1. LET’S GET TOGETHER! HOW TO BUILD A GRASSROOTS EVALUATION COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE Presenters: Paul Bakker, Social Impact Squared Natalya Kuziak, Industry Canada Don Murray, Harry Cummings and Associates 1

2. Agenda Review efforts of three local, volunteer-run evaluation communities of practice: – Ottawa’s Lunch and Learn for Evaluators lunchandlearnottawa.lotic.ca – Toronto’s Evaluation Café meetup.com/Evaluation-Cafe-Toronto/ – Guelph’s Evaluation Network guelphevaluation.ca Q & A Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 2

3. Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 3

4. Our Goal 1.Inspire others to start grassroots evaluation communities of practice 2.Provide lessons learned to help make those communities successful. Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 4

5. Commonalities Volunteer run Free Open to anyone interested in evaluation Focus on providing knowledge sharing & networking Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 5

6. Histories OttawaTorontoGuelph Start Date2007July 2011Nov. 2013 Present Members ~380~210~50 Day of weekTypically Tues. Typically Wed. then Thurs. Thurs. FrequencyMonthlySemi-monthly Typically Attendance 15-25 10-15 AffiliationIndependentIndependent from, but sponsored by CES-ON Considering CES-ON sponsorship Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 6

7. Event Format Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 7 OttawaTorontoGuelph VenuesDowntown Boardrooms Typically Pubs, on subway line Pubs TimingNoon to 1:156:30 – 8:30pm Structure45 min: intros & presentation 30 min: Q & A Try to vary as much as possible So far 1 hr facilitated/ interactive discussions & 1 hr networking Topic Generation Partly solicited; Partly members volunteer Partly organizers; partly solicited Survey to identify topics and presenters

8. Organization/Coordination OttawaTorontoGuelph 4 Coordinators: Maintain website Gmail account Organize sessions Promote/ Communicate through L&L website, email list, & word of mouth. No outreach being done currently Previously shared coordination. Presently 1 Organizer: Maintains Meetup Finds one-off Coordinators, Promote/Commu nicate through Meetup emails, LinkedIn, CES-ON & CES 2-3 Coordinators: Maintain website and Gmail account Organize sessions Promote/Commu nicate by word of mouth and email. Enhanced with website, LinkedIn & CES-ON Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 8

9. Feedback 9 OttawaTorontoGuelph Tools Use feedback forms at each session & collected 2 surveys One members survey Initial planning sessions, informal feedback and one member survey What Members Want Free PD Connecting with other evaluators Networking Exploratory topics. new techniques, trends Apply events to CES credentialing Webinars, video Losing interest in just networking sessions Big name/org presenters/ facilitators Session on new issues Specific topics, but not too niche Blend of structure and informal Interactive / brainstorming sessions Interesting topics Some want to apply events to CE PD hours Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014

10. Evolving Our Communities of Practice Issues we face include: Retention of coordinators Waitlists & growing demand Space to accommodate demand Making materials/recordings available online Increased costs/sponsorship Credit towards CES credentialing Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 10

11. Q & A What do you want to know about starting up or maintaining a local evaluation community of practice? What are you looking for from an evaluation community of practice? What do you think would help our communities of practice improve and/or grow? Are you planning to start up a new COP? Would you like to join the coordination of one of our COPs? Other questions? Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17, 2014 11 lunchandlearnottawa.lotic.ca meetup.com/Evaluation-Café-Toronto Guelphevaluation.ca