Evaluation Support Scotland (ESS) works to achieve the following outcomes:
That voluntary organisations, funders and policy makers:
- Have better skills, knowledge and confidence on (self) evaluation.
- Have better systems for evaluation.
- Have better evidence for reporting and learning.
- Act on learning from evaluation to do things better.
- Meet needs more effectively or improve services.
You can see how our activities link to these outcomes in our logic model:
Outcome indicators
We set outcome indicators to measure the achievement of our planned outcomes. We collect information against those indicators which includes:
- Systematic feedback from voluntary organisations on changes in their skills, knowledge and behaviour as a result of our support.
- Evidence of improved plans, reports and practice as a result of our support.
- Feedback from funders and service users about changes in the organisation and its services as a result of our support.
- Feedback from commissioners and our own funders.
Surveys
We also undertake a stakeholder survey every 2 years.
We then use the information collected to report on what we do and the difference we make in our Annual report and review.
See a short video about our latest stakeholder or download a PDF version of the report below:
ESS Stakeholder Survey 2020
Key insights from ESS’s Stakeholder Survey 2020.

ESS practices what it preaches!
Jane Marryat, ESS Research and Communications Officer gives an insight into ESS’s own self-evaluation process
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