Culturally Responsive Evaluation Methods in Philanthropy: Striving for Community Inclusion Amidst Power Hoarding Practices

The importance of culture in the field of evaluation can be observed through the advancements that culturally responsive evaluation (CRE) and culturally responsive equitable evaluation (CREE) scholars have made in this arena over the past few decades. The literature, however, still lacks close examination of how CRE approaches are applied in institutions where cultural bias exists, such as philanthropy. Few researchers have examined the biases present in partnering with funders, white dominant norms, and the extent to which these elements facilitate or inhibit community inclusion in CRE. To address this gap, the present study utilized an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to: (1) better understand what methods were employed for CRE and CREE efforts within philanthropy, (2) identify how community is defined, (3) examine to what extent evaluators include communities served in the development and implementation of methods, (4) identify how much power or control communities served have over the process, (5) identify cultural norms and beliefs associated with community inclusion in philanthropy, and (6) explore what facilitators and barriers emerge for evaluators and foundation staff in their CRE or CREE practices. The sample consisted of evaluators and evaluation and learning staff currently working or partnering with foundations based in the United States for a total of 59 participants across the two phases of this study. Findings reveal that definitions of community varied based on the method, but grantees were the most represented group across methods. Interviews, evaluation advisory committees, evaluation frameworks, secondary data, focus groups, storytelling, and surveys were the most used methods. Across methods, participants indicated that stakeholders involved in CRE or CREE reported up to moderate levels of power or control in philanthropic evaluations. The study also offers evidence that the culture of community inclusion for philanthropic evaluation is rooted in white dominant norms and that pressure to comply with power hoarding practices, a type of white dominant norm that centers the funder’s evaluation interests, was a barrier to community inclusion. This study provides context about current shifts within culturally responsive evaluation and culturally responsive equitable evaluation when those at the intersection of philanthropy and evaluation are actively questioning both fields’ practices and redefining what evaluation, learning, and accountability mean. Future research and implications for practice within philanthropy are provided

Harnessing Evaluation and Learning for Equity and Impact Insights for Foundation Executives

Grantmaking foundations are increasingly using E&L functions in diverse ways. A 2019 survey from the Center for Evaluation Innovation found that 42 percent of foundations had a dedicated E&L unit or department that functioned separately from the program department, up from 34 percent in 2015.The survey also shows that E&L staff fill numerous and evolving roles including directing and managing evaluation work within the foundation; supporting broader team and organizational learning efforts, including equity work; supporting strategy development and review; and providing advice or coaching about evaluation to other staff. Beyond the foundation's walls, many E&L teams contribute to the fields of evaluation and philanthropy by sharing actionable knowledge or learning strategies with peer organizations. Field-building increases the influence and impact of a foundation by helping to advance philanthropic thought leadership and E&L practices more broadly.But leveraging the power of evaluation and learning is easier said than done. This guide is a resource for foundation executives interested in harnessing the power of evaluation and learning for impact. It was developed by Engage R+D with support from The James Irvine Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Center for Evaluation Innovation, and Kresge Foundation. It is based on our study of the E&L function across these three diverse foundations, all of which champion the Equitable Evaluation Initiative and are on their own equity journeys

Blood Parameters and Feline Tooth Resorption: A Retrospective Case Control Study from a Spanish University Hospital

Tooth resorption (TR; progressive destruction of hard dental tissues) varies in prevalence according to population, age, and country (29–66.1%). Our objective was twofold: describing the TR clinical presentation in Northeastern Spain, and studying 34 blood parameters to ascertain potential systemic effects associated with TR. Cases (29; presented from September 2018 to May 2019) and controls (58) were considered. Non-parametric tests were carried out to compare cases and controls for each blood parameter; those showing significant differences were chosen for multiple regression analysis (binomial logistic and hierarchical multiple regressions). In case TR was detected in 130/870 teeth (14.9%), TR stage and type were correlated (p < 0.001). Increasing CREA values (p = 0.034) and decreasing BUN/CREA and ALB/GLOB values were associated with TR presence (p = 0.029 and p = 0.03, respectively). Increasing GLOB was associated with increasing severity of TR (p < 0.01). Type 1 TR (highly related to inflammation and periodontal disease PD) was the most frequently observed type; the association of TR and inflammation biomarkers (ALB/GLOB, GLOB) are explained by this fact. The concomitant presence of PD and TR in old cats would cause TR association with kidney damage biomarkers (CREA, BUN/CREA). When affected by TR, special care in these aspects must be provided to cats

Delivering on the Dream: Protecting Immigrant Rights and Fostering a Culture of Inclusion

