101 - Who decides what matters? Ripple Effect Mapping in the Columbia River Gorge

Abstract Information: Ripple effect mapping (REM) is a participatory method that centers participants’ voices and perspectives and lends itself well to equity-driven evaluation. In REM, participants determine what an impact means and what kinds of impact matter. REM is a highly accessible tool for evaluators, nonprofits and foundations seeking to measure complex, long-term efforts, helping identify and understand changes beyond immediate outputs or short-term outcomes. Both the process and product of REM can amplify diverse perspectives and support collaboration, helping institutions, organizations and individuals see themselves as part of a community and contributing to change within complex contexts and long histories. The Healthy Community Collective (HCC) Collective Impact Health Specialist (CIHS) model supports community-directed, collaborative projects spanning a range of topics and sectors, with the shared goal of improving the health of communities in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge. To celebrate nearly a decade of work and $30M in funding for projects in the Gorge, the HCC team has partnered with independent evaluators to use REM to retrospectively understand the models’ application, accomplishments and influence, and to inform future work. Additionally, the team seeks to build experience and skill with this evaluation approach among community partners so that participants can effectively reveal and convey the stories of impact within their organization and the larger community. This poster will provide an introduction to and exploration of REM as a community-centered evaluation tool, using our adaptation of REM for the Collective Impact Health Specialist as an example of the process from planning through analysis.