Arete Evaluation Collaborative aims to provide evaluation, research, and program development for our clients in order to determine the impacts that these clients create due to their project work. The clients that we typically work with are non-governmental organizations, public agencies, Universities, and foundations, however, we are open to working with any type of organization including the private sector (Our Clients).

Our team has experience in summative, and formative evaluation. In order to perform a comprehensive evaluation on occasion we may use a combination of the summative and formative evaluations. We also conduct process and outcome evaluations.

Formative Evaluation: The findings from this type of evaluation are used for an “improvement focused” process that seeks to “develop, refine, and revise” the program.

Summative Evaluation: This is typically done after completion of the program or, for ongoing programs, this happens when they have reached a “stabilization” period or when external stakeholders or decision makers request for it.

Process Evaluation: Looks at the actual development and implementation of a particular program. It establishes whether you’ve hit quantifiable targets and implemented strategies as planned.

Outcome Evaluation: Assesses the effectiveness of a program in producing change.

Drawing on these core frameworks our approach uses participatory/collaborative evaluation, utilization focused evaluation, developmental evaluation, values reflective and engaged evaluation, and realist evaluation to further enhance our services to our clients. Some of the models that we use are:

Developmental Evaluation: This type of evaluation typically occurs in the design process of a program. This type of evaluation is similar to the role of research & development in the private sector product development process because it facilitates real-time, or close to real-time, feedback to program staff thus facilitating a continuous development loop.

Realist Evaluation: This type of evaluation is used to assess how interventions in complex situations work. A realist evaluation yields information that indicates how the intervention works (i.e., generative mechanism) and the conditions that are needed for a particular mechanism to work (i.e., specification of contexts).

Participatory Evaluation: Evaluation approach that involves the stakeholders of a program or policy in the evaluation process.

The impact areas that we work in are intercultural/international education, economic development, community development, and public health. However we are open to working in other impact areas as well.

The Arete Evaluation team can work in many languages, and in many different countries. Our consultants hail from many different countries and Arete is founded by Alumni of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Further, our consultants have a significant background in program evaluation and have policy experience as well (Meet our team).

Moreover, Arete is built on our core values that signify that our team is dedicated to working with our clients to ensure a smooth working relationship (Our values). In addition, we are willing to work within an organizations budget, and look to be an honest, hardworking collaborative. We work with our clients to obtain the right questions, data collection methods, and means of reporting our findings. Through our work, clients are informed about larger impact assessments, and planning initiatives.