Community Science began its contractual relationship with The California Endowment in 2006 when we helped the foundation’s evaluation unit identify best practices (including measures) used by evaluators for monitoring and evaluating grants and initiatives that address systems change, coalition building, capacity building, and community organizing. Community Science conducted in-depth interviews with nine evaluators with experience in these issues, and supplemented the interviews with a literature review on the same topics. We produced a report and guide for TCE’s grantees on how to monitor and evaluate change in these areas. (2006-2007)
Community Science continued to assist The California Endowment when the foundation began to prepare for its ten-year Building Healthy Communities Strategic Vision. We helped the foundation develop a theory of change and an evaluation framework for the Strategic Vision. We worked with the foundation’s staff and expert advisory group to create a measurement framework that would allow the foundation to monitor its progress toward achieving the vision. (2008-2009)
Subsequently, The California Endowment selected Community Science to evaluate the foundation’s performance during the planning of the Building Healthy Communities Strategic Vision in 2009. For the evaluation, Community Science conducted interviews with key stakeholders at each of the 14 places selected to be part of the Strategic Vision, designed a dashboard to monitor the foundation’s outcomes and results for the Vision, facilitated an on-line social network and exchange forum for the stakeholders, and facilitated the development of a logic model and evaluation plan for the foundation’s s efforts to impact policy at the state level. (2009-2011)