Advancing evaluation practices in philanthropy

This series of papers about evaluation practices in philanthropy was published as a sponsored supplement of the Stanford Social Innovation Review for the Aspen Institute Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation.

The supplement's six separate articles focused on how the philanthropic sector has readily embraced the need to improve the measurement and review of its work.  

The first article, written by Jane Wales, focuses on framing the issue and outlining what was learned from a series of meetings and workshops on measurement and evaluation that was conducted with leaders of grantee organizations, issue experts, and evaluators. The following five articles focus on specific examples of how the philanthropic sector has improved its use of measurement and review.  

Contents

  • Framing the Issue by Jane Wales 2
  • A Focus on Culture by Luis A. Ubiñas 4
  • Learning from Silicon Valley by Matt Bannick & Eric Hallstein 8
  • Shared Outcomes by Judith Rodin & Nancy MacPherson 12
  • Risky Business by Paul Brest 16
  • Assessing One’s Own Performance by James E. Canales & Kevin Rafter 20 

Sources

Stanford Social Innovation Review for the Aspen Institute Program on Philanthropy and Social InnovationAdvancing Evaluation  Practices in Philanthropy. Retrieved from: http://animatingdemocracy.org/sites/default/files/PSI-SSIR-Advancing-Eval-Practices-Philanthropy%20copy.pdf