American Evaluation Association 2008 Annual Meeting Denver, Colorado * November 5, 2008

1. Online Evaluation Resources: Knowledge Sharing for the Field Sue Hoechstetter American Evaluation Association2008 Annual MeetingDenver, Colorado * November 5, 2008 www.afj.org

2. Agenda • Concepts behind the Tools • Capacity Assessment Tool • Evaluation Tool

3. Advocacy Toolswww.advocacyevaluation.org Advocacy Capacity Assessment Tool Advocacy Evaluation Tool

4. Why Online? • Change as Needed • Easier to Customize • Easier to Receive Feedback

5. Avenues of Change Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch Nonpartisan Electoral Work

6. Key to Evaluating Advocacy Successful Advocacy Evaluation Understanding Advocacy

7. Advocacy Evaluation Challenges • It takes so long……… • Many outside controls, such as: • One key legislator • Changing economy • New Governor

8. Advocacy Evaluation Challenges • How do you measure influence……… • Who gets the credit ……….. • Unrealistic expectations ….. • Complex systems…….

9. Advocacy Evaluation Key Concepts Evaluation must fit Advocacy! • Flexibility is key • Advocacy capacity building is measured • Incremental results are measured • Tell the story

10. Using the Tools Who How

11. Advocacy Capacity Assessment Tool • Strong, flexible organizations • Work well w/ others • Have skills, know systems significant

12. Advocacy Capacity Tool Note: No one group has to do it all!

13. Advocacy Capacity Tool:Organizational Operations • Effective decision-making structures • Defined advocacy agenda • Organizational commitment to advocacy

15. Advocacy Capacity Tool: Relationships • Advocacy base • Advocacy partners • Relationships with targets

17. Advocacy Capacity Tool:Implementation Skills • Media advocacy • Advocacy strategies in context • Work with legislative, executive branch, judicial, electoral (nonpartisan) systems

19. Advocacy Evaluation ToolPart 1When: Start of Grant Period

20. Advocacy Evaluation ToolPart I Identifies planned: • Goals and strategies • Activities and incremental results For: • Advocacy work • Capacity building

21. Clean H2O for Healthy Kids Obtain Legislation to Clean the Lake/Reservoir

22. Pass Council Bill 389 to Stop Dumping Issue Report on Dumping in Lake City Council Chairman Supports 389

23. Sample Benchmarks • Generates 20 comments on proposed regulations • Prepares 3 amicus briefs on issue • Gets 15 members to meet with legislators • Has 3 briefings for candidates • Issues a report

25. Advocacy Evaluation Tool: Part IIWhen: At Reporting Periods • Reports outcomes, incremental results • Explains changes to plans in Part I

26. Advocacy Evaluation Tool Part II Springfield Must Fund Stadium!

27. Advocacy Evaluation Tool Part II – Changes!! Goal • Strategies: Avenues of Change City CouncilSpringfield DOE • Outcomes CB 389Enforce Regulation • Progress Towards Outcomes Chair Supports City Investigation!

28. Advocacy Evaluation Tool Part II – Tell the Story IMPACT

29. Advocacy EvaluationPart II • Which plans were accomplished? • What changed and why? • What was the impact? • What was learned?

30. More Resources…

31. New Web Resources http://www.afj.org/for-nonprofits-foundations/reco A Living Library!!!

32. New Resource

33. and more…

34. Advocacy Evaluation • Set reasonable expectations early on • Measure incremental progress • Measure capacity built • Use creative indicators • Value flexibility • Tell the story

35. Build Your Advocacy Grantmakingsupported by: