Impact with Intention: Evaluation Strategies for Nonprofits
Build nonprofit capacity to engage public policy ethically and effectively within legal guidelines.

Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Time: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Facilitator: Dr. Erika Tate, Bluknowledge LLC

Location:
Hospice Savannah – Demere Center – Education Room
6000 Business Center Dr, Savannah, GA 31405

Registration:
Pre-registration required due to space limitations.
United Way Learning Circle Workshop Registration

Audience:

• Program Managers & Coordinators
• Executive Leadership
• M&E or Learning Staff
• Development/Grant Writers
• Operations or Strategy Leads

Description
Program evaluation is essential for understanding the impact of your organization, strengthening programs, and positioning yourself for sustainable growth. Yet many nonprofits struggle to know where to begin with limited time, staff, and resources. In this interactive session, participants will learn how to approach evaluation as an intentional, practical process that supports continuous improvement and funding readiness. The workshop focuses on helping organizations move beyond inconsistent or irrelevant data collection to meaningful evaluation strategies that align with their mission and goals. Through guided reflection, real-world examples, and hands-on activities, workshop participants will begin building a clear and actionable approach to measuring what matters most to the communities they serve.

Learning Objectives
Participants will:

• Understand program evaluation as a strategic tool for measuring impact and informing decision-making
• Learn key evaluation methods that align with organizational goals, capacity, and funder expectations
• Identify practical ways to collect and use data (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations) to demonstrate program effectiveness
• Begin developing an objective-based evaluation plan to support continuous improvement and growth

Key Outputs
Participants will leave with:

• A draft evaluation objective aligned with their program or organizational goals
• A simple, actionable plan for collecting and using data to monitor progress
• Increased clarity on how evaluation supports funding, program improvement, and impact storytelling
• A digital program evaluation starter kit with templates, tools, and next step

About Facilitator:

Dr. Erika D. Tate is the founder of Bluknowledge LLC, a social impact firm that advances equity in schools and communities through collaborative research, inclusive evaluation, and equity-driven professional and community learning. With more than 20 years of experience, she partners with nonprofits, educators, and community leaders to design and implement evidence-based evaluation strategies that measure impact, strengthen programs, and support sustainable growth. Her work centers equity and justice, and has focused on STEM and Arts education, public health (e.g., access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities) and community-level planning. Dr. Tate has led and supported projects that inform programming and policy at local and state levels. She has served as a research partner and evaluator on initiatives funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and numerous philanthropic organizations. A trusted advisor and expert facilitator, Dr. Tate equips mission-driven organizations and leaders with practical, responsive tools to turn data into insight and action. She holds a ScB in Electrical Engineering from Brown University and a PhD in Education from the University of California, Berkeley.