Позитивные изменения, Том 3 №1, 2023. Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 1 (2023)

The number of donors who are able to describe expected program results in measurable and specific terms, with a specific timeframe, is steadily growing. Another qualitative change is the practice of developing a chain of results.

UPDATING THE POLICY STATEMENT ON DEVELOPING THE EVALUATION CULTURE

As a result of the trends that emerged in 2022, as well as the challenges faced by the donor community that require an immediate response, we have updated our Policy Statement on Developing the Evaluation Culture in the Donor Community. This is a document developed and adopted by the members of the Donors Forum in 2015, the International Year of Evaluation, when it was the subject of an annual conference and the first study in Russia on its place and role in foundations was conducted. This role is great, given that for donor organizations evaluation is a continuous process of gaining new knowledge about ongoing programs and projects and an opportunity to improve their charitable activities and social investment.

The Policy Statement reflects the donors’ efforts to build and promote an evaluation culture among themselves and the organizations they support. In just a few years, evaluation has gone from being a one-time, isolated initiative to a management tool, not just for individual programs and projects, but for the entire portfolio.

The donors’ focus on evaluating the institutional development of nonprofits is growing. Increasingly they are willing to invest in building and developing the organizational capacity of the nonprofits.

In the time since the document was adopted, evaluation has ceased to be perceived as just a “check”, and has become an integral element of project design. The employees’ expertise level has grown significantly, and new growth areas have emerged. Based on the importance of building and promoting an evaluation culture and the importance of developing its potential among both donor organizations and their grantees, members of the Donors Forum decided to update the provisions of the Policy Statement on key areas of critical importance[22].

Namely:

• Integrating evaluation into the activities of donor organizations

Foundations or companies engaged in philanthropy and social investment will strive to make evaluation an integral and natural part of their activities, develop and implement evaluation practices and systems tailored to their specific activities, and promote evaluation among their partners and grantees.

• Improving the effectiveness of evaluation and ensuring practical use of its results

Evaluation only makes sense if it is used to guide decision-making and reinforce the effects achieved. Its results should be of maximum benefit to all stakeholders in the program, including the donor, grantees, beneficiaries, and other partners.

• Creating opportunities for the growth of evaluation competence

The staff responsible for implementing programs must acquire and develop the knowledge and skills necessary for quality planning and evaluation. It is in the interest of the organization to create the prerequisites for this growth.

A new trend is appearing right before our eyes, as both Russian and international donor communities are starting to focus more on the quality of impact management.

• Developing the grantees’ evaluation capacity

Donor organizations will seek to create conditions to enhance the grantees’ evaluation capacity. If the latter do not have sufficient resources for that, the donor organization will try to provide them with access to the missing resources through additional funding, training and consultations, and the involvement of specialist evaluators.

• Adherence to and promotion of professional principles and standards

Organizations that implement an evaluation system must be guided by professional principles and standards, including: openness of the evaluation process, ensuring the safety of its participants, and respect for their dignity and distinctions.