Groundswell Education and Action Fund: Value-Based Evaluation and Planning

Context

Groundswell Education and Action Fund (GF) partnered with Rivera Consulting to design and conduct a trust-based philanthropic assessment of their five-year strategic plan, called the Blueprint. The aim was to learn and explore the program impact of GF’s multi-entity grantmaking, capacity building, and funder organizing strategic outcomes. To complement this approach, we also included a cultural diagnostic focused on reproductive justice values, that evaluated and assessed the relevance and effectiveness of GF’s culture, leadership, and practices in driving its grantmaking, capacity building, and funder organizing efforts.

Process

We focused on understanding the current state of play by engaging staff and grantees and utilizing mixed method reviews of 100 records and 720 minutes of interview transcripts. The overall assessment is that the current Blueprint delivered on core ambitious goals for grantmaking and capacity building, but lacked a matching financial/fundraising plan to address the long-term costs of its programming and staffing. Combined, this evaluation and cultural diagnostic found multiple celebrations and setbacks that heightens the value of grace, forgiveness, and sustainability of our collective movement and individual organizations. 

Takeaway

Nonetheless, the hardest truth made clear was that the political system shifted wholesale. With donors walking back on commitments, funding radically changed, reshaping the business model of our values.  The lessons of what has worked and what may no longer be sustainable are important for problem solving and decision-making  to inform the future state of play, alignment, and planning for what is possible for womxn of color, BIPOC, and LGTBQIA+ communities.