The Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge (EC3) launched in 2023 and is dedicated to strengthening the evaluation capacity of institutions to foster and sustain high-quality evaluation practice. Every year, a real-world organization presents an evaluation capacity building (ECB) challenge to teams comprising the best and brightest minds from across the U.S. and Canada. These ECB teams then develop a plan to address the challenge and present it to a panel of esteemed judges. This year the challenge will take place on May 30 & 31, 2025.
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What does the case challenge involve?
- Cross-disciplinary engagement to arrive at creative solutions
- We are听soliciting applications from current students (senior undergraduate, graduate, or professional) and early-career professionals听(graduated within the past 5 years) from any disciplinary concentration to take part in the case challenge.听The only additional requirements for applying are that you reside in Canada or the US most of the year and will have completed one introductory course (formal academic or professional development) in evaluation before January 2025.
- Once selected, participants are assigned to an interdisciplinary evaluation capacity building (ECB) team that they will work with for all activities.听We typically accept 20 individuals.
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Participants who participated on an鈥疎C鲁 team in the past are not eligible to apply. However, if you previously applied and were not selected, you may apply for consideration again.听
Students/early-career professionals apply individually and are then assigned to teams; they do not apply as pre-formed teams.
- Training from leading experts on听evaluation capacity building
- From January-May 2025, teams and representatives from the real-world organization selected as the case site have the opportunity to learn about evaluation capacity building and related topics with leading experts in the field.听These interactive, live-streamed sessions focus on delivering foundational material and insights on 鈥渉ot鈥� topics relevant to the forthcoming case.
- Each team is听assigned a coach to provide them with tailored assistance as they hone their skills to prepare for the case challenge.听
- Experiential learning to strengthen an existing organization's capacity to support high-quality evaluation practice听
- We encourage organizations across Canada and the US interested in strengthening their capacity to support and use high-quality evaluation听 as the 2025听case site.
- ECB teams have the unique opportunity to apply what they learn during the ECB trainings to develop and create an innovative (yet feasible) plan that provides detailed insights for the 2025听case site about how they might strengthen their evaluation capacity given their unique context and existing capacity.
- Organizations receive up to four plans听that they can integrate all, or components of, after the case challenge event.
Is there a fee for participating?听
- No, the generous support from our donor, Dr. Sydney Duder and the Evaluation Capacity Network has made this possible.
- Additionally, several expenses are covered by the Max Bell School of Public Policy:
- Accommodations (May 29-31st) are covered for individuals selected to participate on an EC鲁听team. They will be responsible for paying their own travel to and from the event as well as some meals and incidentals.
- Travel expenses (i.e., airfare, train, ground transportation, hotel accommodations, and meals) for one representative from the case site organization to attend the case challenge event in person is covered.听听
What are the products of the case challenge?
- On the second day of the case challenge, participating teams are asked to deliver a 25-minute presentation in front of a panel of esteemed judges. The presentation is followed by a 10-minute Q&A session with the judges.
- If desired, teams may submit additional material听of no more than 5 pages to accompany their presentation.
What are the benefits for the case site organization?
- The participating organization receives up to four tailored strategies that they can implement all, or components of, to strengthen their current听evaluation capacity.
- Case site leadership and staff are welcome to attend the online ECB trainings delivered as part of this challenge between January and May 2025.
- Leading experts in the field of ECB will assess the organization's current evaluation capacity鈥� organizations will better understand their current strengths and opportunity areas for improvement.听听
What does the winning team鈥in?
- Each member of the winning team听receives $1,000 CAD. Our hope is that team members will use their award听to support their registration and travel expenses to attend the听American Evaluation Association's (AEA) Annual Conference in Kansas City, MO (Nov 10-15, 2025) or the Canadian Evaluation Society's (CES) Annual Conference (location TBD, Summer 2026). One or more representatives of the winning team may be asked to present their work at the AEA conference.
Considering applying, but just aren鈥檛 sure yet?
In mid-November 2024, we will host two online information sessions 鈥� one for individuals considering applying to be on an ECB team, and one for prospective case site organization applicants. During these sessions, prior ECB team members and former case site organizations will be available to take your questions and share highlights from their experiences participating in the case challenge.听听
If you are interested in joining one of these online information sessions, please provide us with your name and email address by completing . We will inform you of the date and time of the relevant session.
The Max Bell School of Public Policy鈥檚 Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge (EC3) is made possible by a generous donation from Dr. Sydney Duder听with additional support from the听 at the University of Alberta.
For questions contact:听mbspp.casechallenge [at] mcgill.ca
