4 Equitable Evaluation Insights: Evaluating a Grant Program that Supports Community-Led Design

What does it take to evaluate a grant program in a way that truly reflects the voices of the community? Omni Institute’s equitable evaluation of the Colorado Health Foundation’s initiative to fund community-designed outdoor spaces goes far beyond checkboxes—it embodies flexibility, intersectionality, and respect for community-defined values. Through interviews, focus groups, and creative methods like PhotoVoice, Omni captured local wisdom while uncovering important structural challenges within short evaluation timelines.

One major takeaway: “diverse perspectives” look different in rural communities. Traditional diversity frameworks often fall short in homogenous or tightly-knit regions, where differences may be rooted more in economic roles or community affiliation than race or ethnicity. Omni met this nuance with intentional listening and inclusion strategies, highlighting the risk of tokenization and stressing the importance of fully resourced and intersectional participation from planning through evaluation.

The evaluation also revealed the necessity to stay agile and responsive in real-time—adjusting plans to accommodate community schedules, youth engagement needs, and even language choices. Omni’s approach modeled a deep respect for evolving language and the lived context of participants, acknowledging that words like “grantee” can unintentionally disempower. Ultimately, this project reinforces the power of equitable evaluation to strengthen programs by centering community reality, not institutional convenience.