Examining the competencies required by evaluation capacity builders in community-based organizations

Area of Science:

• Community Psychology
• Program Evaluation
• Organizational Development

Background:

• Community-based organizations (CBOs) increasingly require program evaluation evidence.
• External support for evaluation capacity building (ECB) is sought by CBOs.
• Existing evaluation competency frameworks lack specificity for the community sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore essential competencies for evaluation capacity builders in the community sector.
• To understand the perceptions of ECB practitioners on required skills.
• To inform the development of targeted ECB training and education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study design.
• Semi-structured interviews with 12 ECB practitioners.
• Thematic analysis of practitioner perceptions.

Main Results:

• ECB practice necessitates unique competencies beyond traditional evaluation frameworks.
• Key competencies include instructional design, understanding organizational change, stakeholder motivation, and community sector knowledge.
• Practitioner insights highlight gaps in current evaluation competency models.

Conclusions:

• Essential competencies for ECB practitioners extend beyond core evaluation skills.
• Findings underscore the need for specialized training in areas like instructional design and organizational change for ECB.
• This research provides a foundation for developing tailored education to enhance ECB in community organizations.