External Evaluations
Each assessment includes a summary of key findings as well as the full report.
Evaluation of Beldon’s Program Strategies PDF
A qualitative evaluation, based on confidential interviews, of the impact of our program strategies.Beldon Grantee Perception Report PDF
Anonymous survey of Beldon grantees.Beldon Grant Applicant Perception Report PDF
Anonymous survey of Beldon grant applicants.Evaluation Benchmarks
The Beldon Fund relied heavily on independent external evaluations to make early and mid-course corrections to our program strategies and to develop benchmarks to measure progress.
In our last two years, we funded four external evaluations:
- A qualitative evaluation, based on confidential interviews, of the impact of Beldon’s program strategies.
- Two anonymous surveys – one with Beldon grantees and the other with grant applicants – to explore how the foundation was perceived by each group.
- A qualitative evaluation of the impact of Beldon’s nonpartisan civic engagement work.
The findings highlight what worked well and less well for Beldon in our effort to strengthen environmental advocacy over a ten-year period. We hope other philanthropists and foundations, whatever their program focus or spending trajectory, will find useful lessons about best practices regarding:
- Funding advocacy and nonpartisan civic engagement to bring policy change
- Promoting collaboration among grantees and with other advocates
- Responsible exiting, including helping grantee organizations obtain additional funding to sustain their work.