Social Program Evaluations: Strategies and Shared Value

Matt Walker and Steven Hills

Socially responsibility (SR) and Sport-for-Development (SED) programs require robust evaluations to gauge aggregate effectiveness and demonstrate impact. While the idea of a social program evaluation is not novel, evaluation techniques and delivery methods have improved researcher understanding of how they should be approached. In this article, we package this information into an informative bundle of our processes, mechanisms, and outcomes regarding how we design, deploy, and deliver social evaluations. In doing so, we also illustrate that by maintaining a balance between social and organizational value, organizations can benefit themselves as well society. In addition, we suggest that by combining methodological approaches, program evaluators can construct a stronger programmatic impact narrative.