California has been at the forefront of this surge with the public, private, and philanthropic community taking a firm stance against anti-immigrant policies and divisive rhetoric. The James Irvine Foundation is one of several California foundations that has stepped up its support to protect immigrant rights, joining forces with other partners across the state to bolster collective and mutually reinforcing efforts. As part of its grantmaking to a range of nonprofit partners, The Foundation seeks to ensure that everyone of California's low-income workers – many of whom are immigrants – have the power to advance economically.To better understand the effect of rapid response grantmaking and the current landscape for immigrant integration in California, The Irvine Foundation partnered with Engage R+D on this practice brief to explore the various ways California foundations are contributing to a pro-immigrant movement. It is based on a developmental evaluation of The Irvine Foundation's Protecting Immigrant Rights (PIR) efforts and interviews with 12 foundations and immigrant rights organizations. It seeks to provide actionable insights for funders and immigrant-serving organizations as they pivot from crisis-response to more proactive and longer-term strategy for immigrant integration

The Ripple Effects of Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation: TRHT LA Learning Report

Our nation's democracy has long rested on the notion of opportunity, liberty, and justice for all, yet these hallmarks have been largely reserved for White people at the expense and systemic exclusion of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Systemic racism in the United States is deeply rooted in our institutions, systems, and narratives about who belongs and who has value. The road to transformation is long and daunting but in this moment of collective trauma "there are glimmers of hope."Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation is a $24 million initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support 14 multi-sector collaborations in communities across the United States. It serves as a comprehensive, national, and community-based process to plan for and bring about transformational and sustainable change and to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism. In Los Angeles, TRHT-LA is convened by Southern California Grantmakers (SCG). To support continuous learning and document the TRHT-LA journey, SCG partnered with Engage R+D in 2017 to conduct a developmental evaluation. Using a multi-methods approach (interviews, surveys, and observations), the evaluation team focused on lifting-up promising strategies, stories, and evidence that TRHT efforts are taking root

Evaluation and Learning at Foundations: A Field Guide

This brief grew out of conversations with evaluation and learning leaders working in foundations across the United States about both the value of evaluation and learning in philanthropy, and the challenges of implementing this function well across diverse institutional contexts. Our intent is to provide practical guidance that new and existing leaders can use to navigate their roles in support of more effective and equitable philanthropy. It is based on indepth case studies of the Irvine, Kauffman, and Kresge Foundations along with our own experience partnering with foundations on evaluation, strategy, and learning efforts

Tratamiento conservador para la resolución de lesiones cutáneas secundarias a una miasis

Se presenta un caso de lesiones cutáneas en la zona lumbar en un perro, como consecuencia de una miasis. El tratamiento más efectivo en este tipo de afecciones pasa por la retirada física de las larvas, aplicación de tratamientos antiparasitarios específicos y la resolución de las agresiones cutáneas producidas por la colonización y migración de las larvas. En el caso que se describe, el tratamiento para la resolución de estas lesiones se basó en la combinación de diferentes tratamientos tópicos con el objetivo de limpiar, desinfectar y eliminar el tejido necrótico, así como para controlar la infección y estimular la cicatrización y reepitelización de la zona

Effect of Continuing Olanzapine vs Placebo on Relapse Among Patients With Psychotic Depression in Remission: The STOP-PD II Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance: Psychotic depression is a severely disabling and potentially lethal disorder. Little is known about the efficacy and tolerability of continuing antipsychotic medication for patients with psychotic depression in remission. Objective: To determine the clinical effects of continuing antipsychotic medication once an episode of psychotic depression has responded to combination treatment with an antidepressant and antipsychotic agent. Design, Setting, and Participants: Thirty-six week randomized clinical trial conducted at 4 academic medical centers. Patients aged 18 years or older had an episode of psychotic depression acutely treated with sertraline plus olanzapine for up to 12 weeks and met criteria for remission of psychosis and remission or near-remission of depressive symptoms for 8 weeks before entering the clinical trial. The study was conducted from November 2011 to June 2017, and the final date of follow-up was June 13, 2017. Interventions: Participants were randomized either to continue olanzapine (n = 64) or switch from olanzapine to placebo (n = 62). All participants continued sertraline. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was risk of relapse. Main secondary outcomes were change in weight, waist circumference, lipids, serum glucose, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Results: Among 126 participants who were randomized (mean [SD] age, 55.3 years [14.9 years]; 78 women [61.9%]), 114 (90.5%) completed the trial. At the time of randomization, the median dosage of sertraline was 150 mg/d (interquartile range [IQR], 150-200 mg/d) and the median dosage of olanzapine was 15 mg/d (IQR, 10-20 mg/d). Thirteen participants (20.3%) randomized to olanzapine and 34 (54.8%) to placebo experienced a relapse (hazard ratio, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.48; P \u3c .001). The effect of olanzapine on the daily rate of anthropometric and metabolic measures significantly differed from placebo for weight (0.13 lb; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.15), waist circumference (0.009 inches; 95% CI, 0.004 to 0.014), and total cholesterol (0.29 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.45) but was not significantly different for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.04 mg/dL; 95% CI, -0.01 to 0.10), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-0.01 mg/dL; 95% CI, -0.03 to 0.01), triglyceride (-0.153 mg/dL; 95% CI, -0.306 to 0.004), glucose (-0.02 mg/dL; 95% CI, -0.12 to 0.08), or HbA1c levels (-0.0002 mg/dL; 95% CI, -0.0021 to 0.0016). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with psychotic depression in remission, continuing sertraline plus olanzapine compared with sertraline plus placebo reduced the risk of relapse over 36 weeks. This benefit needs to be balanced against potential adverse effects of olanzapine, including weight gain. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01427608

