More Investment on Impact Evaluation is Needed Survey Finds

A survey conducted by Keystone in collaboration with Alliance magazine confirms that impact evaluation is a major issue in the social sector with agreement from both the donor and grantee side. However, results show clearly that the general perception in the sector is that there is not enough investment for fostering evaluation practices. Evaluation has the potential to improve learning within social purpose organisations and enable them to improve their performance in bringing about change. But for the full potential to be realised more funding is needed.

The survey, in which 72 grant-making and 226 grant-recipient organisations from all around the world took part, was conducted online during September and October 2007. Donors were asked to provide information about their demands from grantees regarding evaluation and the funding and other support they provided for this purpose. Grantees were asked to answer the survey keeping in mind one of their most important donors and provide their point of view of the donor’s as well as of their own practices related to evaluation. You can see the survey results by clicking here.

Read also the article ‘Taking Evaluation Seriously Still A Way to Go’ by David Bonbright and Betsy Schmidt published in the December issue of the Alliance magazine offering a narrative analysis of the survey results.