Measuring impact​

Amanda Moore McBride, PhD (above, far right), associate dean for social work at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, moderates a town hall-style panel discussion during “Evaluation for Social Impact: A St. Louis Summit” Oct. 16 and 17 hosted at the Nine Network of Public Media. The innovative conference was designed to elevate understanding of evaluation techniques for agencies and nonprofits throughout the St. Louis region and featured some of the top experts from around the country, including (from left) Starsky Wilson, president of the Deaconess Foundation in St. Louis; Sara Olsen, founder and CEO of the SVT Group in San Francisco; Pranav Kothari, co-founder and managing director of Mission Measurement in Chicago; and Debra Natenshon, executive director of The Center for What Works in Delmar, N.Y. The summit also featured a keynote, breakout sessions and networking opportunities. (Below, from left) Mary Margaret McMiller and Fanaye Gebeyaw were among Brown School volunteers participating in the summit. Said McBride: “The main message of the summit is that the social sector needs data and information for decision-making, but lacks the organizational leadership and capacity to do so. Working with community partners, the Brown School will increase that capacity through future training and technical assistance.” Credit: courtesy photos (2)