Goal-Free Evaluation: An Orientation for Foundations’ Evaluations

Authors

Brandon W. Youker, Grand Valley State University
Allyssa Ingraham, Grand Valley State University

DOI

10.9707/1944-5660.1182

Key Points

· Goal-free evaluation (GFE), in program evaluation, is a model in which the official or stated program goals and objectives are withheld or screened from the evaluator.

· Several obstacles must be overcome in persuading foundations and programs to consider GFE as a viable option, because both tend to view goal attainment as intuitively and inextricably linked to evaluation.

· This article presents the case for GFE as a perspective that belongs in a foundation’s toolbox. In particular, this article demonstrates GFE’s actual use, highlights aspects of its methodology, and details its potential benefits.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Youker, B. W., & Ingraham, A. (2014). Goal-Free Evaluation: An Orientation for Foundations’ Evaluations. The Foundation Review, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.9707/1944-5660.1182