Program Evaluation Series: Navigating Stakeholder and Community Engagement in Program Evaluation

Stakeholder engagement requires actively involving individuals, groups, or organizations who have a vested interest or influence in a project or decision-making process, seeking their input, feedback, and collaboration to ensure well-rounded perspectives and informed outcomes. Community engagement goes a step further by specifically focusing on the involvement and empowerment of local residents and community members in decisions that affect their lives, fostering inclusivity, and promoting shared ownership of initiatives. In this 90-minute virtual training, participants will learn to harness diverse perspectives through stakeholder and community engagement for comprehensive program evaluations that drive positive outcomes to help communities reach their societal goals. Participants will learn about the importance of inclusive stakeholder and community engagement; how to identify stakeholders and relevant communities; stakeholder mapping; engagement strategies; data collection methods; overcoming challenges; and ethical considerations. Real-world examples will be used to illustrate the key points in the workshop.