Don’t You Love a Good Framework?

I love a good framework. What about you?

Frameworks help us understand complex things. Plus, they are visual, which my brain loves!

The CDC recently updated their popular Evaluation Framework, first published in 1999. It’s been given a much needed overhaul, refocusing on engaging collaboratively, learning and use, and equity. The new Framework frames three “cross cutting actions” as principles to be embedded throughout the evaluation process.

The new Framework provides a fresh look at the evaluation standards as well as the steps of the evaluation process, but I won’t get into those details here. Take a closer look at the new Framework or if you want to know more about the process they used to develop it and how it was updated, check out the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) article here.

How does this apply to you and your work you might be asking? Here are a few things you might ask yourself, your staff, or your coalition members that will help you focus on the three principles:

·       To what extent do we collaborate with the people we serve?

·       Does our coalition look like our community?

·       How do we learn from the data we collect? Are we building in natural pauses to allow for learning and improvement?

·       Are we sharing power and decision-making with our community members?

·       Did we develop our strategies, programs, logic model, data collection plan etc. with our community members? If we didn’t, what specific step can we take to remedy this?

·       Is our evaluation report something we do to satisfy our funder(s) or is it something that leads us to action?

·       How do we share back the data and work together to identify our next steps?

In your next meeting, try asking one of these reflective questions or come up with your own! See where it leads your group.

Like I said, I do love a good framework and use them to teach about evaluation. Check a few of them out on my resources page, specifically my Powerful Evidence Guide.

Speaking of Powerful Evidence, share this email with a nonprofit leader you know who needs to learn more about evaluation. My Powerful Evidence course is just the baby step they need and can afford. 

Take care,

 Ann