Upon receipt of a request from a Funder, Expanding the Bench® (ETB) will match participants with two Consultants who will work with them for up to three hours total on a discrete component of a process intended to engage an evaluator.

More About the EEC

Examples of potential consultations include:   

Here are a few possible topics for consultation:

• Framing an evaluation project description with a culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE) lens.
• Engaging as thought partners on a specific aspect of equitable evaluation.
• Developing an equity-focused request for proposal or scope of work.
• Examining one’s relationship with grantees and navigating them more effectively.

Expectations of Requests

This is a finite opportunity for three hours of consultation, and it is intended to support Funders to engage evaluation partners more equitably with thought partnership from Evaluators. EEC is in its first year and is considered a pilot to create a shared learning space for both Funders and Evaluators to contribute to dismantling power structures in the field of evaluation.  

We anticipate at least 10 business days between submissions of requests and identifying the consultation team. 

For Funders, define your request clearly: 

• What is the question you want to ask about your engagement process? 
• Know and communicate your timeline and by when this consultation needs to be completed. 
• The accompanying materials including the request form should take no longer than 30 minutes to read. 
• You may include a maximum of three people on your team to work with the Consultants. 

Guidelines and Recommendations for Consultations  

Please note that the consultation time is capped at three hours, including time to review relevant materials and any other preparatory time. The consultations are to be determined by the Funders and consultation team. Funders and Consultants will work together to coordinate their availability, duration, and occurrences of calls based on the request.  

Consultants have three hours of commitment for each request and the recommended breakdown is as follows: 

• Plan no longer than 30 minutes for Consultants to review requests, relevant materials, and preparation. 
• Plan about 30 minutes for peer engagement.  
• Plan for up to two, one-hour consulting sessions. 

After the EEC consultation is complete, if Evaluators or Funders would like to continue their work, they are free to do so independently of EEC. 

Meet the Consultants

Eight Evaluators from the Advancing Culturally-Responsive and Equitable (ACE) Evaluation Network serve as the Consultants. The ACE Evaluation Network comprises of racially and ethnically diverse Evaluators who have been historically and/or are presently underrepresented or marginalized in the U.S. who are committed to using CREE and spreading its practice. Learn more about the Consultants and why they are committed to advancing CREE.