Seattle Foundation

The Equitable Evaluation Initiative (EEI) seeks to shift the evaluation paradigm so that it becomes a tool for and of equity. It is a time-bound endeavor (2019-2024) to seed a field of Equitable Evaluation Framework ™ practitioners who are advancing equity; expanding notions of objectivity, rigor, and validity; and embracing complexity. EEI focuses on foundations and evaluators whose work is interdependent, with each playing a unique role in shifting the evaluation paradigm. Meeting EEI’s vision requires critical thought about all aspects of the evaluative process — the questions we ask, the methods we use, the teams we assemble, and the ways we support the use of data and sense-making around analysis of findings. This grant provides program support to EEI under the Knowledge for Better Philanthropy strategy.

The Seattle Foundation is the fiscal sponsor of the Education Forward Fund, a collaborative effort of a group of foundations to support the many organizations and initiatives that are working to ensure that schools work for all children and young people. The Education Forward Fund will fund organizing and advocacy efforts by groups engaged in communications, legal, and policy support for education leaders. This grant contributes to the Fund’s collaborative work. (Strategy: K-12 Teaching and Learning)

The Equitable Evaluation Initiative (EEI) seeks to shift the evaluation paradigm so that it becomes a tool for and of equity for institutions that have placed equity as core to their work. These institutions fall into three sectors: foundations, nonprofits/community, and evaluators/consultants. Their work is interdependent, and each plays a unique role in shifting the evaluation paradigm. EEI provides resources and supports to each. EEI argues that evaluators who work with foundations, and nonprofits who are working on equity, have a special obligation to ensure that their evaluation practices don’t reinforce or even exacerbate the inequities their efforts seek to address. Meeting this vision requires critical thought about all aspects of the evaluative process — the questions we ask, the methods we use, the teams we assemble, and the ways we support the use of data and sense-making around findings. This grant provides flexible support to the initiative.