civil society interstitial metrics and evaluation in the...

Civil Society

Management

Science

Median Average

advocatesforyouth.orgsocalgrantmakers.org

gih.org

bridgespan.org

charitywatch.org

csi.gsb.stanford.edu

givewell.net

ed.gov

rockefellerfoundation.org

iie.org

pewtrusts.org

pnnonline.org

alliance1.org

calvertfoundation.org

rockpa.org

afpnet.org

3ieimpact.org

oneworldtrust.org

transfairusa.org

gistfunders.org

nonprofitfinancefund.org

allianceforjustice.org

ebrd.com

atkisson.com

isealalliance.org

cato.org

beneTech.org

commonwealthfund.org

aapip.org

columbusfoundation.org

kipp.org

accenture.com

ids.ac.uk

afsc.org

iisd.org

rollbackmalaria.org

usip.org

gundfdn.org

adb.org

rainforest-alliance.org

unwomen.org

mfc.org.pl

irvine.org

ajws.org

ochaonline.un.org

microrate.com

civicus.org

unitus.com

eldis.org

dvg.org

hks.harvard.edu joycefdn.org

socialsolutions.com

echoinggreen.org

mott.org

ddcf.org

donorsforum.org

komen.org

nonprofitpanel.org

nextbillion.net

gsvc.org

give2asia.org

calfund.org

globalfundforwomen.org

ashoka.org

efqm.org

corostrandberg.com

gi�hub.org

moore.org

fbheron.org

ignia.com.mx

aecf.org

carnegie.orgjica.go.jp

ifad.org

eval.org

ausaid.gov.au

aspeninstitute.org

newamerica.net

themeasurementgroup.com

bcorporation.net

hcz.org

psi.org

geofunders.org

americanprogress.org

tbf.org

mathematica-mpr.com

foundationnews.org

mdrc.org

agoodmanonline.com

actionaid.org

collegesummit.org svpi.org

endeavor.org

pathfind.org

hbr.org

greengrants.org

aidsalliance.org

urban.org

kaboom.org

deloitte.com

pacificcommunityventures.org

unitaid.eu

soros.org

changingourworld.com

impact.upenn.edu

rand.org

hipinvestor.com

grantcra�.org

philanthropyaction.com

unicef.org

nycommunitytrust.org

mande.co.uk

philanthropyforum.org

cgiar.org

casefoundation.org

ccss.jhu.edu

bbb.org

teachforamerica.org

m-cril.com

cgdev.org

mdgmonitor.org

africa-union.org

finca.org

comnetwork.org

edc.org

ppic.org

blendedvalue.org

btw.informingchange.com

sri.com

goodintents.org

unfoundation.org

surdna.org

abtassociates.com

philanthropy.com

asiafoundation.org

bcccc.net

dekhconsulting.com

philanthropynw.org

usaid.gov

scvo.org.uk

mandelcenter.case.edu

givingusa.org

usgbc.org

amysampleward.org

svtgroup.net

ohiograntmakers.org

who.int

agmconnect.org

ahrq.gov

monitorinstitute.com

rootcause.org

mcf.org

cochrane.org

microfinanzarating.comfootprintnetwork.org

unstats.un.org

whatworks.org

nonprofitquarterly.org

cofinteract.org

developmentgateway.org

philanthropycapital.org

hiltonfoundation.org

fao.org

knightfoundation.org

plan-international.org

kau�man.org

acf.org.uk

oecd.org

aei.org

lisc.org

clintonfoundation.org

acumenfund.org

wingsweb.org

nw.org

transparency.org

wallacefoundation.org

socialevaluator.eu

brookings.edu

db.com

smallfoundations.org

pih.org

wkkf.org

tacticalphilanthropy.com

hfpg.org

rwjf.org

iucn.org

washingtongrantmakers.org

unhabitat.org

usig.org

unhcr.org

path.org

philanthropyjournal.org

cafonline.org

blog.deborah.elizabeth.finn.com

unesco.org

aam-us.org

socialedge.org

blueavocado.org

unaids.org

philanthropy.iupui.edu

independentsector.org

organizationalresearch.com

rgkcenter.org

ottobremer.org

projectstreamline.org

greatnonprofits.org

foundationcenter.org

nesst.org

s�.org

bmz.de

christian-aid.org.uk

sunlightfoundation.com

rbf.org

rubiconprograms.org

theglobalfund.org

robinhood.org

fordfoundation.org

blueprintrd.com

nvs.sagepub.com

culturaldata.org

idrc.ca

newprofit.com

philanthromedia.org

gavialliance.orgedfunders.org

mixmarket.org

bellanet.org

msf.org

tccgrp.com

thesroinetwork.org

macfound.org

philanthropy.org

packard.org

gdnet.org

atlanticphilanthropies.org

wdi.umich.edu

seedco.org

mckinsey.com

undg.org

luminafoundation.org

ncvo-vol.org.uk

cbpp.org

case.org

barrfoundation.org

draperrichards.com

fonkoze.org

ssireview.org

cfr.org

interaction.org

grameenfoundation.org

fhi.org

planetrating.comboardsource.org

givingmarketplaces.org

e�ectivephilanthropy.org

philanthropyroundtable.org

cbd.int

philanthropynewyork.org

calendow.org

nptimes.com

impactalliance.org

ceres.org

williampennfoundation.org

trucost.com

skollfoundation.org

socialcapitalmarkets.net

arabellaadvisors.com

ncfp.org

gatesfoundation.org

consultingwithinreach.com

seechangeevaluation.com

ces-vol.org.uk

basics.org

worldbank.org

iadb.org

myphilanthropedia.org

popcouncil.org

broadfoundation.org

gkccf.org

alliancemagazine.org

k�.org

brac.net

ivr.org.uk

svpseattle.org

comminit.com

onphilanthropy.com

um.dk

acdi-cida.gc.ca

compasspoint.org

internationaldonors.org

meyerfoundation.org

corporatephilanthropy.org

thirdsector.co.uk

allianceonline.org

wfnet.org

ifrc.org

philanthropy411.wordpress.com

hewlett.org

air.org

glasspockets.org

heinz.org

tpi.org

wri.org

globalreporting.org

feedingamerica.org

odi.org.uk

cgap.org

efc.be

environmentalcapitalgroup.com

managementhelp.org

