Organizations make decisions about programs, services, funding and partnerships with information that is often incomplete or scattered across different sources. A local service directory may be out of date. A funding proposal may require a better account of community conditions. A new initiative may depend on understanding who is already working in a particular area.
Our Arts Incubator undertakes research and evaluation projects for nonprofits, charities, community organizations and collaborative initiatives. We gather and examine information, map organizations and resources, review existing research, assess programs and prepare findings that can be used in planning and project development.
Our work includes desk research, environmental scanning, community profiles, stakeholder inventories, network analysis, evaluation frameworks and research communications. Projects can be focused assignments or larger investigations involving several sources and methods.
Environmental scans and research reviews
An environmental scan brings together information about the conditions surrounding a project or organization. Depending on the question, this may include demographic information, existing services, public policy, infrastructure, funding programs, research publications, local organizations and relevant developments in a particular sector.
We carry out structured research using available reports, public datasets, organizational websites, government publications and other relevant sources. The material is reviewed and organized around the client’s questions rather than simply collected into a reference list.
A research review can also focus on a particular topic, bringing together published studies, policy documents and existing evidence. This can help an organization understand what has already been investigated, where different sources agree or differ, and what information may still be needed.
The finished work may be a concise briefing, a detailed report, a source inventory or a longer environmental scan. The format is agreed at the beginning of the project.
Community profiles and resource mapping
A community profile can help an organization understand the people, services, facilities and resources in a particular area. It may be used when planning a new program, identifying service gaps, developing a funding application or preparing for a community consultation.
We research and organize information relevant to the area and the project. This can include local organizations, community facilities, available services, economic activities, population information, infrastructure and other local assets.
Resource mapping can also be geographic. We can organize information about the location of facilities, services and community resources into maps or structured directories. The scope can be as focused as an inventory of local organizations or as extensive as a regional profile combining several kinds of information.
Stakeholder mapping and network analysis
Knowing which organizations are active in a field is useful. Understanding how they are connected, what roles they play and where opportunities for cooperation exist can be even more valuable.
We develop stakeholder inventories and network maps that help organizations examine the relationships around a project. This can involve identifying relevant participants, organizing information about their activities, documenting partnerships and representing connections through diagrams or interactive graphs.
For larger projects, we can develop network visualizations that show relationships across multiple categories of information. These may connect organizations, projects, funding sources, research themes, geographic locations and other relevant entities.
The resulting maps can support partnership planning, research, project development and presentations. They also provide a way to identify missing information and decide where further investigation would be useful.
Program evaluation and reporting
Funders and boards need to know what a program has delivered. Program staff and participants also need opportunities to assess whether activities are working and what should change.
We help organizations design evaluation frameworks and review the results of their programs. This can begin with the original objectives and approved activities, then establish what information needs to be collected to assess implementation and outcomes.
An evaluation might examine participation, activities delivered, outputs produced, feedback received, partnerships established and progress toward stated objectives. We can review existing records, develop data collection tools, organize findings and prepare reports for different audiences.
For a new program, we can help establish an evaluation plan before activities begin. For an existing program, we can work with the information already available and identify what additional records would make future evaluation more useful.
Research communication and knowledge mobilization
Research reports are not always the best format for every audience. A board may need a short briefing. Community participants may need an accessible summary. A funding partner may require a structured report. A public audience may be better served by a website, map or visual presentation.
We prepare research findings for the people who need to use them. This includes editing and organizing reports, developing summaries and presentations, preparing charts and maps, and publishing research material online.
Where a project generates a substantial amount of information, we can also help create a digital collection or knowledge resource that remains available after the initial research assignment has finished.
Research methods and project scope
The methods used depend on the question. Some projects can be completed through document review and analysis of existing information. Others require interviews, surveys, workshops, site visits or consultation with relevant participants.
We establish the research questions, available sources, proposed methods and expected outputs before work begins. Where direct engagement with participants is involved, the project scope can include recruitment arrangements, interview or survey materials, consent processes and documentation requirements.
The resulting contract sets out the work to be undertaken and the products to be delivered. This gives the organization a clear basis for planning its budget and using the findings.
Research projects and indicative pricing
| Project | Indicative contract value |
|---|---|
| Research planning and methodology | $1,500–$3,500 |
| Literature or document review | $2,000–$5,000 |
| Environmental scan | $3,500–$7,500 |
| Community profile or resource inventory | $3,000–$7,500 |
| Stakeholder mapping and network analysis | $3,000–$9,000 |
| Program evaluation | $2,500–$8,500 |
| Larger research and evaluation project | $7,500–$15,000+ |
| Research reporting and publication | $1,500–$6,000 |
Prices depend on the number of sources, geographic coverage, research methods, amount of information to be processed and the reporting requirements.
Research connected to community practice
Our Arts Incubator’s research interests include community development, arts and culture, food systems, climate initiatives, local infrastructure, digital knowledge systems and collaborative projects. We are interested in research that helps organizations understand their surroundings and make better use of the knowledge they already have.
We can undertake a specific research assignment or work alongside an organization as a project develops. This may mean preparing an environmental scan before a program begins, mapping partners during its development and evaluating the activities once they are underway.
Contact artsincubator.ca to discuss a research question, evaluation requirement or community mapping project.
