WORKSHOP #1: SOCIAL IMPACT MEASUREMENT
Date: 10 May 2013
Time: 1 – 6pm
Venue: Singapore Management University
Size: 20 to 30 participants (maximum size is limited)
Fee: SGD150 (AVPN member & conference attendee rate)/ SGD300 (standard)
– Price of ticket includes networking lunch before the workshop.
Workshop Leader:
Lance Potter, Director of Evaluation, New Profit Inc.
About workshop
In the past decade, organizations seeking to create social impact have been using the strategic planning technique called theory of change to sharpen their understanding of the effects they hope to achieve, and how they will achieve them. A strong theory also provides a roadmap for evaluation that yields program improvement information and strong evidence of outcome effects.
This nontechnical workshop will demystify theory of change creation and reveal the value of a strong theory of change for start-ups and well-established social programs. Participants will get hands-on practice developing a theory of change and exploring how monitoring and evaluation are a natural extension of this strategic planning process.
What you will learn
Participants will learn what a theory of change is, how successful social impact organizations use theory of change, and how to begin a theory of change process for an organization.
Attendees will also learn how a theory of change guides and strengthens evaluation efforts directed at learning, improvement, and accountability.
The workshop will use case studies and group exercises to allow participants to experience theory of change development first-hand.
Who should attend
Investors in social programs, philanthropists, government funders, social entrepreneurs, and social program staff.
Programme
| Time | Description |
| 1 – 2 pm | Networking Lunch for all workshop attendees |
| 2.15 – 4pm | Workshop starts – Introduction and OverviewWhat is Theory of Change? Why is it powerful?How to drive and improve change?Case study: Demonstration of a life cycle of an organization applying Theory of Change |
| 4 – 4.30pm | Break |
| 4.30 – 6pm | Break into groups to discuss and share: Pick 1 organisation and walk through how to sketch the theory of change, apply the data collection hypotheses |
| 6pm | Workshop ends |
Background on workshop leader
Lance Potter serves as Director of Evaluation for New Profit Inc., a venture philanthropy in Boston, MA, USA. He directs all aspects of monitoring and evaluation at New Profit, including overall strategy and technical assistance to portfolio organizations.
He is also Principal of Evaluation Strategy Partners, LLC, in Washington DC, a consulting practice providing strategic planning in monitoring and evaluation to philanthropies, nonprofits, and government.
Previously, he was a Senior Program Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led measurement and evaluation efforts in two units, K-12 education and Policy/Advocacy. Prior to Gates, he was Director of Health Communication Research at Westat, a global social science research firm, where he conducted evaluations of health promotion and disease prevention programs. In the 1990s, Lance was founding Director of Evaluation at the Corporation for National and Community Service, the US government agency responsible for community service programs.
About New Profit Inc.
New Profit Inc. is a national venture philanthropy fund that helps innovative social entrepreneurs and their organizations dramatically improve opportunities for children, families, and communities. New Profit focuses investment on innovative nonprofit organizations with the potential to create significant, long-term impact on the social mobility of low-income Americans.
