Collaboratively Defining Impact and Success: Uplifting Community Voices in the Redesign of Grant Application, Reporting, and Evaluation Processes

Abstract Information: As a data and strategy organization committed to centering community voices and perspectives, ResultsLab believes that it is not enough for us to evaluate the success of grants and the impact of funding at a philanthropic level from an outside perspective. We must also work to evaluate with communities by involving them first in defining success and impact. In this workshop, ResultsLab will share its journey with one foundation partner to involve the perspectives of grant-recipient organizations working with and serving tColorado communities in a collaborative evaluation design process that elevates stories of success from the community perspective by challenging historical grant maker / grant recipient power dynamics. Using this case study of local non-profit grantee engagement and foundation coaching as an example, ResultsLab will lead workshop content on how funders can begin thinking creatively in the space of evaluation by involving grant recipients and members of their target communities as evaluators. We invite you to join us in a shared space of learning and collaboration where we will discuss how we, as evaluators, can work with community organizations to define and set metrics of success in a way that works best for grantees.