The Nonlinear Library EA - Bringing Monitoring, Evaluation and, Learning to animal advocates: 6 months of lessons learned by Nicoll Peracha
Apr 26, 2024
20:31
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Bringing Monitoring, Evaluation and, Learning to animal advocates: 6 months of lessons learned, published by Nicoll Peracha on April 26, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum.
Introduction and Summary
Why focus on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning in the animal cause area?
When we started our international interventions in September 2023, we were quite certain that MEL could increase the cost-effectiveness and impact of interventions in the animal cause area, and avoid doing harm. See e.g. this post about why Anima International suspended the campaign to end live fish sales in Poland (Anima International 2022).
Tools and insights from MEL can help organizations design potentially more (cost)-effective interventions from the start, know if their interventions are on track, and adapt their implementation when necessary.
We also believe MEL can contribute to increasing the evidence base for interventions in the animal cause area. Neill Buddy Shah, a co-founder of IDInsight, observed, "The animal welfare research infrastructure and ecosystem is incredibly immature compared to what has developed over decades in social policy, medicine, and public health." (EAG San Francisco 2019).
Since 2019, research and the number of animal-cause area-specific research databases have increased (Navigating Research Databases for Animal Advocacy, 2024). However, the amount of research available still pales compared to other cause areas.
Uncertainties and findings
We were less certain about the willingness and ability of Animal and Vegan Advocacy organizations to engage with MEL. We also didn't know if MEL tools used in other cause areas such as Global Health and Development would be applicable and useful in the animal cause area.
Overall, MEL is still a neglected topic in the animal community. EA-aligned organizations generally use MEL tools but many others don't, and so far we have only verified a handful of organizations that have complete MEL systems in place that do not require additional support.
Specialized support for MEL is still very limited. If you are interested in supporting animal organizations with MEL, please consider working with us as MEL Associate or communications volunteer.
Below you will find 11 key lessons learned from our pilot intervention to train and support animal and vegan advocacy organizations in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.
We hope this post will be particularly relevant for charities and funders in the animal cause area and will lead to more organizations engaging with MEL and sharing best practices.
In this post, we will share what we've done so far, 11 key lessons we've learned, how they have influenced our strategy, and what you can do to help advance MEL and the overall evidence base in the animal cause area.
I. What have we done so far?
The Mission Motor's current interventions were shaped during AIM's (Charity Entrepreneurship) Incubation Program 2023. Between September 2023 and April 2024, we
trained and supported eight animal and vegan advocacy charities to develop and implement MEL systems
provided ad hoc support to another seven animal organizations
are building a community of MEL peers and practitioners through Slack and monthly meetings
Our interventions are in the ideation phase with a focus on learning if, and why or why not, they work as intended. Although we are still in the first half of our pilot program, we see some early successes. The training and coaching sessions helped staff members
increase their knowledge of MEL
design theories of change
identify key assumptions and risks
unify the collective understanding of their programs.
As a result, several organizations identified key activities they wish to add to their program, decided to focus their efforts on specific target groups, or otherwise change their program design.
To ...
Introduction and Summary
Why focus on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning in the animal cause area?
When we started our international interventions in September 2023, we were quite certain that MEL could increase the cost-effectiveness and impact of interventions in the animal cause area, and avoid doing harm. See e.g. this post about why Anima International suspended the campaign to end live fish sales in Poland (Anima International 2022).
Tools and insights from MEL can help organizations design potentially more (cost)-effective interventions from the start, know if their interventions are on track, and adapt their implementation when necessary.
We also believe MEL can contribute to increasing the evidence base for interventions in the animal cause area. Neill Buddy Shah, a co-founder of IDInsight, observed, "The animal welfare research infrastructure and ecosystem is incredibly immature compared to what has developed over decades in social policy, medicine, and public health." (EAG San Francisco 2019).
Since 2019, research and the number of animal-cause area-specific research databases have increased (Navigating Research Databases for Animal Advocacy, 2024). However, the amount of research available still pales compared to other cause areas.
Uncertainties and findings
We were less certain about the willingness and ability of Animal and Vegan Advocacy organizations to engage with MEL. We also didn't know if MEL tools used in other cause areas such as Global Health and Development would be applicable and useful in the animal cause area.
Overall, MEL is still a neglected topic in the animal community. EA-aligned organizations generally use MEL tools but many others don't, and so far we have only verified a handful of organizations that have complete MEL systems in place that do not require additional support.
Specialized support for MEL is still very limited. If you are interested in supporting animal organizations with MEL, please consider working with us as MEL Associate or communications volunteer.
Below you will find 11 key lessons learned from our pilot intervention to train and support animal and vegan advocacy organizations in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.
We hope this post will be particularly relevant for charities and funders in the animal cause area and will lead to more organizations engaging with MEL and sharing best practices.
In this post, we will share what we've done so far, 11 key lessons we've learned, how they have influenced our strategy, and what you can do to help advance MEL and the overall evidence base in the animal cause area.
I. What have we done so far?
The Mission Motor's current interventions were shaped during AIM's (Charity Entrepreneurship) Incubation Program 2023. Between September 2023 and April 2024, we
trained and supported eight animal and vegan advocacy charities to develop and implement MEL systems
provided ad hoc support to another seven animal organizations
are building a community of MEL peers and practitioners through Slack and monthly meetings
Our interventions are in the ideation phase with a focus on learning if, and why or why not, they work as intended. Although we are still in the first half of our pilot program, we see some early successes. The training and coaching sessions helped staff members
increase their knowledge of MEL
design theories of change
identify key assumptions and risks
unify the collective understanding of their programs.
As a result, several organizations identified key activities they wish to add to their program, decided to focus their efforts on specific target groups, or otherwise change their program design.
To ...