Challenge:
The Minnesota Environmental Partnership (MEP) received a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund and finance the Advancing Conservation Project. Upon completion two years later, MEP hoped to determine if the Project had achieved its original goal: to increase the involvement of MEP member groups in efforts to advance state and federal conservation programs.
Solution:
grassroots solutions designed a method to evaluate the success of the Advancing Conservation Project and make recommendations for the future of the Project, and MEP’s conservation work. During the evaluation process, grassroots solutions conducted personal interviews with people who were either directly involved, or who had indirect observations of the Project’s work. In addition, grassroots solutions reviewed MEP’s Advancing Conservation Project work plans, grant application, grant agreement, website, and final project report to gain an understanding of the Project. grassroots solutions then examined and synthesized the information and concluded that the Project had successfully increased participation, awareness, and capacity of the conservation community to weigh in on conservation policy. Further, the evaluation revealed that the Project was an instrumental resource in educating members and building a communication network around conservation issues.
Results:
- grassroots solutions provided recommendations for ways MEP could modify the Advancing Conservation Project to further increase participation and the Project's influence with state and federal decision-making committees.
- The evaluation gave MEP a tool to demonstrate their success and expand and diversify future funding opportunities.
- The Advancing Conservation Project has transitioned to become a part of Conservation Minnesota, and MEP continues to be a strong ally for the conservation community.