This cohort-based program will bring together nonprofit organizations across Rhode Island to strengthen evaluation capacity, uplift culturally responsive practices and collaborate with peers facing similar challenges. Participants will work alongside one another to better understand and communicate how their programs connect Rhode Islanders to vital resources and services, ultimately contributing to a state in which we all thrive.

The RI Evidence Collective is designed to build sector-wide capacity to investigate, articulate, and demonstrate impact. Through shared learning and practical tools, nonprofits will be better equipped to communicate their value to communities, funders and partners using data-informed insights that support strong, strategic investments.

Apply for the RI Evidence COLLECTIVE

• Targeted Capacity Building: Centered on feasible, culturally-responsive approaches to measuring and analyzing your unique impact.
• Sector-wide Knowledge Contributions: Develop tangible deliverables that build evaluation skills in the process, including a shared measurement dashboard, a write-up of our collaborative findings and a collective impact analysis.
• Collaboratively-Developed Tools: Co-create evaluation instruments and strategies that are responsive to evolving program and funding landscapes.
• A Powerful Peer Network: A dedicated space to reflect, problem-solve and partner with peers who share your goals to scale impact.
• Individualized Technical Assistance: Receive 45 minutes of 1:1 support every other week, tailored to your organization’s specific needs and evaluation challenges.
• Actionable Data Insights: Learn to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to better understand and articulate your activities, outputs and outcomes.

• Weekly Commitment:
  • Each week, the program will either consist of 1) 1 hour for in-person cohort-wide learning, OR 2) 45 minutes of virtual 1:1 individual technical assistance.
• Duration: 11 weeks.
• Representatives: 1-2 per nonprofit.
• Cost: This program is free for participating organizations.

• Application Deadline: December 8, 2025, 5:00 p.m. EST
• Cohort Selection & Notification: mid-December 2025
• Program Kick-off: Week of January 26, 2026 
• Program Duration: January 26-April 10, 2026

• Dr. Jacques Lesure, Annenberg Institute, Brown University, jacques_lesure@brown.edu
• Dr. Daniel Turner, Swearer Center for Public Service, Associate Director, CEDEC, daniel_turner@brown.edu