ActKnowledge

ActKnowledge is a social enterprise that connects social change practice with rigorous study of how and why initiatives work.   ActKnowledge joins with community organizations, nonprofits, foundations, non-government organizations, and government in efforts to transform traditional institutions, public spaces, and the environment.  Our approach to the on-the-ground work of social change comes from a strong base in social science research and theory.  We see research and social change practice as parallel processes of knowledge production, each informing the other.  Our expertise allows us to capture the results of social change endeavors through a systematic analysis that enables our partner organizations to refine and improve their tools and strategies. We also strive to apply the lessons learned to the broader field of action research for social change.

ActKnowledge has spent the past decade working to understand and make the case for how social change initiatives work.  As leaders in the development and use of a core methodology know as “Theory of Change” for planning, participation, and evaluation, we work with organizations in a process that begins with an outcomes-based approach to program design, creates a detailed framework for decision-making and evaluation, and provides a practical tool for ongoing management and review.

Actknowledge has provided Theory of Change training, technical assistance, and review to national and international organizations such as:

o      Girl Scouts of America, New York

o      The California Endowment, Los Angeles

o      The Hunger Project, New York

o      Women for Women International, Washington, DC

o      Lumina Foundation for Education, Indianapolis

o      Ms. Foundation, New York

o      United Way of Transylvania County, NC

o      Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland, OH

o      National Community Development Institute, Oakland, CA

o      Community Network for Youth Development, San Francisco

o      California Proposition 10 County Commissions

www.theoryofchange.org