Mismeasuring impact how randomized controlled trials threaten the nonprofit sector / Nicole P. Marwell and Jennifer E. Mosley.
| Author/creator | Marwell, Nicole P. |
| Other author | Mosley, Jennifer E. |
| Format | Electronic |
| Publication Info | Stanford, California : Stanford Business Books, an imprint of Stanford University Press, [2025] |
| Description | xiii, 188 pages ; 25 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from Ebook Central - Academic Complete |
| Subjects |
| Series | Stanford social innovation review books Stanford social innovation review books. UNAUTHORIZED |
| Contents | Five problems with RCTs, and why they threaten the nonprofit sector -- The siren song of RCTs : building the gold standard movement -- Null effects and dumb effects : do RCTs really tell us "what works?" -- "This was harder than we thought" : implementing RCT in Nonprofits -- Looking for legitimacy : why we keep doing RCTs -- What kind of work should we value? : How RCTs undermine the equity goals of nonprofits and the communities they serve -- A bad fit : how RCTs hinder nonprofit responsiveness and innovation -- How might we think about evaluation differently? : Three principles for nonprofit improvement -- Moving beyond RCTs : lessons for nonprofit leaders, donors, evaluators, and policymakers. |
| Abstract | "Demonstrating the effectiveness of nonprofit social programs is a challenge. This has led to a rapid rise in nonprofit organizations' use of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), for evaluation. As a result, most nonprofit sector professionals today can tell you why nonprofits should do an RCT. This book tells you why they probably shouldn't. Mismeasuring Impact explores why RCTs are being embraced as the "gold standard" for nonprofit evaluation, despite the high cost and time investment required, and the problems with using RCTs in a nonprofit context. The book describes what happens inside nonprofits when they take part in RCTs, the unintended equity issues that arise, and why nonprofits decide to participate in RCTs despite the problems. University of Chicago professors Marwell and Mosley's research is based on extensive interviews with key players: nonprofit managers, professional program evaluators, and program officers in philanthropic foundations. The book explains why most RCTs conducted in nonprofits fail to meet required standards for rigor, undercutting their accuracy. Utlimately, RCTs are used to create nonprofit legitimacy, not to foster nonprofit improvement. RCTs also privilege program and organizational standardization over the key strengths of nonprofit organizations: innovation and responsiveness to community needs. Nonprofits and funders need forms of evaluation that lift up these strengths, but RCTs fall short. Mismeasuring Impact offers alternatives that build strong organizations, not just standardized programs. The book concludes by suggesting evaluation approaches that funders and nonprofits of all sizes can support"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 157-183 ) and index. |
| Access restriction | Available only to authorized users. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| LCCN | 2024047776 |
| ISBN | 9781503634657 (cloth) |
| ISBN | (epub) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |