Guided by values that include rigor and knowledge, the Foundation believes that collecting, measuring and evaluating results is essential to meeting the high standards of excellence we set for ourselves and our grantees. We are learning some valuable lessons about evaluating community change.

• One size does not fit all. We tailor our approaches in collaboration with our grantees and community stakeholders.
• How we get there is just as important as the result. Relationships matter with our grantees and together we need to know why a specific grant succeeds or fails in order for us both to make informed decisions and have a greater impact.
• The whole is often greater than the sum of its parts. Examining collective achievements gained by multiple grantee organization across the broader community gives us valuable insights into how communities improve.
• Capturing impact in place-based work is difficult and often elusive. Achieving and documenting community change is challenging for both grantees and the Foundation. We are, however, committed to learning and will continue to explore the best methods for determining if the communities we fund are in fact better places for kids to grow up.