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• Mastering the Nonprofit Program Evaluation Plan: A 3-step Guide for Program Evaluators

  • When
    Thursday, February 05, 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
  • Location
    Online, An American Evaluation Association eStudy Course

  An American Evaluation Association eStudy Course taught by Chari Smith, Evaluation into Action, LLC

  Thursday, February 5 and 12 at 9am – 10:30am PST

  This course is designed for program evaluators who want to guide nonprofit organizations through an interactive 3-step process to create realistic and impactful evaluation plans. Learn how to analyze documents for alignment, gather insights through planning surveys, and lead interactive sessions that build consensus around key evaluation questions. Walk away with a framework to help nonprofits align their activities, outcomes, and impact while ensuring the plan is actionable.

  Learning Outcomes:

  By the end of this workshop, participants will:

  • Learn how to implement a 3-step process for guiding nonprofits in developing realistic and meaningful program evaluation plans tailored to their unique needs.
  • Understand the critical role building a culture of evaluation plays in creating evaluation plans through a collaborative process.
  • Gain skills on how to engage key stakeholders, such as program staff, leadership, participants, and board members, in creating consensus around evaluation outcomes and key questions.

  Register here 

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• Winter Journal Club

  • When
    Monday, February 09, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual, Zoom
  • Registered
    8 registrants

  Register

  Like a book club, but for empirical literature! Join us for a friendly conversation about evaluation journal articles. There is a suggested pre-read for this event, which we will discuss together. If you don’t have time to read it before the event, we’d still love to have you! In addition to the pre-read, we may also discuss recommended reading, and our own evaluation experiences related to the pre-read.

  The pre-read for this event is: "Ecology and Evolutionary Biology’s Unique Contribution to Evaluation", Jonathan Morell & Theresa LeGros, Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, Volume 21, Issue 49, 2025.

  This Journal Club session will be facilitated by Eric Einspruch, PhD.

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• The Ethics of Not Collecting Data

  • When
    Wednesday, February 18, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual, Zoom
  • Registered
    28 registrants

  Register

  We are excited to announce that on Wednesday, February 18th, 12-1 pm, we will be having a presentation and discussion on "The Ethics of Not Collecting Data" by Tiago Rampe, Senior Research and Evaluation Analyst at the Multnomah County Health Department.

  Come join us to hear how some of your colleagues are grappling with these decisions. Some of the questions Tiago will be covering include:

  • When do we need to collect specific demographic variables?
  • What situations do we already choose not to collect data/specific variables?
  • Are we collecting the data for the right purpose?
  • What situations and specific risks could arise in the future that we need to prepare for?

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• Mapping Impact, Applying Geospatial Tools for More Effective Project Evaluation

  • When
    Tuesday, February 24, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual
  • Registered
    24 registrants

  Register

  On Thursday, February 24th, 12-1 pm, OPEN will be hosting a virtual presentation on "Mapping Impact, Applying Geospatial Tools for More Effective Project Evaluation" by Jennifer Billman, Nicole Ernst, and Alyssa Hokky.

  Geospatial technology transforms the way evaluators assess project performance by providing a spatial dimension to data analysis, making evaluation insights more actionable and accessible. By integrating spatial insights, evaluators can visualize key metrics, support data-driven decision-making, and enhance community engagement. This demonstration will showcase how geospatial tools—including ArcGIS Online, Survey123, maps, dashboards, Business Analyst Online, and story maps—can be applied to evaluation workflows. Participants will learn how to collect and integrate spatial and non-spatial data, map project impacts, and apply spatial analysis techniques to uncover trends and inform strategic decisions. Through live demonstrations and real-world case studies, attendees will see how these tools improve project assessment and transparency. Participants will gain practical knowledge to incorporate geospatial tools into their evaluation practice, fostering greater collaboration, accessibility, and impact in their work.

