Putting god in the logic model: Developing a national framework for the evaluation of faith-based organizations

Abstract

Relative to the contribution that faith-based organizations make to Canadian society, evaluations of them are rare. The challenge for evaluators is to develop evaluation processes that meet the scrutiny of social science yet respect the centrality of faith inherent within their interventions. The challenge is compounded when evaluating faith-based innovation. This article reviews the present status of evaluation in faith-based settings, highlighting its present limitations. It then features an innovative national faith-based evaluation framework that attempted to address these limitations. The article ends with critical reflections on the learnings of this case example in conducting evaluations of faith-based organizations and implications for other sectors. Copyright © 2007 Canadian Evaluation Society.