Community and voluntary organisations are under growing pressure to prove the difference their services make, often with limited time, skills and resources to do this well.
This event will share the findings from recent research into the impact of the CAVEAT (Community and Voluntary organisation Evaluation Toolkit), a free, practical tool designed to help VCSE organisations collect and use evidence to demonstrate their impact.
The research explored what happens when community organisations are given this easy‑to‑use evaluation tool, alongside support to help them use it, in a way that works for them. Four VCSE organisations in East Sussex took part as well as data collected from an online survey and website scope. The findings show how evaluation can become a useful, confidence‑building activity rather than an added burden.
At this event, the research team will:
- Present what they learned about how using CAVEAT can help VCSE organisations demonstrate the value of what they do
- Share real examples of how CAVEAT was used in practice
- Explore what helps (and what gets in the way of) evaluation in busy community settings
- Discuss why pairing tools with the right support really matters.
This session is relevant for people working in community and voluntary organisations, local authorities, funders, and anyone interested in making evaluation more practical, meaningful and centred on lived experience.
