Developing Shared Leadership and Evaluation Capacity through the Equitable Evaluation Framework

This presentation argues that infusing an evaluation practice with equity increases the internal use of evaluation results. It will provide examples of and suggestions for adopting equitable evaluation practices in areas including stakeholder involvement, survey design, data analysis, and reporting. It demonstrates how specific mindsets like sharing power, decentering whiteness, and foregrounding possibility and curiosity are crucial to gathering good data and helping people use it. The presentation will reflect on how this process has unfolded at Cradles to Crayons, a national nonprofit established in 2002 that works to provide clothing essentials to the estimated 40% of US children that go without adequate, affordable, and appropriate clothing each day. From forming questions together as colleagues to reflective interviews and sharing results with partners, equity sets the stage for shared leadership and improved outcomes. Participants will be asked to reflect on how equitable evaluation might be incorporated into their organizational contexts.