Trust-Based Learning & Evaluation: How to make equitable choices from the start

The process is intentionally designed as a two-way conversation, in which Community Advisors are provided the space to reflect on their work and progress, while the Fund reflects on our efforts toward acting as equitable, supportive partners. This two-way street fosters a deeper sense of mutual accountability between us and our partners, while revealing important insights that help us be more responsive and strategic with our funding. 

The article shares how F4ICA started with a different approach to Learning & Evaluation, and the ways the team continued to gather feedback, shift approaches and continue to align the way partner with community organizations to their needs and priorities.

Through our trust-based approach to L&E, we gain a window into the needs of nonprofit and movement organizations, and the communities they serve. This enables us to understand what’s working, what’s not, and how we can become better, more accountable partners.

When we say accountability we mean creating consistent and ongoing opportunities for Community Advisors and other partners we work with to provide their guidance and feedback to our funding and activities. The aim is to ensure that our grantmaking remains aligned with our values, that we stay connected and responsive to community needs and priorities, and our learnings are elevated within the broader field of philanthropy.

As we heard from a Community Advisor, “one of the strengths we see in our partnership with you is that [F4ICA] is constantly having these conversations…you guys are listening to us and pivoting with us, but not everybody’s like that.”

We are excited to share these insights and tools with the philanthropic community to shift the power dynamic of traditional learning and evaluation efforts.