• What is the purpose of program and/or organizational evaluation?
• How should evaluation work? When should it occur? Who should be involved?

Program or organizational evaluation serves to facilitate accountability with respect to performance; that is, whether or not an organization delivers what it promises to. Evaluation, including performance and impact assessments, performance measurement, and indicator development, helps to demonstrate results or outcomes according to certain metrics that are linked to organizational goals. Consequently, the organization is also to learn from iterations of measuring and monitoring its performance against its mission, especially in the face of changing external factors that could influence solutions to the social problem the organization strives to address.

Evaluation should be carefully and appropriately designed, with clearly defined objectives and metrics, as well as what should be assessed (i.e. activities, outputs, or impacts and whether for short-, medium- or long-term). It should take into account the competing interests and priorities of various stakeholders so that the organization knows to whom it is accountable, and to whom it should demonstrate the results of evaluation. Evaluation should be action-oriented, with the assessments focused on actionable metrics and leading to actions that will positively influence how an organization delivers its services. Evaluation should occur on a regular basis, at least quarterly in my opinion, so as to effectively capture changes in performance and monitor any trends.

Not only should the board and executive director be involved in evaluation, but also staff at all levels who are also considered to be stakeholders who may be impacted by the results of evaluation. In addition, the constituents or the target population which the organization serves should be involved in evaluation as well. It is imperative that an organization collects feedback from its constituents through well-designed evaluation such as surveys, in order to find out how the organization itself as well as its performance is perceived by its constituents, which can tremendously help the organization improve its delivery of service and make adjustments to integral parts such as the funding model, operational processes, and communications.