We’re here because you need more time, resources, and expertise to turn data into actionable insights
With 40+ years of combined, diversified experience in organizational strategy and evaluation, we facilitate Human-Centered Decision Making through consulting, coaching, and training.
Services
Build the culture and capacity to make relevant and useful decisions.
Proactive Strategies
Plan for the evidence you need before you need it.
Every organization needs to set their goals to measure progress and success—and these goals need to be routinely refreshed to be culturally responsive and contextually relevant.
As strategy experts, we facilitate strategic planning processes to help you clearly describe the goals and objectives that are aligned with your organization’s mission and context. This includes co-creating logic models or theories of change to conceptualize the influence of your work. When you want everyone in the room to participate fully in these strategic discussions, bringing in an external facilitator is the game changer that allows everyone to be engaged.
Your interest holders will have a renewed and shared sense of direction that can guide program and policy decisions and also be able to articulate why your work matters.
Useful & Responsive Data
Generate and use data that help you answer strategic questions effectively.
Many organizations lack a strategy for what data are needed, where they live, and how they will be used efficiently and effectively to be able to report on their work.
As a methodologist, Esther provides rigorous design of responsive strategies that specify collection of data on what, why, when, where, how, on whom, and with whom according to your information needs. She works with you to build custom project plans and data collection tools (e.g., interview guides, surveys, codebooks), carry out data collection activities, analyze data, and report findings to facilitate utilization of actionable insights.
You will be equipped to answer the big strategic questions you and others have about your work.
Sustainable Skills, Processes & Tools
Build a robust evidence ecosystem equipped for continuous learning.
Organizational culture and capacity catalyzes and sustains complex research, evaluation, accountability, learning, and monitoring (REALM) systems. These elements don’t occur naturally—they have to be built and nurtured.
As an educator and cultivator, Esther helps organizations understand their capacity then build strategies to address gaps. She has designed, coordinated, and managed communities of practice, learning and networking events (e.g., workshops, conferences, webinars), RFPs and job descriptions, and many other innovative methods to build MERL culture and capacity. She can train or support staff to craft written works or presentations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
When MERL is baked into the culture and capacity of your organization, it will feel natural and easy to incorporate it in everything you do.
Through collaboration and innovation, we make the implicit explicit, the unknown known, the difficult easier—the good you do, even better!
We also offer coaching and advising services for senior leaders and fellow consultants. Use the link below to book a free consult to learn if this service is right for you!
She is insightful, warm, and an incredibly generous thought partner. Her wide-ranging evaluation expertise is matched by her exceptional facilitation skills—she is truly one of the best facilitators I have encountered.
I had the opportunity to work closely with Esther on survey capacity-building efforts, including the development of a survey best practices guide and consultations to support colleagues with surveys across our organization. I was consistently impressed by her thoroughness, attention to detail, and structured approach to planning and implementation of projects. Anyone who works with her benefits from her expertise, collaborative spirit, and deep commitment to rigorous and impactful work.
- Angie Boyce
Former Colleague and Fellow Evaluator
Partner with Everstead
Need help turning your data into actionable insights?
We help organizations like yours make decisions with evidence and confidence. Connect with us now.