#1: Choosing the Wrong Type of Evaluation

Some nonprofits want an impact evaluation. The problem is, they might not be ready for that yet. Impact evaluation requires that you clearly understand your target audience served, have clearly defined your outcomes, and already have data that shows that you are achieving your outcomes. Don’t have all of these yet?

Well, you are not alone and should not feel overwhelmed! But you may not need an impact evaluation just yet . . .

Many organizations, especially those new to evaluation, need to pursue what’s called a “formative evaluation.” This is where you (or a qualified evaluation coach/consultant) can help you a) decide what you need to measure, b) develop some initial tracking tools and c) measure some initial outcomes.

This blog post is part of a series of 7 articles on “Seven Pitfalls to Avoid in Evaluation.” Check back next week for another one!