Browse media Resources
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Strategic Communications Audits This Issue Brief, a Working Brief from the Communication Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project, explains how a nonprofit organization can conduct an analysis of its communications efforts in the areas of Strategy, Implementation, and Support and Alignment. The Issue Brief can also be used as a tool, as it includes a table relating Essential Strategic Communications Practices and their corresponding Quality Criteria/Standards. Additionally, there is an organizational "Practice Maturity Scale" to assist a nonprofit in determining its level of communications expertise. Author: Coffman, Julia Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2004
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Strategic Communications Toolkit An archived initiative of the Benton Foundation, "Strategic Communications for Nonprofits" produced a toolkit for planning and implementing a strategic communications plan. Though it hasn't been updated since 2002 (and some of the web graphics are missing), the toolkit's "Think it Through" and "Put it to Work" still offer sound and relevant advice and resources for planning and implementing a communications plan. Author: The Benton Foundation Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Telling Your Story: A Guide to Preparing Advocacy Case Studies This guidebook was created to encourage activists to record their stories. The authors believe that it is beneficial for advocates to communicate experiences that will stimulate and teach others working toward social change. The guidebook clarifies the "hows and whys" of writing an advocacy case study. The body of the guidebook is made up of four sections: the reasons for writing a case study, methods for selecting a focus,writing hints, and what to do with the finished product. Author: Advocacy Institute Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Aug 28, 2001 Be the first to review this resource! Download (268.47 KB) -
The 6 D's of Needs Assessments This handy one-page tipsheet outlines the six D's that need to be answered for a successful Needs Assessment:
- Deficit
- Develop
- Describe
- Desires
- Duplication
- Demand
Author: Community Soplutions Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Jan 1, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.47 MB) -
The Challenge of Evaluating Complex Interventions: A Framework for Evaluating Media Advocacy This article in Health Education Research presents a framework for evaluating media advocacy. The framework is intended as a planning resource for media advocates, and as an aid to fundraising. The authors suggest a number of possible indicators for media, public opinion, policy, community, and advocacy. Author: Stead, Martine; Hastings, Gerard; and Douglas Eadie Type: Newsletters & Periodicals Date: Jun 1, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
The Communication Initiative Network An extensive website of resources related to communication for development, with a strongly international reach. Available topics include baseline data, programme experience, evaluation and planning methodologies, theories of change, and more. The site also offers active discussion forums and an e-newsletter, The Drum Beat.
Author: The Communication Initiative Network Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
The Community Toolbox The Community Tool Box is a global resource for free information on essential skills for building healthy communities. It offers practical guidance in creating change and improvement in a wide range of areas.
Part A. Models for Promoting Community Health and Development: Gateways to the Tools
Part B. Community Assessment, Agenda Setting, and Choice of Broad Strategies
Part C. Promoting Interest and Participation in Initiatives
Part D. Developing a Strategic Plan, Organizational Structure, and Training System
Author: Work Group for Community Health and Development Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 1, 2011
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The Conference is Over, Now What? Professional Development for Novice Evaluators (Presentation handout) Are you a recent graduate or novice evaluator? If so, cheers to your first few years in the evaluation field! Your professional development is just beginning.
Author: Ann K. Emery Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Oct 18, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Download (547.8 KB) -
The ‘Most Significant Change’ Technique This 104-page guide discusses the "Most Significant Change" ("MSC") technique and its use in advocacy evaluation. The technique involves collecting stories from program participants, reviewing stories and choosing the "most significant," sharing those stories, and discussing their value and impact. The guide states that "When the technique is implemented successfully, whole teams of people begin to focus their attention on program impact." Author: Davies, Rick and Dart, Jess Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Apr 1, 2005 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.2 MB) -
Top 10 Benefits of Connecting With Your AEA Affiliate [Slides] At the American Evaluation Association's 2012 Annual Conference, Ann K. Emery outlined the top ten benefits of connecting with AEA Affiliates. She discusses various opportunities to volunteer, as well as opportunities to attend happy hours, free events, and join in on Board or Committee meetings.
Author: Ann K. Emery Type: Presentation Slides Date: Oct 25, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Unique Methods in Advocacy Evaluation This brief describes four new methods developed to respond to advocacy’s unique measurement challenges:
- Bellwether Methodology
- Policymaker Ratings
- Intense Period Debriefs
- System Mapping
It was authored by Ehren Reed of Innovation Network and Julia Coffman, an evaluation consultant, with the support of The California Endowment. They first presented this brief at the Advocacy Evaluation Advances convening in Los Angeles, CA in January, 2009.
Author: Coffman, Julia; Reed, Ehren Type: Research & Reports Date: Jan 1, 2009
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Using Survey Research to Evaluate Communications Campaigns This is the second Working Brief from the Communication Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project. The authors seek to provide advice to nonprofit organizations that may consider using survey research to evaluate the effectiveness of a communications campagin. The Working Brief outlines the questions a nonprofit needs to ask in the design stages of a communications campaign to maximize the benefit of a survey effort. Author: Belden Russonello & Stewart Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (140.12 KB) -
Voices for Change: A Taxonomy of Public Communications Campaigns and Their Evaluation Challenges This research report makes the case that communications campaigns cover a broad range of different types and characteristics, and can be differentiated along the axes of Purpose, Scope, and Maturity. It examines what communications campaigns that fall on different areas of these three axes look like, and how this positioning may affect the lead to distinct evaluation challenges and needs. Author: Berkeley Media Studies Group Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2002 Be the first to review this resource! Download (643.93 KB) -
Writing a Media Analysis This publication is the third Working Brief from the Communications Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project. The brief discusses key questions that can be answered by performing a media analysis, such as who the main spokespeople are around a particular topic, what topics are being covered in the media, and which reporters are writing about particular issues. Additionally, the authors provide an overview of media analysis methodology that a nonprofit organization could use to structure an in-house media analysis. Author: Douglas Gould and Company Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (72.53 KB)