Advancing Equity Through Equitable Evaluation: Learning with the FreshLo Initiative

Creating an experimental and learning EE platform through a national initiative.

opportunity

This project is for both internal learning within Kresge and an external teaching case for the field. Key partners including the national program office (DAISA ), the evaluation consultant (LFA) and the FreshLo Program Staff (Kresge Arts and Culture and Health.  

The teaching case is an opportunity to build advanced professionals’ capacity to recognize undercurrents - factors that can affect movement/ direction/atmosphere of EE work - and navigate them thoughtfully.  

WHAT ARE WE DOING? what is happening?

The initial phase of work:

• Deepened our understanding of FreshLo, the evaluation team and the evaluation design, and Kresge’s evaluation culture and context

• Determined which audiences (internally and externally) are most ripe for influence and shifts regarding EE

A learning agenda, supported by an inquiry frame, guides the next phase of this project, focusing on meaningful and relevant learning for Kresge and the field.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

In 2016, Jara Dean-Coffey and Dr. Chera Reid, the Director of Strategic Learning at Kresge, were at the RISE convening wondering why the dominant frame was being used to understand the experiences and evaluate the outcomes of programs focusing on black men and boys. Realizing they had a similar mindset about validity and rigor, Jara shared more about EE and Chera was intrigued. Since then, the connection and commitment has only grown.

EMERGING LEARNING

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

"FreshLo catalyzes positive change in American cities by supporting vibrant, healthy, inclusive communities that successfully use food as a platform for cultural expression and health and economic development. Equity is woven throughout the initiative.  We’re looking forward to partnering with Kresge’s Learning and Evaluation team to deepen our understanding of FreshLo’s impact in supporting innovative food-oriented development projects in 23 communities, as well as how this suite of grants furthers equity in American cities,” said Stacey Barbas, senior program officer with Kresge’s Health Program."

- Stacey Barbas, Senior Program Officer—Health, The Kresge Foundation

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