What are the best practices for collaborating with program evaluation associations?

1 Identify your goals and needs

Before you reach out to a program evaluation association, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what you need from them. For example, are you looking for training, mentoring, feedback, or advocacy? Do you have specific questions, issues, or concerns that you want to address? How can the association help you meet your program objectives and standards? By identifying your goals and needs, you can narrow down your options and select the most relevant and suitable association for your situation.

2 Research the association's mission and values

Once you have chosen a program evaluation association that matches your goals and needs, you should do some research on their mission and values. What is their vision and purpose? What are their principles and priorities? How do they approach program evaluation and what methods and tools do they use? How do they interact with their members and stakeholders? By understanding the association's mission and values, you can align your expectations and avoid potential conflicts or misunderstandings.

3 Establish a relationship and rapport

Collaborating with a program evaluation association is not a one-time transaction, but a long-term relationship that requires trust and respect. Therefore, you should invest some time and effort in building a rapport with the association's staff, leaders, and members. You can do this by attending their events, joining their online platforms, participating in their discussions, and sharing your insights and experiences. You can also show your appreciation and recognition for their work and contributions, and ask for their feedback and suggestions.

4 Communicate clearly and regularly

Communication is key for any successful collaboration, especially with program evaluation associations that may have different perspectives, expectations, and preferences. You should communicate clearly and regularly with the association about your goals, needs, progress, challenges, and outcomes. You should also listen actively and respectfully to their input, questions, and concerns. You should use the appropriate channels and formats for communication, such as email, phone, video call, or report. You should also follow up and confirm any agreements or action items.

5 Learn from each other

One of the main benefits of collaborating with program evaluation associations is that you can learn from each other's expertise, experience, and best practices. You can use the association as a source of information, guidance, and inspiration for your program evaluation activities. You can also share your own knowledge, skills, and lessons learned with the association and contribute to their professional development and improvement. You can also seek opportunities for joint projects, publications, or presentations that showcase your collaboration and results.

6 Evaluate and improve your collaboration

Finally, you should evaluate and improve your collaboration with the program evaluation association on a regular basis. You should collect and analyze feedback from both sides on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your collaboration. You should also measure and report on the outputs, outcomes, and impacts of your collaboration on your program and the association. You should use the evaluation findings to identify and address any gaps, issues, or risks, and to plan and implement any changes or improvements. You should also celebrate and acknowledge your achievements and successes.