Позитивные изменения. Том 3, № 4 (2023). Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 4(2023)

The Donors Forum aspires to leverage the Positive Changes Award as a catalyst, inspiring non-profit organizations participating in the 2024 Point of Reference program to more enthusiastically integrate monitoring and evaluation tools into their project activities. “Particularly for small NGOs in regional areas, it is paramount to recognize that their initial steps toward MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning) will be acknowledged and supported. On our part, we are committed to ensuring that the application of assessment tools during the annual reflection process for NGOs participating in the Point of Reference program is as comprehensible and accessible as possible,” concluded the Association.

“DEVELOPMENT OF IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN THE PRACTICE OF SOCIALLY ORIENTED PROJECTS” CATEGORY

In this category, three distinguished recipients share the honor of the award: Reach for Change Foundation, PROOcenku Club, and Siberian Center Holding.

Reach for Change Foundation is commended for its pioneering efforts in implementing a data-driven approach to evaluate projects within the realm of social entrepreneurship.[50] Since 2012, the foundation has been helping develop projects by social entrepreneurs, which are aimed at improving the quality of life of children and youth throughout Russia. What sets them apart is their remarkable ability to engage accelerator participants in the intricacies of evaluation, diligently and consistently assisting them in establishing a robust evaluation framework.

“Accelerators that collaborate with social entrepreneurs are increasingly incorporating evaluation into their training programs and prerequisites. Aspiring entrepreneurs are now arriving at our competition more prepared with a better understanding of evaluation. Beyond our sector, we observe that business accelerators and entrepreneurial communities continue to express interest in this topic, albeit with a broader interpretation of the term ‘impact’ and a slightly different perspective on evaluation. Some entrepreneurs believe that the significance of impact assessment is overemphasized, while others fail to comprehend how assessment can be conducted without considering financial indicators — a rarity in practice within the social sector. It appears that a fresh business perspective on evaluation within our sector would be beneficial. Conversely, I believe that the business world would also find value in the sector’s expertise in this domain,” states Sofia Shaginian, Head of the Impact Startup Support Program at Reach for Change Foundation.

The PROOсenku Club[51] receives recognition for its invaluable contribution to fostering an expert community in the field of project and program evaluation. This club convenes monthly online meetings under the banner of “An Interesting Conversation in a Good Company.” The Club’s mission is to support a community of practitioners dedicated to integrating evaluation into the work of socially oriented organizations. Education, level of training in evaluation, and practical experience are not important for the participants.” The founders of the club are Process Consulting, Siberian Center Holding and Garant Group of NGOs.

“The essence of our club lies in coming together once a month for insightful discussions on evaluation-related topics in an engaging manner. We maintain an open-door policy, extending our invitation to anyone seeking to advance the cause of evaluation within their organizations. This means that anyone can attend, listen, share their insights, and pose questions to our panel of experts. We think we are doing quite well: more than 300 people already attended, and initiative has been met with enthusiastic response. So we believe that we’ve successfully filled a void in the landscape. Now, every month, you have the opportunity to engage in a fruitful discussion on evaluation within a supportive community,” affirms Alexey Kuzmin, Co-Founder of the PROOcenku Club and CEO of Process Consulting.

The Siberian Center Holding is another deserving recipient of this category’s award. Since 1996, the organizations under the holding’s umbrella have been dedicated to training leading personnel in NGOs. Beginning in 1999, they embarked on a journey to champion the cause of evaluating social projects and programs.[52]

In 2023, their project, “Formation of an Ecosystem for Learning and Enlightenment in the Field of Evaluation in the Social Sphere,” devised in collaboration with partners, secured co-financing from the Presidential Grants Fund. It introduces a three-tiered approach to education:

• The Professional Level involves a comprehensive 144-hour-long qualification enhancement course in evaluation, featuring both face-to-face and online sections.

• The Actualizing Level offers a condensed 24-hour professional development course in evaluation, available exclusively online.