In 2014, Calgary's Ambrose University embarked on a bold vision: to develop a national academic institute dedicated to the eradication of poverty in Canada. This was the genesis of the Canadian Poverty Institute (CPI) whose mission is “to contribute to the healing of poverty through teaching, research and public education that informs policy and enhances practice.”
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In New Zealand right now, there is a major government focus on restructuring its services to better support ‘vulnerable children’. There is also concern about growing inequalities, housing affordability and ‘child poverty.’ While big system responses to key national issues matter, so do small local innovations.
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Some people think of me as an expert in a few things, which is okay. It is not okay, however, that I have acted like an expert in most things...if not all things on occasion.
This awareness is part of the understanding that comes with experience and maturity (which is a nice way of saying "age"). That it took me a while to arrive at this self-understanding is a bit embarrassing yet I'm glad I did. It has dramatically changed how I try to work with individuals and groups. Even more, I think it has changed my relationship with them for better.
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This is an excerpt of an article Tapping a Troubled Neighborhood's Inner Strength originally published in the New York Times, republished here with generous permission of David Bornstein.
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Every time the Olympics come around, I cannot help but feel inspired. Watching the best athletes in the world compete has pushed me to better myself athletically.
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In recent months, we’ve been talking with funders (including private foundations, public foundations and funders, government, and corporate funders) about evaluation. We’ve learned that, by and large, they are very interested in evaluation and see it as an important tool for learning and action. They understand the challenges that nonprofits face around evaluation and they acknowledge that some of these challenges arise out of their own requirements and expectations. Like nonprofits, funders we spoke with in Ontario see the need for a better approach to nonprofit evaluation with more focus on collaboration, learning, and action. Many are already taking steps to achieve this, but most also acknowledge that they still have much to learn. During our conversations, we gained insight into the obstacles that funders must overcome in order to change their practices. Understanding these challenges may be one of the keys to building an evaluation strategy that is truly sector driven and action focused. That is the focus of this blog.
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