Foundations And Evaluation

by Editor: Marc T. Braverman (University of California, Davis); Editor: Norman A. Constantine (Public Health Institute in Berkeley); Editor: Jana Kay Slater (Public Health Institute in Berkeley)

• ISBN13: 9780787970772
• ISBN10: 0787970778
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-08-01
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

" Gathered together in this unique book on evaluation and effective foundation practice are the experienced-based perspectives and measured insights of both seasoned practitioners and key philanthropic thought leaders. "Foundations and Evaluation is a substantial think piece for grantmakers of any size." --Dorothy S. Ridings, president and CEO, Council on Foundations "" Foundations and Evaluation explores the intersection between organizational effectiveness and evaluation and demonstrates the need for commitment to evaluation throughout the foundation. . . . A good read for both newcomers to evaluation and those with more experience, written by some of the most highly respected leaders in the field." --Kathleen P. Enright, executive director, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

Author Biography

<b>Marc T. Braverman</b> is a Cooperative Extension youth development specialist in the Department of Human and Community Development at the University of California, Davis. <p> <b>Norman A. Constantine</b> is a senior research scientist and program director of the Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development at the Public Health Institute in Oakland, California, and lecturer in epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley. <p> <b>Jana Kay Slater</b> is senior research scientist at the Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development at the Public Health Institute in Oakland, California.

Table of Contents

Tables, Figures, and Exhibits	xi
Foreword	xiii
Richard T. Schlosberg III
Preface	xvii
The Editors	xxi
The Contributors	xxiii
Introduction: Putting Evaluation to Work for Foundations	xxxv
Jana Kay Slater, Norman A. Constantine, and Marc T. Braverman
PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVES
Perspective by Nodding Carter III	xlvii
President and CEO, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Perspective by Michael M. Howe	liii
President, The East Bay Community Foundation
Perspective by Risa Lavizzo-Mourey	lvii
President and CEO, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
PART ONE: UNDERSTANDING FOUNDATIONS AS A CONTEXT FOR EVALUATION
1 Using Evaluation to Advance a Foundation's Mission	3	(24)
Laura C. Leviton and Marian E. Bass
2 A Historical Perspective on Evaluation in Foundations	27	(24)
Peter Dobkin Hall
3 Foundations and Evaluation as Uneasy Partners in Learning	51	(25)
Mark R. Kramer and William E. Bickel
4 Building Strong Foundation-Grantee Relationships	76	(20)
Michael Quinn Patton, John Bare, and Deborah G. Bonnet
5 Evaluation as a Democratizing Practice	96	(23)
Jennifer C. Greene, Ricardo A. Millett, and Rodney K. Hopson
6 Integrating Evaluation into Foundation Activity Cycles	119	(26)
Laura C. Leviton and William E. Bickel
PART TWO: BUILDING CAPACITY FOR EVALUATION PRACTICE
7 Making Judgments About What to Evaluate and How Intensely	145	(21)
Melvin M. Mark and William L. Beery
8 Adapting Evaluation to Accommodate Foundations' Structural and Cultural Characteristics	166	(19)
Ross F. Conner, Victor Kuo, Marli S. Melton, and Ricardo A. Millett
9 Field-Based Evaluation as a Path to Foundation Effectiveness	185	(16)
Patricia Patrizi and Edward Pauly
10 Strategies for Smaller Foundations	201	(22)
Marli S. Melton, Jana Kay Slater, and Wendy L. Constantine
11 Strategies for Comprehensive Initiatives	223	(13)
Debra J. Rog and James R. Knickman
12 Appraising Evidence on Program Effectiveness	236	(23)
Norman A. Constantine and Marc T. Braverman
13 Evaluative Thinking for Grantees	259	(22)
E. Jane Davidson, Michael M. Howe, and Michael Scriven
14 Communicating Results to Different Audiences	281	(24)
Lester W. Baxter and Marc T. Braverman
Index	305