Ecosystems Designed for Change: An Evaluation Framework for Innovators & Leaders

November 2024

Series: Responsive Ecosystems for Change: A Practical Guide for Change Makers

Teri Garstka, PhD., Meaghan Kennedy, MPH & Michaela Bonnett, MPH

Building ecosystems involves aligning all elements of such an undertaking, including diverse people, organizations, perspectives, and values, in the service of large-scale equitable change. The investment of time, resources, and social capital needed to bring together a network of people and organizations in the service of something bigger is extensive. Validating that it was worth it requires outcomes and impact. After all that effort, how do you know that you are making headway?

Evaluating ecosystems can provide evidence that the effort by all parts of the network matters. Our Responsive Ecosystems for Change Evaluation Framework is a call to action to bring the best methods and tools we have available to validate and quantify impact at scale.

Citation

Garstka, Teri A., Meaghan B. Kennedy, and Michaela Bonnett. “Ecosystems Designed for Change: An Evaluation Framework for Innovators & Leaders.” Responsive Ecosystems for Change Series. Lawrence: University of Kansas, Fall 2024. https://hdl.handle.net/1808/35612