119: Balancing Accountability and Organizational Learning in Program Evaluation

Public and nonprofit organizations must increasingly evaluate their programs to meet funders’ accountability demands. While evaluations are meant to support both accountability and organizational learning, compliance-driven approaches often limit the latter. Existing qualitative research suggests that compliance-oriented accountability may hinder evaluation use and innovation. This study tests that theory quantitatively, further examining whether alternative accountability mechanisms—professional and political—better predict organizational learning. Using survey data from public and nonprofit professionals, multiple regression analysis explores how these accountability structures influence instrumental evaluation use. Findings offer insights into how funders and organizations can co-create accountability frameworks that foster collaboration, capacity-building, and shared leadership in evaluation. This poster will interest evaluators, funders, and nonprofit leaders seeking strategies to align accountability with organizational learning, ensuring evaluation projects are a tool for innovation and impact rather than mere oversight.