I used to be a panelist on a current webinar, discussing community and structural interventions to support maternal health equity.
In the course of the dialog, I shared an analysis battle:
Analysis is used to satisfy funder expectations, as an alternative of serving as a studying software for organizations.
A number of years in the past, I labored with a corporation that obtained funding to construct their analysis capability.
It was enjoyable as a result of I felt like a professor, creating a simple to grasp curriculum on analysis. Additionally, the employees who self-selected into this course of had been tasked with coaching departmental employees in constructing their analysis capability.
Sadly, organizations aren’t oriented to see analysis on this means. Program analysis is considered as a way to an finish, a funder request to verify that funding was spent as meant. They’re requested to conduct “rigorous” evaluations on “evidence-based” applications, with none dialog on what rigor and evidence-based truly imply to a corporation.
Earlier than an analysis begins, I like to recommend working with programming employees to make clear the program’s purpose AND what program success seems to be like for workers. Then, you employ this to create an analysis course of that balances employees priorities and funder expectations.
This exercise is good for:
What you’ll want:
- A setup conducive to capturing concepts (laptop computer, pen and paper, whiteboard, and so on.). Make certain your notes are saved in a spot the place you possibly can refer again to
The steps:
The purpose of this exercise is discover what it means to maneuver away from funder-driven analysis.
A funder-driven analysis facilities funder priorities over employees and program contributors. So as to transfer away from funder-driven analysis, these commitments are wanted:
- A dedication to normalizing evaluative pondering and being knowledge pushed, utilizing knowledge for knowledgeable decision-making
- A dedication to creating and sustaining participatory knowledge processes with stakeholders to assemble and interpret the information
- A dedication to understanding the myriad components that affect a program
- A dedication to studying AND taking motion
- A dedication to accountability and long-term influence past funder expectations
Shifting away from funder-driven analysis means normalizing evaluative pondering as a technique. Evaluative thinking champions the worth of proof, recognized assumptions, posing considerate questions, and digs deeper.
Shifting away from funder-driven analysis means making a monitoring and analysis methods for all programming, with devoted time all through the fiscal 12 months to take part in knowledge sense-making, and with out the necessity of a funder asking.
Shifting away from funder-driven analysis means not prioritizing outcomes and influence over course of. You’re dedicated to wanting on the whole image of how a program is working, if it’s working as meant, what’s going properly, and the circumstances which can be resulting in meant and meant outcomes.
Shifting away from funder-driven analysis means not letting funders outline your neighborhood’s challenges by creating applications that match neatly into their portfolio.
This exercise is versatile, and I’ll go away it as much as you to facilitate. Relying on what number of are invited to take part, it might be handy to have everybody collectively or based mostly on stakeholder kind. Timing is probably not superb for everybody AND bringing individuals along with numerous ranges of energy dynamics could also be a problem.
For this exercise, replicate on the next (and take notes):
- How are we normalizing evaluative pondering and being knowledge pushed?
- How are we deliberately partaking our stakeholders?
- How can we interrogate the components that could be influencing our programming?
- How are we studying AND taking motion?
- How are we holding ourselves accountable?
- What do we have to do guarantee every program has it personal monitoring and analysis technique?
- How can we prioritize course of, outcomes, AND influence?
- How can we work with our funders to stability their requests and our priorities?
Let’s course of
As you discover these questions, extra will emerge. And also you’ll discover themes in your solutions. Spend time exploring these themes, and as you create your organizational analysis framework, think about sharing this along with your stakeholders, together with your funders, for neighborhood suggestions, recommended modifications, and implementation.
Key takeaway
Shifting away from funder-driven analysis requires reversing the top-down, extractive strategy, shifting away from prioritizing quantitative metrics and funder-defined issues. Whereas that is simpler mentioned than carried out, extra funders are realizing that philanthropy’s strategy to analysis wants to alter. The issues you’re addressing are advanced and long-standing, and your evaluations ought to replicate this.
Do that exercise and let me know the way it goes for you (or if you need support.)
Increase Your Voice: How are you shifting away from funder-driven analysis? Share your ideas under within the feedback part.
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