146: Cultivating Commitment and Community Through Coffee Breaks: An Evolution of Connections and Call for Change by Evaluators and Funders

Expanding the Bench® (ETB), led by Change Matrix, is grounded in the belief that the evaluation field has suppressed the perspectives and voices of Indigenous and racially/ethnically diverse communities who have been — and continue to be — marginalized in the United States. In 2020, as in-person gatherings paused, ETB — alongside the ETB community — launched Coffee Breaks virtual one-on-one meetings between evaluators and funders to connect around their work, culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE), and how they are showing up to shift the field. These informal conversations emphasized the importance of CREE and created space for authentic relationship-building, disrupting traditional approaches to evaluation. This presentation will share findings and reflections from 2020-2025, based on participation data and insights gathered through listening sessions with evaluators and funders. It will highlight both successes and challenges, offering learnings for others seeking to build intentional, equity-centered relationships between evaluators and funders.

Elizabeth Waetzig, JD – ETB Co-Director; Angel Villalobos – ETB Co-Director; Manny Stegall, BS – Data Governance Coordinator