurement at the 2024 annual conference of the American Evaluation Association. Specifically, I was selected to talk about the measurement of subjective experiences, or the experiences that people have in their minds, such the experience…
On November 21, 2024, EVALCORP had the honor of hosting an International Abductive Coding Workshop, offering a deep dive into qualitative coding and abductive analysis. This virtual event provided a unique opportunity for researchers, educators, and applied practitioners from around the world to explore valuable tools and strategies grounded in the innovative techniques presented in…
EVALCORP is excited to announce a new international research collaboration. This summer we began partnering with professors at UCLouvain, a Belgian University, on a project funded by a grant through the European Research Council (ERC)—the scientific funding body of the European Union. This particular grant awards funding to researchers to explore ways that academic research…
Developing an evaluation begins with thinking. You need to consider the purpose of evaluation, information needs and questions, stakeholders, and logistics. It’s important to be clear about why you’re doing an evaluation, what is being evaluated, and who is being evaluated. These considerations will help you develop your evaluation questions. It’s difficult to know what…
Data is critical to making informed decisions. But what exactly is data? Simply put, data is information—any information that can shed light on your programs or organization. Evaluation, in particular, relies on systematically collected and analyzed data to drive informed decision-making. Embracing a Data-Informed CultureA data-informed culture is one that recognizes the inherent value of…