The Power of Monitoring & Evaluation

When I first started consulting, I met an executive director who sighed every time “evaluation” came up. “We’re too small for that,” she said. “We just do the work.”

Six months later, after we set up a few simple ways to track outcomes—attendance, participant satisfaction, a quick follow-up survey—she emailed me after a meeting with a new funder: “They said our clarity on impact made us stand out.”

Why Data Is About More Than Numbers

At its best, Monitoring & Evaluation isn’t a reporting chore— it’s a reflection of what’s really happening in your programs, helping you learn and improve. Monitoring tracks what you do; evaluation helps you understand what changes because of it.

Funders want to invest in organizations that learn. They don’t expect perfection, but they do expect awareness. Data shows you’re paying attention.

Turning Data into a Story

Think of data as the bones of your story—structure that gives your narrative shape. But it still needs muscle and heart. That’s where storytelling comes in.

For example, let’s say 92% of parents in your after-school program report their child is more confident in math. That number is strong, but when you add one parent’s quote about how her daughter now helps her younger brother with homework, it transforms into something relatable.

Good data reinforces emotion. 

Where to Begin

If you don’t have an evaluation plan, start small:

• Identify three outcomes that matter most to your mission.

• Choose one or two ways to measure each (surveys, interviews, attendance logs).

• Check results quarterly, not just when a report is due.

  
  

Tools like Google Forms or Airtable make this easy, but even a notebook and Excel sheet work fine. The key is consistency.

Making It a Team Habit

One of the best things you can do is get your team invested in the “why” of data. Ask your staff what success looks like to them, then build your metrics around those definitions. Suddenly, evaluation isn’t just something you have to do—it’s something that helps everyone see the meaning in their work.

The Reward

When donors see that you know your numbers and can connect them to real human change, they trust you. They stop wondering if their dollars matter, because you’re showing them, clearly and confidently, that they do.

Data helps others believe in what you already know is true: that your work changes lives.