Timeline of nonprofit evaluation

Abstract

During the period of scientific philanthropy that began in 1869 and continued into the 1930s, Charity Organization Societies were formed in the United States, England, and Germany. These agencies collected data and engaged in self-evaluation, which led to the establishment of the modern concept of nonprofit evaluation. Fueled by the emergence of effective altruism as a movement in the late 2000s, the technological capabilities of the 21st century have accelerated the collection and analysis of information about nonprofits. Nonprofits can now be evaluated based on a wide range of criteria, including traditional metrics such as overhead costs and financial stability, and newer measures of social impact and cost-effectiveness. With this new toolkit, private donors and grantmaking organizations, such as the Hewlett Foundation, have sought to increase the effectiveness of their charitable giving by targeting donations to those nonprofits that provide the greatest value for the money. – AI-generated abstract