Evaluation Plan 2021-26

The Canada Council for the Arts, in collaboration with a consulting team, developed an evaluation plan for the Council’s granting activities over the next five years.

Research goal

The plan strategically repositions program evaluation activities to be more holistic, collaborative, and flexible, aligning the type of inquiry to the objectives of the evaluation and maturity of the programs and initiatives being evaluated.

Methods

The development of the plan was based on values of being decolonizing, participatory, practical, and capacity building.

Engagement included interviews with staff and key community representatives and facilitated workshops. An internal advisory team guided the development of the plan.

Outcomes

Through the implementation of the evaluation plan, the Council will prioritize equitable, decolonizing, transformative approaches to evaluation.

In the next five years, the Council will consider two approaches to program evaluation:

• Developmental evaluations: focused, rapid feedback evaluations that will inform the design and/or early implementation of program innovations, adaptations, or new initiatives.
• Deep dive evaluations: a comprehensive review of granting program(s) or initiatives to be conducted when program(s) or initiatives are mature and/or at a major inflection point in their lifecycle.

A set of cross-cutting themes will guide evaluation processes:

• Cross-program outcomes
• Decolonization and self-determination
• Granting operations and peer assessment
• Innovation, adaptation, and sectoral change
• Justice, equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion

By tracking these themes across all evaluation projects, the Council will develop a comprehensive understanding of critical issues related to its programs.

Research team

• Michelle Buchholz, Cassyex Consulting 
• Carolyn Camman, Camman Evaluation 
• Jamie Gamble, Imprint Consulting 
• Teneya Gwin, Eleven Eleven Consulting 

Questions?

Please contact the Research, Measurement and Data Analytics Section at research@canadacouncil.ca.