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The tension between creative expression and rigid reporting requirements creates a disconnect that undermines both funders and grantees. What if there's a better way forward?

Kelly Feltault and Hannah Jacobson Blumenfeld join us to unpack how traditional accountability frameworks often miss the mark when applied to arts organizations. Drawing from their work with Creative Forces—an innovative collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, Department of Defense, and VA—they share how military veterans and their families experienced profound transformation through arts programming, yet organizations struggled to "prove" these outcomes to health-focused funders.

The problem isn't a lack of impact. Arts organizations witness life-changing outcomes daily—increased resilience, social connection, identity formation, and emotional well-being. The challenge lies in translation. When funders expect clinical-style measurement from community-based organizations without providing capacity-building support, they create what Kelly calls an "unfunded mandate" that burdens nonprofits and obscures their true value.

Their solution begins with honoring what organizations already know. Rather than imposing external frameworks, Kelly and Hannah help nonprofits articulate their outcomes in language funders recognize. This process of translation empowered Creative Forces organizations to secure new funding partnerships and influence systems change in ways they hadn't previously imagined.

For nonprofit leaders struggling with resource constraints, evaluation can become a strategic tool rather than just another burden. As Hannah reflects from her executive director experience: "Although this process takes time and intention, it ended up taking something off their plate instead of adding something on" by providing clarity amid the daily "paradox of choice."

Whether you're a funder seeking to support innovation or a nonprofit trying to communicate your impact, this conversation offers practical wisdom for building trust-based relationships that honor both accountability and creativity. As Kelly reminds us, "Evaluation is really just about being curious and strategic and brave—not about becoming a statistician."

Visit communityevaluationsolutions.com for free and low-cost resources including a nonprofit mission statement template, logic model template, coalition self-assessment, and the course "Powerful Evidence: Evaluation for Non-Evaluators."

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Connect with Ann: Community Evaluation Solutions

How Ann can help:

· Support the evaluation capacity of your coalition or community-based organization.

· Help you create a strategic plan that doesn’t stress you and your group out, doesn’t take all year to design, and is actionable.

· Engage your group in equitable discussions about difficult conversations.

· Facilitate a workshop to plan for action and get your group moving.

· Create a workshop that energizes and excites your group for action.

· Speak at your conference or event.

Have a question or want to know more? Book a call with Ann .

Be sure and check out our updated resource page! Let us know what was helpful.

Music by Zach Price: Zachpricet@gmail.com