We help organizations move beyond the traditional models of evaluation by centering people over process. We encourage movement away from compliance, judgment, and transactions, and instead towards learning, experimentation, and relationships. And rather than reinforcing “status quo” evaluation approaches that often cede power and decision making to those holding the purse strings, we see evaluation as a tool for advancing equity by centering communities and their insights into what is valuable, meaningful, and worthy of measurement.

Our approach to evaluation is heavily informed by the Equitable Evaluation Framework(TM), as well as the Trust-Based Framework for Learning & Evaluation in Philanthropy expressed by the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and the Center for Evaluation Innovation. This means, in part, that we bring an exploratory approach to evaluation that: (a) centers trust-building and relationships as integral to successful learning efforts; (b) acknowledges power dynamics that may exist between funders and grantees; and (c) recognizes the importance of historical, institutional, and cultural contexts of evaluation efforts.

Check out the videos to right for a few examples of Joyce’s perspective on equity-centered learning and evaluation.

Presenter on equitable evaluation for Funder Hui Lunch & Learn, May 31, 2022

Co-Presenter for Possibility Project Session on Antiracist Learning & Evaluation, May 25, 2021.

Interviewee on equity-centered evaluation and power dynamics of knowledge frameworks, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, Spring 2021.