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By DUANE M. ELLING 

For the country’s nonprofit sector, evaluating projects and programs means more than ensuring dollars are well spent. Collecting data and sharing findings also offer opportunities to learn from success and failure, to create and innovate, and to press forward on models and policies that offer high impact returns on social investments.

In this installment of Mott Conversations, Nadya Shmavonian, president of Public/Private Ventures in Philadelphia, explores the importance and challenges of high-quality evaluation strategies.

Read an edited transcript of the conversation. 

Resources

The Foundation Center – a longtime Mott grantee – offers links to a number of resources on evaluation, including: 

• Innovation Network - This nonprofit evaluation, research and consulting firm provides free planning and evaluation tools, as well as a searchable database of evaluation and capacity building resources. Free registration required.
• Outcome Indicators Project | The Urban Institute
  Offers ideas for outcome frameworks and performance indicators, as well as links to other online resources for outcome management and performance evaluation.
• The Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation | Administration for Children & Families - Explains program evaluation, including what it is, how to understand it, how to do it and how to use it to improve programs.