Other issues: New Connections Using Data to Drive Change In the Mix Stepping Up Promoting Diversity Among Evaluators	OMG VOICES Evaluation Training Two OMG Center Project Directors, Anita Baker (at left) and Victoria Dougherty, discuss OMG's evaluation-training workshops and coaching sessions, explain why funders support the training, and describe the ideal trainee. How do organizations benefit from improving their internal capacity for research and evaluation? A.B.: Evaluation strings are attached to almost every grant an organization receives, so most organizations collect data about their programs, but the data they collect is not always meaningful. We help trainees get clear about the best, most targeted questions; and how to effectively use the information gathered. V.D.: And being practical, we help determine what evaluation practices are feasible for a given client's resources and capacities. A.B.: Plus, our training allows organizations to effectively use outside evaluators. Many of our trainees find this to be one of the biggest benefits of the training. Should funders support grantee evaluation training? V.D.: Absolutely. Or course we think so; but so do funders. A.B.: Although an investment in a nonprofit's evaluation capacity is not an investment in a particular program, the effectiveness of all programs is strengthened when grantees learn to use evidence based decision making. Is evaluation training a new OMG Center service? A.B.: No. OMG staff has been providing evaluation training for more than 12 years. We began this work with the support of a handful of funders including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Bruner Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation -- all are strong advocates of evaluation training. Theses funders saw the direct relationship between the effectiveness of the organizations they support and the ability of the organizations to collect and analyze data as past of their decision making process. V.D.: Over the years, approximately 250 nonprofits have participated in the long-term intensive training. In total, OMG staff has trained thousands of individuals in programs that range from two-hour workshops to the two-year programs. OMG is playing a leading role in the emergence of regional evaluation training. What is regional training? V.D.: Regional training brings together various segments of a given geographic area's nonprofit sector, helping each participating organization - and the region as a whole - build its capacity. A.B.: The approach grew out of programs undertaken by the Rochester Effectiveness Partnership and by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving's Nonprofit Support Program. These programs brought together local philanthropies that identified and supported candidates for evaluation training from among the region's nonprofits. The funders paid to have the nonprofit organizations trained as a group -- by the way, the funders participated in the training, too. Based on your nearly 30 years of combined experience as evaluation trainers, what characteristics define good candidates for your training programs? V.D.: First and foremost, successful trainees have a desire to understand the impact of their work and a desire for more information to better run their programs. A.B.: Our best trainees are passionate about their work, but tough critics, and open to developing ways of applying the training to their work. For more information about OMG's evaluation workshops and coaching go to the Evaluation Training section of this website or contact Anita or Victoria . OMG Voices is produced by the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning. Evaluation Training is the second issue.