Most of our evaluations focus on Irvine's program initiatives — clusters of grants with common strategies and goals.

By conducting evaluations at this level, we can offer individual grantees a broader perspective and an opportunity to learn from other organizations doing similar work and facing similar challenges. Often, the evaluations can suggest ways to improve program strategy or ways to allocate resources more effectively. Many of our evaluations begin early in the initiative process and include interim reports, so that participants can use the results to adapt and refine while the initiative is under way.

Irvine typically contracts with external professional evaluators trained in a range of research methodologies, though in some cases where specialized research skills are not needed, Irvine staff gathers data for the evaluations.

Dissemination is an important part of any evaluation plan. Irvine is committed to sharing results from our evaluations, including both the achievements and shortcomings. Our goals are to improve understanding in the field and to demonstrate how Irvine is learning from and improving its work.

Following are summaries of evaluations for current and past program initiatives:

Current initiatives

• Artistic Innovation Fund (2006–2010)
• Arts Regional Initiative (2006–2011)
• California Votes Initiative (2005–2009)
• Communities Advancing the Arts (2005–2011)
• Community Foundations Initiative II (2006–2010)
• Fund for Leadership Advancement (2006–2009)

Past initiatives

• Campus Diversity Initiative (2000–2006)
• Collaborative Regional Initiatives (1997–2004)
• Communities Organizing Resources to Advance Learning (CORAL) (1999–2007)
• Community Foundations Initiative (1995–2003)
• Museum Youth Initiative (2000–2004)
• Organized Religion Initiative (1996–2005)