ECDG is a U.S. 501(c)3 nonprofit organization created in 2004 with a mission “to bring together diverse perspectives dedicated to developing evaluation capacity within organizations through tools, resources, and communication that facilitate others meeting their mission.”
In response to gaps identified during the 17-21 October 2011 Workshop to draft an ISO Agreement on Evaluation Capacity Development, ECDG has evolved to mobilize resources for evaluation capacity development. The ECDG Board of Directors formulated a new vision, mission and strategy.
Vision
ECDG will establish itself as an “honest broker” between donors, ECD experts and practitioners in the field.
Mission Statement
ECDG will be a catalyst for the development of institutional evaluation capacity in thought and practice. They will mobilize financial resources as an intermediary regranting organization in order to incentivize people and organizations to undertake ECD activities. Through the establishment of an ECD knowledgebase, they will maintain a repository of current thinking and innovative practices.
Strategies to Manage Strategic Issues
- More entrepreneurial mindset: “ECD will involve more risk taking” and “more tolerance for an occasional failure”
- More focus on seeking out and funding “outstanding people and organizations,” versus long drawn-out application processes, as the means to undertake due diligence
- More true partnering between donors, ECDG and practitioners: “More collegial relationships” between ECD stakeholders
- More trust-based relationships, resulting in more discretionary grant-making and faster grant-making processes
- More discretionary and flexible funding for the ECD component of projects and programmes
- A critical mass of young people engaged in ECD work, bringing new experiences, perspectives, and practices to shape the field