mulagofoundation.org

brfny.org

kresge.org

africagrantmakers.org

bread.org

pointsoflight.org

coalition4evidence.org

wfp.org

unfpa.org

millenniumindicators.un.org

seepnetwork.org

afdb.org

skylinepublicworks.com

eandco.net

philanthropyuk.org

bwfund.org

livestrong.org

charitywater.org

undp.org

microcreditsummit.org

sida.se

350.org

msh.org

cerise-microfinance.org

arnova.org

guidestar.org

gilbert.org

spmnetwork.net

carnegieendowment.org

kenscommentary.org

keystoneaccountability.org

innonet.org

roomtoread.org

chcf.org

cof.org

arc.org

neweconomics.org

gmfus.org

cspcs.sanford.duke.edu

ncrp.org

mbdc.com

icrw.org

cartercenter.org

accrahlf.net

bsr.org

gcyf.org

tsne.org

asaecenter.org

dfid.gov.uk

dalberg.com

accion.org

kiva.org

proveandimprove.org

philanthropy.blogspot.com

ncg.org

listenfirst.org

policylink.org

redf.org

vppartners.org

emcf.org

50% asc - 50% man

50% asc -50% sci

50% man - 50% sci

Civil Society

Management

Science

Organizational life today is beset by demands for xaccounta-bility: from health care and banking to humanitarian aid and higher education, there is a clamor to demonstrate and document e�ectiveness. This progressive rationalization has seen scientific practices of evaluation and managerial con-cepts of e�iciency move into voluntary and charitable domains. The hesitant embrace of performance metrics in the U.S. nonprofit sector is an example of this recombination of practices.

Our maps reflect the presence of civic ideals, managerial concepts, and scientific assessments among 369 organiza-tions actively involved in e�orts at measuring social impact. Drawing on a sample based on weblinks on the World Wide Web, we identify how organizations are positioned vis-à-vis these three discourses. The resulting map reflects the lingui-stic topography of nonprofit performance evaluation (Fig.1). Density is high at the center of this triangle, in the interstice between the communities of science, management, and associations. Organizations in this position draw on all three discourses, representing an interstitial community (Fig.2).

These interstitial organizations share more than cultural similarities; they are densely linked through bi-directional weblinks, forming an integrated cluster of diverse types of organizations, including associations, foundations, consul-ting firms, think tanks, and the media. They share informati-on and spread ideas (Fig. 3). Their capacity to proselytize practices that recombine civic, managerial and scientific elements becomes evident when we shi� from examining their internal connections to external ties. Although some connections exist among the civic, scientific, and managerial communities (Fig. 4), each is more closely connected to the interstitial community (Fig. 5).

Organizations in the interstice are the center of the debate over social impact, recombining concepts and building new frameworks. These maps show that organizations at this interface are the engine driving the merging of the formerly separate domains of science, management and civil society (Fig. 6).

Metrics and Evaluation in the Nonprofit SectorStanford PACS – Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society Stanford University

Achim Oberg, University of Mannheim, GermanyValeska P. Kor�, University of Potsdam, GermanyWalter W. Powell, Stanford University, USA

Civil Society

Management

Science

guidestar.org

cgdev.org

gatesfoundation.org


hewlett.orgtacticalphilanthropy.com

aspeninstitute.org

wri.org

philanthropy.com

Civil Society

Management

Science


cof.org

philanthropy.com

ssireview.orgmacfound.org

aspeninstitute.org

urban.org


nonprofitfinancefund.org

casefoundation.org

ncfp.org

ncrp.org



Civil Society

Management

Science


cof.org

ssireview.org

philanthropy.com


unicef.org

ncrp.org

hbr.org

philanthropynewyork.org

brookings.edu

cgdev.org


comnetwork.org



aspeninstitute.org

guidestar.org

adb.org

geofunders.org

nonprofitquarterly.orgredf.org

vppartners.org

Civil Society

Management

Science

foundationcenter.orgcof.org

philanthropy.com

ssireview.org

aspeninstitute.org

guidestar.org

cgdev.org


ncrp.org



gatesfoundation.org

urban.org

macfound.org

hewlett.org


wri.org

unicef.org

socialedge.org

bridgespan.org

geofunders.org



soros.org

hbr.org

casefoundation.orgcfr.org

Number of bidirectional references of an organization

Organizations and bidirectional references associational community

Organizations and bidirectional references scientific community

Organizations and bidirectional references managerial community

Organizations and bidirectional references interstitial community

Fig. 5: References with Interstitials Fig. 4: References among Original Communities Fig. 6: All Bidirectional References

Fig. 1: Cultural Positions Fig. 2: Cultural Communities

Fig. 4: References within Communities

InterstitialOrganizations as

ConversationalBridges

civil society interstitial metrics and evaluation in the...

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