Debra Loesch Griffin, PhD- where evidence-based practice can go in our community

4/18/14 Another wonderful and productive meeting today. Deb Loesch Griffin did a great job of guiding us to thinking about where EBP can go in our community and how we can work to have EBP become part of the DNA of providing services. It’s clear that many organizations are on board with adopting EBP—with many already doing it to one degree or another. We discussed a couple of models for implementing EBP:

1. Adopting models already in use, and
2. Establishing unique data collection and working with external evaluators. Costs associated with each method were discussed as well.

Here are a few of my take-aways:

• Evaluation should be done to improve programs not just to please funders
• Outcomes should be decided at the beginning—with flexibility
• “Outputs/counts/numbers” do not equal “outcomes”
• Take risks, go for social innovation
• Identify existing strengths

We discussed next steps now that we’ve heard from Bob, Jennifer, and Deb. Those next steps (in no hierarchical order) are:

1. Identify what is already in place in our community: how do we find out? Where are the intersections?
2. Identify the community benefit we want to achieve
3. Establish goals and determine how we collaborate
4. Develop a cohort to get funding to do EBP training in the community
5. Consider how to achieve a culture of EBP in the community

It’s important to remember that our group discussions on EBP are for nonprofits providing services of ALL types. When we consider who to add to our discussion, consider all organizations doing work in our community. EBP can be applied across the spectrum and in all organizations if they choose to do so. It will benefit us all to include organizations that work in very different areas than our own—especially when it comes to changing the community DNA in relation to EBP. Karen has reserved the United Way conference room for us starting May 9. We will continue to meet on Fridays from 8-9 a.m. as the conversation develops.https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5yReM2ZEfMCREg3dXg0MFZUTENWb2Y3bURfNTE1TmJKQjVV/edit?usp=sharing – Evaluation http://philanthropy.com/article/Leading-Change-in-Hard-Hit/145651/ - Christy McGill interview on collaboration