Navigating Power Dynamics & Institutional Tensions in Evaluation

Oct 22, 2026 • 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Adaptive Leadership, Equity & Inclusion • Free Event, Virtual Event

Power in evaluation is rarely explicit. It lives in the margins of what gets measured, who gets heard, and who holds the risk. This session explores how power shows up in evaluation work and examines the live, real-world tensions evaluators and programme managers face when balancing institutional and funder demands with authentic community ownership.

Drawing on joint reflections from recent evaluation work with progressive funders and ground-level programme leadership, the session explores three core strands:

Relational Safety vs. Power Vacuums: Why removing formal reporting requirements without transparent expectation-setting can create an unintended "power vacuum"—where grantees still report what they think funders want to hear.
Evaluators as Power Mediators: How evaluators navigate internal institutional power dynamics—such as board risk-aversion, narrative control, and public perception fears—while striving to protect project integrity and community trust.
Shifting Power in Practice (A Programme Manager’s Perspective): Practical reflections from Rory Crawford (Nature Towns & Cities) on what it takes for project leads and NGOs to actively let go of control and hold institutions accountable to community-led decisions.

In this session you will learn about hands-on insights and strategies for navigating institutional friction and shifting power in your own practice. This includes:

Language to advocate for relational safety: Concrete arguments and framing you can bring into your next board or funder meeting to explain why removing rules isn't enough without intentional expectation- and boundary-setting.
Field-tested tactics for institutional accountability: Practical strategies for project leads and evaluators trying to challenge rigid reporting expectations from within organizations and alliances.
Exchange with peers: Direct exchange with an international network of practitioners to test ideas, unpack live tensions, and see how others are navigating similar power frictions.

No cost associated.