How does the project plan to implement a proportionate monitoring and evaluation framework that assesses outputs, outcomes and process how projects can improve?
What are we looking for?
We are looking for a sensible plan of how the project outcomes will be measured and evaluated. By proportionate, we refer to the need to take into account the scale of the project, the capacity constraints around it in terms of staff, time, and resources available, as well as what the value of the evaluation will be for future project development and delivery.
- You should consider how you can embed reflection, learning, and monitoring throughout the project, instead of leaving evaluation to the end of a project lifecycle, for example using an “action research” framework so that learning can be incorporated directly into practice.
- You should also consider how is your proposed evaluation appropriate for your project and how valid is your evaluation approach. E.g. what data are you going to gather, and is it the right kind of data to achieve your evaluation goals? However, we are conscious that for smaller projects, evaluation can be very simple and may not encounter significant risks in the design stage.
- Finally, you should think about how learning from our funded projects can be promoted, shared and disseminated, either internally within your team or organisation for smaller projects, and across the Ormiston network if appropriate for larger projects.
This principle is assessed in the following questions:
- 5a: Please outline how you plan to monitor and evaluate your project against your stated outcomes.
- 5b: Do you foresee any challenges regarding collecting evidence and data for your evaluation, and how will you mitigate them?
- 5c: Are you happy to share outcomes and learning from your project?
How can this be demonstrated?
Evaluation plan:
- Clear outline of what data/evidence you will gather as part of the evaluation process, and what you hope to gain from these data.
- Indication that you have considered capacity as part of your plan; and have developed an appropriate evaluation plan to suit your available resources.
- Description, linked to your risk assessment, of how you will check during the project that your delivery plan is remaining on track.
Validity of evaluation:
- Indication that you have considered what data you would need to collect, and how you will collect them. You should take into account potential challenges and risks (e.g. confirmation bias, attribution, leading questions, ethics etc) and explain if necessary, how such risks have been suitably mitigated.
- Evidence of academic rigour (if applicable) in your plans. This may for example involve partnership working with a university partner, or other external stakeholders providing expertise.
Suggestions of how you can share your learning (if applicable) internally and externally.
- Suggestions of ways of how you can continually improve and grow your project (if applicable) over the funding period.
Why is this important?
“Evaluation is creation: hear it, you creators! Evaluating is itself the most valuable treasure of all that we value. It is only through evaluation that value exists: and without evaluation the nut of existence would be hollow. Hear it, you creators!” – Friedrich Nietzsche
