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publication Nov 2022

How to do Process Tracing: A Method for Testing “How Change Happened” in Complex and Dynamic Settings

Process tracing is a causal methodology that can help us to understand how change actually happened within a complex dynamic environment.

By Sarah Stachowiak, Jewlya Lynn, Jennifer Byers

event Nov 2022

AEA Conference 2022

CEI is at the 2022 American Evaluation Association conference in New Orleans, with the theme: (Re)Shaping Evaluation Together. Check out our sessions and related presentations and handouts.

insight Aug 2022

Community in Philanthropy: What it is, why we need it, and how we can build it

If we are to meet justice, then we need to hold ourselves accountable in an environment that asks very little of us, and to support and encourage each other when our surroundings try to pull us back toward a status quo.

By Albertina Lopez

publication Jul 2022

A Tool for Systems Change that Supports Learning in Foundations

Foundations are systems. They have their own cultures and related assumptions, norms, standards, and practices. We encourage foundations to take stock of their learning needs with a dispassionate (evaluative) look at themselves as systems and how people work within them.

By Tanya Beer, Julia Coffman, Jane Reisman

staff Apr 2022

Kate Morales

publication Mar 2022

Toward a Trust-Based Framework for Learning and Evaluation

What if we reimagined evaluation as an opportunity for funders to learn and evolve as stewards, rather than taking on the narrow–and virtually impossible–task of proving that limited grants make a measurable impact on longstanding, complex social issues?

By Shaady Salehi, Chera Reid

insight Feb 2022

How To Center Equity in Measurement, Learning, & Evaluation

NationSwell convened a panel of experts to talk about how organizations should think about equity when engaging with measurement, learning, and evaluation.

By Dr. Daniela Pineda, Dr. Amber Banks, Brianna Provenzano, Albertina Lopez

publication Jan 2022

Lost Causal: Debunking Myths About Causal Analysis in Philanthropy

Causal analysis is not just for controlled programmatic work, it is also for dynamic and emergent strategies that include network building, field building, advocacy, organizing, or movements.

By Sarah Stachowiak, Julia Coffman, Jewlya Lynn

staff Jan 2022

Kayla Christopherson

staff Jan 2022

Stephanie O. Darby

publication Nov 2021

We need to articulate our assumptions so that we can test them. Here’s a guide to help.

This four-page guidance defines assumptions, explains why it is critical to articulate them, and then offers a set of prompting questions to help elicit them. Examples are included.

By Tanya Beer, Julia Coffman

staff Nov 2021

Melly Kitenge