Cluster Evaluation
Cluster Evaluation
The primary purpose for grouping similar projects together in “clusters” is to bring about more policy or systemic change than would be possible in a single project or in a series of unrelated projects. Cluster evaluation is a means of determining how well the collection of projects fulfills the objectives of systemic change. Projects identified as part of a cluster are periodically brought together at networking conferences to discuss issues of interest to project directors, cluster evaluators, and the Foundation.
Project directors typically know prior to receiving a grant whether they will be
expected to participate in a cluster, but occasionally clusters are formed after
grants have been made. Therefore, it is important to be familiar with cluster
evaluation even if you are not currently participating in a cluster.
In general, we use the information collected through cluster evaluation to
enhance the effectiveness of grantmaking, clarify the strategies of major
programming initiatives, and inform public policy debates. Cluster evaluation is not
a substitute for project-level evaluation, nor do cluster evaluators “evaluate” projects. As
stated in the previous section, grantees have responsibility for evaluating their
own projects in relationship to their own objectives. Project-level evaluation is
focused on project development and outcomes related to the project
stakeholders. Cluster evaluation focuses on progress made toward achieving the
broad goals of a programming initiative. In short, cluster evaluation looks across a
group of projects to identify common threads and themes that, having crossconfirmation,
take on greater significance. Cluster evaluators provide feedback on
commonalties in program design, as well as innovative methodologies used by
projects during the life of the initiative. In addition, cluster evaluators are available
to provide technical assistance in evaluation to your project if you request it.
Any data collected by project staff that may be useful to the cluster evaluation
should be made available to the cluster evaluator. However, we do not want
cluster evaluation to become intrusive to projects nor to drive project-level
evaluation. Information is reported to the Foundation in an aggregate form that
prevents us from linking data to the individual clients or project participants.
Perhaps the most important aspect of cluster evaluation is that your project will
benefit from lessons learned by other similar projects. In turn, what you learn by
conducting your project can be of benefit to others.
