Engaging Community Members in the Evaluation Life Cycle: Strategies Evaluators can use to Bolster Participation and Impact

Effective engagement strategies empower evaluators to actively involve community members in the evaluation process. By embracing co-creation and collaborative design, evaluators can significantly enhance the impact and utilization of their findings. Through a series of practical examples demonstrating creative engagement techniques, session participants will gain actionable strategies to incorporate into their own practice. This session will present a community engagement strategy for each phase of the evaluation process—planning, data collection, analysis, and reporting. Participants will learn to utilize common evaluation tools, such as logic models, data discovery sessions, and engaging reports, in group settings to foster stakeholder involvement. These strategies help build buy-in and sustained participation throughout the evaluation, thereby strengthening the overall process.