Program evaluations in the nonprofit sector

Abstract

This action research project was conducted in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club Services of Greater Victoria (BGCV). The central research question is: how can BGCV build collaborative evaluation capacity in order to develop an evaluation framework. A survey of the frontline staff established that there were varying levels of understanding regarding evaluative practices at BGCV, and a focus group with the senior-level management uncovered evidence of evaluative practices currently occurring at BGCV, including both internal and external program reviews. The findings also suggested that the historical and cultural context of the organization affect its operations, and that there is a perceived trend towards increased accountability in the nonprofit sector. The recommendations reflect these findings, and suggest that BGCV should continue to build on the human and technological capital that exists within the organization, and create an alumni program and program-specific build logic models.