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Internal evaluation in a self-reflective organization: one nonprofit agency's model
1Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers, Inc., 106 East Tenth Street, Dallas, TX 75203, USA.
Evaluation and Program Planning
|September 10, 2013
Summary
Nonprofit organizations can overcome resource limitations by integrating internal evaluators into leadership roles. This approach enhances program assessment and fosters organizational learning for improved outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Nonprofit Management
- Program Evaluation
- Organizational Learning
Background:
- Nonprofit agencies often struggle with resource constraints when conducting program evaluations.
- Assessing outcomes and building programs internally presents a significant challenge for these organizations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present an alternative evaluation and management model for nonprofit agencies.
- To explore the expanded role of an internal evaluator within a nonprofit setting.
Main Methods:
- A case study approach was employed over five years.
- A trained internal evaluator simultaneously conducted ongoing evaluations and participated in the agency's leadership team.
Main Results:
- The integrated role of the internal evaluator facilitated ongoing program assessment.
- Self-reflection within the agency enhanced the utilization of evaluation findings.
- Unique conditions were created for conducting evaluation studies within the nonprofit.
Conclusions:
- An expanded role for internal evaluators offers a viable solution for nonprofits facing resource limitations.
- Integrating evaluation into leadership fosters organizational learning and improves program effectiveness.
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