In March 2025, something big happened: a new evaluation curriculum designed for small nonprofits launched in Charlotte, NC. It marked the culmination of a year-long collaboration with UNC Charlotte’s Impact, Data, and Evaluation Academy (IDEA)—and the beginning of putting that curriculum’s lessons into practice.
For a year, I’ve been working with the Impact, Data, and Evaluation Academy (IDEA) at UNC Charlotte to develop a practical set of learning tools that would help small, grassroots nonprofits – and larger organizations that lack data and research expertise – to better achieve their mission through a powerful use of evaluation.
Two weeks later, I’m still energized by our two-day launch (and the day following with consultant colleagues in Asheville, North Carolina). I’ve been reflecting on three ideas that I want to share with you:
Curriculum as an act of optimism
Nonprofits themselves are acts of optimism—through them we shape a better world. The launch of a curriculum is similarly a sign of hope . It says: the work continues. Learning continues. Advancing our missions in the face of challenge still matters.
One participant stands out in my memory from the day we piloted the curriculum. She described her frustration trying to raise money for a program advancing equity for Black girls—three words that, in today’s political climate, each carry their own risk. And yet, despite the resistance she faced, she showed up fully—engaged, curious, and hopeful—because the session offered her a way forward. Around her, groups of participants worked together on their logic models, sharpening their stories and anchoring their strategies in the promises they’d made to their communities. The room buzzed with purpose, as each person connected what they were learning to the change they were working for.
AI as a writing partner
As Mike Taylor reminded us in his presentation during last fall’s learning series:
“AI is not a substitute for human intelligence; it is a tool to amplify human creativity and ingenuity.”
— Fei-Fei Li, Co-Director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.
That resonated with me as I worked to bring our evaluation curriculum to life. Like many curriculum designers, I needed a case study that felt real—something participants could see themselves in—and a data set robust enough to use throughout the lessons to show how data is collected, managed, and interpreted. ChatGPT to the rescue.
AI helped me read a vast amount of research and determine key ideas to bring into the lessons. It synthesized the feedback we received from a daylong event, helping me to re-sort it into our chapters. Just like Fei-Fei Li said, it didn’t replace my thinking. It made room for it.
Train-the-trainer as a core partner to any new curriculum
A curriculum doesn’t come to life on paper. It lives in the hands of facilitators who know their communities and can bring learning to life. That’s why we paired the curriculum launch with a train-the-trainer program. The day before the curriculum launch, a group of trainers spent the morning learning about adult learning and trainer skills generally. In the afternoon, we walked through the full curriculum and practiced facilitating specific exercises. The support continues as they prepare to continue the series this week.
From Charlotte, I traveled to Asheville to spend the day with nonprofit consultants working through WNC Nonprofit Pathways. The visit came just days before the six-month mark of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, and the damage was still visible along the rivers. These trainers and coaches were serving organizations in recovery mode—people with no time or money to waste. They need learning that is grounded in their experiences and immediately useful. What a gift to spend the day with them!
The learning goes on
In Charlotte, we launched the evaluation curriculum with joy and curiosity. The 30 or so participants in the pilot program represent what’s possible when we invest in learning—not just as individuals, but as a community. They’ll carry evaluation forward in ways that work within their community, and collectively they will be a force for good.
I am very grateful for the referral that connected me with IDEA team at UNC Charlotte! If you or someone you know is interested in building a curriculum or investing in Train the Trainer programs, please reach out. I would be delighted to learn more.