{"id":9155,"date":"2021-09-13T20:03:05","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T20:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/?post_type=cde-knowledge-base&#038;p=9155"},"modified":"2025-08-27T09:04:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T14:04:49","slug":"choosing-an-external-evaluator","status":"publish","type":"cde-knowledge-base","link":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/knowledge-base\/building-evidence\/choosing-an-external-evaluator\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing an external evaluator"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"9155\" class=\"elementor elementor-9155 elementor-10446\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e1310e0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default tf-sticky-section tf-sticky-no\" data-id=\"e1310e0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;tf_sticky&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-603c0ff0\" data-id=\"603c0ff0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63014547 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"63014547\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"c28\"><span class=\"c16\">Choosing an external evaluator<\/span><\/h3><p class=\"c7\"><span class=\"c1\">Oftentimes we find ourselves with the possibility of having to hire a person or team of evaluators outside of the organization. This situation opens the door to new experiences and it would be helpful to have someone who already has experience working in your community. To help you strategize we offer the following section.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8b9feca elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default tf-sticky-section tf-sticky-no\" data-id=\"8b9feca\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;tf_sticky&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-524a3c0\" data-id=\"524a3c0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90e6406 tool-kit-accordian elementor-widget elementor-widget-accordion\" data-id=\"90e6406\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1511\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1511\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What do we mean by an external evaluator?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1511\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1511\"><p class=\"c43\"><span class=\"c1\">When we talk about an external evaluator we refer to a person outside of the organization, who for the most part, has not had any previous contact with the program. Generally speaking an organization may decide to hire an external evaluator, if:<\/span><\/p><ul class=\"c5 lst-kix_k8v1aajdqljd-0 start\"><li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">It is a requirement imposed by the funder (foundation, government agency, etc.);<\/span><\/li><li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">The organization chooses to hire someone to carry out the task of evaluation in support of their work;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">The organization would like to collaborate with an evaluator on specific aspects of their evaluation.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4656424 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default tf-sticky-section tf-sticky-no\" data-id=\"4656424\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;tf_sticky&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7ae69ec\" data-id=\"7ae69ec\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c6a1cb tool-kit-accordian elementor-widget elementor-widget-accordion\" data-id=\"5c6a1cb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 id=\"elementor-tab-title-9691\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-9691\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What are some considerations when hiring an evaluator?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-9691\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-9691\"><p class=\"c43\"><span class=\"c1\">Before hiring someone to carry out the work or collaborate with your staff on evaluation activities, it is important to assess their credentials for the project. Aside from requesting general information regarding the external evaluator\u2019s work experience, it is important to know not only what she\/he has participated in, but also how she\/he has carried out the work, especially with community-based and culturally specific organizations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"c1\">Questions guide you in reviewing an evaluator\u2019s resume (or curriculum vitae)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"c5 lst-kix_syglbth5v0xc-0 start\">\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">To what extent does the professional education of the evaluator qualify her\/him to carry out this job?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">To what extent does the work experience of the evaluator qualify her\/him to carry out this job?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">What prior experience does she\/he have conducting similar projects and\/or with similar organizations?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><strong><span class=\"c1\">Possible interview questions<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul class=\"c5 lst-kix_y65x5zuz49ru-0 start\">\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">What do you see as your role in an evaluation project?<br><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">How would you describe your approach to evaluation?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">How do you engage organizations like ours in analyzing information?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">In the past, how have you incorporated community feedback into your work?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">How do you share evaluation results with CBOs and the communities that they represent?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">What challenges have you encountered working with other organizations like ours? How did you overcome these challenges?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fbd8842 tool-kit-accordian elementor-widget elementor-widget-accordion\" data-id=\"fbd8842\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 id=\"elementor-tab-title-2641\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-2641\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What is the role of the funder in the evaluation?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-2641\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-2641\"><p class=\"c43\"><span class=\"c1\">Another important aspect to consider in evaluation work is the kind of working relationship you will have with the funder throughout this project. We suggest that from the beginning you share with the funder your expectations concerning the work to be carried out by the external evaluator as it pertains to the work in your organization and with the community.<\/span><\/p><p class=\"c43\"><span class=\"c1\">It is equally important to share the organization\u2019s perspective, values\/norms, and ethical expectations pertaining to evaluation.<\/span><\/p><ul class=\"c5 lst-kix_c3qj80buslma-0 start\"><li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">Do not hesitate to request information and demonstrate your interest in learning and understanding the means, the requirements and the mechanisms that the funder utilizes when hiring or selecting an external evaluator.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">Pay attention to the power dynamics and interactions between your organization, the evaluator and the funder. You may have to advocate for your organization if you notice that your perspective is not being included to the extent that you expect it to.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"c6 li-bullet-0\"><span class=\"c1\">Discuss and consider within the organization and with the community all the possible consequences that might arise if your organization sets limits, decides not to carry out activities, or denies access to information that the evaluator or funder requests from your organization.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-dec6b60 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default tf-sticky-section tf-sticky-no\" data-id=\"dec6b60\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;tf_sticky&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-de7f0ba\" data-id=\"de7f0ba\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c418ea2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c418ea2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\u00a0<\/div><div style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 200;\">Last updated 2024<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing an external evaluator Oftentimes we find ourselves with the possibility of having to hire a person or team of evaluators outside of the organization. This situation opens the door to new experiences and it would be helpful to have someone who already has experience working in your community. To help [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17871,"template":"","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]"},"media_category":[146,228,233],"media_tags":[266,278],"class_list":["post-9155","cde-knowledge-base","type-cde-knowledge-base","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","media_category-esperanza-united-departments","media_category-toolkits","media_category-building-evidence","media_tags-free","media_tags-research-and-evaluation"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cde-knowledge-base\/9155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cde-knowledge-base"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cde-knowledge-base"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cde-knowledge-base\/9155\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36781,"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cde-knowledge-base\/9155\/revisions\/36781"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"media_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_category?post=9155"},{"taxonomy":"media_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esperanzaunited.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_tags?post=9155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}