Fundamentals – Evaluation is one of six day-long courses offered annually, teaching practical knowledge and skills in core competencies that every nonprofit leader needs to know.

Click here for an overview of Nonprofit Fundamentals.

Begin at the beginning and learn the basics of project and program evaluation in a safe, fun environment.  This workshop combines mini-lectures, demonstrations, small group exercises and interactive discussions to provide a “nuts and bolts” introduction to concrete, easy-to-follow, practical methods for conducting evaluation.

Learning Objectives
During this interactive session, you will:

• Review various frameworks and models for evaluation, including current approaches used by funders of Western North Carolina projects, and discuss effective ways to fulfill requirements
• See the value and use of evaluation results
• Get acquainted with evaluation design, including logic models, data collection and analysis methods
• Identify the audiences for evaluation and how to best communicate results
• Learn the NC Center for Nonprofits Standards of Excellence related to evaluation

By the end of the day, you’ll have created an action plan for addressing evaluation in your organization for the future.

Follow-up Support
After completion of the course, attendees can access up to three hours of no cost one-on-one assistance from the instructor in order to help apply what's been learned to the needs of their organizations.  (Note: You must represent a WNC nonprofit in order to qualify for this support.)

Who should take Fundamentals: Evaluation?
This course is appropriate for representatives from organizations of any size or developmental stage, whether you are new or experienced in the nonprofit field.  We encourage multiple representatives from an organization to attend together.

Instructor:
Miriam Schwarz is executive director of the Buncombe County Medical Society and formerly  head of SAGE Partners, a professional services firm working in evaluation, training, and technical assistance.  Since 1992, she has led and supported hundreds of evaluations, most with nonprofits.

Schedule and Registration
For course schedule and registration information, go to the Duke Nonprofit Management web site, course selection page.  Under site, indicate “Western NC”.  Click here.