Funders should develop learning goals, plan their M&E approach, and communicate expectations before releasing an RFP and awarding grants¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The brief recommends that, before releasing a request for proposals and awarding grants, funders "develop their learning goals, plan their measurement and evaluation (M&E) approach, and communicate expectations to prospective grantees." This front-loads evaluation planning so grant-funded solutions can generate usable learning evidence from the start.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Funders must act before the request-for-proposals and grant-award stage, setting learning goals and an M&E approach and communicating expectations to prospective grantees.

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• Education funders preparing grant programs for learning solutions

Target Learning Goals¶

• Structuring measurement and evaluation to determine whether a solution works, for whom, and in what context

Related Strategies¶

• Engage a learning partner to support funders and grantees in designing and carrying out a learning plan and building M&E capacity
• Measure usability, usefulness, and utilization during development and early implementation
• Offer implications for funders and program implementers engaged in systems change
• Philanthropies jointly develop evaluation practice for basic science investments through a cross-organization working group

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

• Kara Conroy, Kate Place, Greg Chojnacki. (2023). Maximizing Learning Across Investments: Recommendations for Funders. Mathematica. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/maximizing-learning-across-investments-recommendations-for-funders