Evaluating Social Innovation is a joint publication by FSG and the Center for Evaluation Innovation that makes an important contribution to the overlapping fields of social innovation, evaluation, and philanthropy.  

Drawing upon the ground-breaking work of Michael Quinn Patton, who makes the compelling case for – and describes the practice of – developmental evaluation (i.e. DE), this report complements it by drawing from the authors’ own experiences as well as research from other philanthropists and evaluators in the field, to surface how DE is and should be employed by philanthropists.

While the purpose of DE is straightforward, the practice is not. The authors complement Patton’s extensive work on the subject with their own experience, as well as research from other philanthropists and evaluators in the field, to surface how DE is and should be employed by philanthropists. They identify some very good stuff, including: 

• Five of the most critical characteristics of DE that distinguish it from more traditional, and in the case of social innovation, less helpful types of evaluation;
• Four basic conditions that should be met in order for innovators and philanthropists to productively employ developmental evaluation; and, 
• Six tough questions that must be asked by social innovators and philanthropists if and when they embrace DE.

This is a very important resource for those interested in community change. It is clearly written, credible and offers valuable insights into what is still the emerging practice of DE.