  More about our presenters:

  • Jennifer Billman, Ph.D., Senior Research & Evaluation Associate, at The Rucks Group. A former college professor, Jennifer brings a passion for creating evaluation materials that are engaging, interactive, and informative. Her work increasingly explores how tools like ArcGIS can strengthen evaluation design and insight.
  • Nicole Ernst, Professional Development Director, Geospatial Technology Consortium of Community Colleges & Geospatial Technology Professor, Harrisburg Area Community College. Nicole is a professor of geospatial technology who lives at the intersection of maps, data, and real-world decision-making. She teaches students and colleagues how to turn spatial chaos into insight.

  • Alyssa Hokky, P.S.M., Research and Evaluation Associate, The Rucks Group. Alyssa brings an analytical perspective grounded in biology, STEM education, and evaluation practice. She works at the intersection of data, GIS, and evaluation to turn complex datasets into clear evidence of project outcomes that support learning and decision-making.

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• Winter Evaluation in Progress (EIP)

  • When
    Wednesday, March 11, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual, Zoom

  Register

  Are you currently grappling with a needs assessment or facing challenges with a survey question that could benefit from an additional perspective? Perhaps there's a specific area in evaluation that has captured your interest, and you're seeking recommendations or advice. Look no further! Connect with fellow professionals at our next online "Evaluation in Progress" (EIP) event.

  This virtual gathering provides evaluators, irrespective of their project stage, with the opportunity to showcase their work and receive constructive feedback and insights from peers. Join us for an informal and enriching session during your lunch break, where you can bring your burning questions, engage in professional development, and expand your network.

  Feel free to reach out to Matt Honoré at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.

  We look forward to your active participation in this collaborative and supportive environment!

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• Fix My Dashboard!: Exploring Best Practices and Pitfalls in Dashboard Design

  • When
    Wednesday, March 25, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual
  • Registered
    1 registrant

  Register

  On Wednesday, March 25th, 12-1 pm, OPEN will be hosting a virtual workshop titled "Fix My Dashboard!: Exploring Best Practices and Pitfalls in Dashboard Design" by Tom Withee and Amber Lewis.

  Dashboards can be effective tools for visualizing data and driving decision-making; however, many dashboards fall short in delivering clear, actionable insights. In this workshop, we will focus on the key design elements that make dashboards both effective and user-friendly. In the first half of this workshop, participants will learn about best practices for layout, visual clarity, and user experience to ensure that their dashboards communicate data effectively. The second half of the workshop will focus on reviewing examples of dashboards in need of improvement. In group discussions, we will analyze dashboards and brainstorm ideas on how to enhance their design, usability, and functionality. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own dashboards for feedback on how to make them more effective. By the end of the session, participants will leave with practical strategies to design dashboards that are visually engaging, intuitive to use, and capable of delivering meaningful insights to stakeholders.

  More about our presenters:

  • Tom Withee is the Owner / Principal Researcher for Fulcrum DataViz that supports school districts, colleges and universities, not-for-profit organizations and informal education entities with evaluation, research and data visualization services. Tom has been a program evaluator and education researcher since 2019 where he has developed expertise as a data thought partner for organizations by helping them understand what data they already have, what data they could/should use, how to interpret that data and how to communicate effectively with their data. Tom has presented on developing and designing interactive data dashboards for several local evaluation affiliates including EASL, H-PEA, IEA and Seattle; at multiple AEA conferences, and for organizations. He is passionate about making STEM education accessible to all students as is evidenced by the projects he supports.
  • Amber Lewis is the Principal Evaluator for Kindling Insights, a new evaluation practice focused primarily on serving nonprofit and community programs. Amber has been supporting the evaluation efforts of funders, nonprofits, and universities for nearly a decade, serving in both internal evaluation and external consulting capacities. She has led evaluation projects for St. Louis area education-focused nonprofits and a variety of National Science Foundation grants seeking to promote equity in STEM within secondary and higher education. Amber works with program teams to understand how to define and measure program success, from developing logic models and instrumentation to data collection, analysis, and reporting. She seeks to provide both quantitative and qualitative analysis in ways that are engaging, offer actionable insights, and are informed by the collaboration and voices of diverse stakeholders. She is passionate about making data accessible and empowering clients to ask and answer questions that meaningfully affect and improve their work on behalf of others. Amber is a member of the American Evaluation Association and serves on the board of the Evaluation Association of St. Louis.

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