Evaluation

We are experts in activating learning about impact in organizations through evaluation. We can start at the beginning and build a framework for what to measure and how, provide a road map on how to operationalize evaluation processes, and ultimately measure and evaluate progress towards achieving social impact goals. Our goal in this work is to provide our clients with the insights and information they need to inform and improve strategy. 

Working in social impact requires a willingness to take risks and embrace uncertainty. But while this entrepreneurial spirit can yield positive results, it can just as easily lead to failure, missed opportunity and wasted resources. At Prosono, we help our clients significantly improve the odds of successful social impact outcomes through rigorous evaluation.

We know from experience that clients in the social impact sector are, understandably, laser-focused on identifying problems and eager to devise solutions. But too often, their traditional approach to problem-solving is to extrapolate from the past to predict future outcomes, or what we might refer to as “learning backward.” 

So we equip Prosono’s clients with the tools they need to “learn forward,” by building experimentation and evaluation - constant learning - into every one of our client engagements. 

The way we see it, evaluation is not just about collecting and reporting data - it is a shared process focused on learning and improving.  The work of evaluation is a means to an end: evaluation is only as good as the learning it sparks. We help organizations explicitly state their expectations and information needs, systematically gather, analyze, and synthesize evidence, and interpret the findings to facilitate learning and improvement. Specifically we: 

• Build evaluation frameworks, including logic models and theories of change,  so clients can articulate and clarify their “social impact intentions,” or how they would like to create positive change in their communities or the world

• Operationalize evaluation processes to provide regular feedback on the client’s social impact programs and initiatives, allowing us, together, to “learn forward.”  

• Conduct third party, mixed-methods impact assessments, formative and summative evaluations 

We make data approachable and actionable. We lead with actionable insights, rather than burying our clients with numbers. We only use jargon when necessary, providing visuals to explain learnings. Think of us as data translators.   

Evaluation is an instrument for change. Prosono is a member of the first Equitable Evaluation consulting collaborative and a founding Practice Partner. We are committed to exploring what equity looks like in evaluation and you can expect our team to integrate equitable evaluation practices - including participatory methods, strategies that foster collaboration and conversation between different stakeholders, and a strengths-based perspective. We know that there is no “one-size-fits-all” checklist for ensuring an evaluation is equitable. Instead, we will intentionally explore equity throughout all phases of the work.