Los alumnos como evaluadores de modelos para la adquisición de destrezas básicas en cirugía

Introducción La cirugía es una disciplina con un gran componente práctico que requiere de mucho tiempo de dedicación. Para el comienzo de la formación de un alumno en Veterinaria se necesita un simulador sencillo, barato y que se asemeje lo máximo posible a la realidad. El objetivo del estudio fue comparar dos simuladores diferentes desde la perspectiva de los propios alumnos. Métodos Alumnos de la asignatura Patología quirúrgica general, cirugía y anestesiología del tercer curso del grado en Veterinaria de la Universidad de Zaragoza valoraron la eficacia del uso de un simulador DasieTM (en inglés, “Dog Abdominal Surrogate for Instructional Exercises”) en comparación con el simulador empleado hasta este momento (gomespuma sobre soporte plano) en la práctica de suturas básicas. Cada alumno tuvo a su disposición los dos simuladores a comparar y sobre cada uno de ellos practico diferentes puntos y patrones de suturas explicados durante la sesión práctica. Al finalizar la práctica, el alumno completo una encuesta valorando 15 ítems diferentes mediante una escala de 10 puntos (siendo 1 la peor puntuación y 10 la mejor puntuación). Resultados y Discusión Del total de 150 alumnos matriculados en la asignatura, 42 alumnos se ofrecieron voluntarios para para participar en el estudio. Las puntuaciones para cada uno de los elementos valorados (gomaespuma sobre soporte plano y DasieTM, respectivamente) fueron: similitud simulador a la realidad (4.8 y 5.3), adquisición de habilidad en el manejo de instrumental quirúrgico (7.3 y 6.8), correcto manejo del porta-agujas (7.8 y 7.4), técnica de incisión (7.1 y 6.6), técnica de disección (5.7 y 5.5), técnica de ligadura (7.8 y 6.4), puntos simples (7.8 y 7.5), puntos recurrentes (7.7 y 7.2), puntos reinvertidos (7.4 y 6.3), punto oculto (7.1 y 4.0), punto en X (8.0 y 6.1), sutura intradérmica (7.6 y 3.2), sutura en bolsa de tabaco (7.4 y 3.4), sutura continúa (7.9 y 7.5) y finalmente comodidad del estudiante durante el uso del simulador y facilidad de manejo (7.8 y 6.2). Conclusiones A pesar de que el simulador DasieTM puede suponer a priori una mejora para el aprendizaje de destrezas quirúrgicas básicas dado que se encuentra comercializado para dicha finalidad, el resultado de las encuestas a los alumnos no lo refleja. De hecho, todos los aspectos evaluados salvo “similitud del simulador a la realidad”, el simulador DasieTM fue peor puntuado que el simulador gomaespuma sobre soporte plano. En conclusión, desde el punto de vista de los alumnos el simulador DaiseTM, no proporciona una mejora evidente en comparación con el simulador gomaespuma

Serum total and bone alkaline phosphatase levels and their correlation with serum minerals over the lifespan of sheep

This study aimed to assess serum total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and its bone isoform (BALP) levels during the ageing and in different physiologic states of sheep, in order to expand the knowledge about the variation of these biomarkers over the sheep lifespan. Ninety female sheep were divided into nine groups of various ages and physiological states (dry, lactation and pregnancy). Serum ALP, BALP and mineral levels were determined by commercial immunoassay, molecular absorbance spectrophotometry and chemical luminescence for BALP determination. Serum ALP and BALP decreased as sheep aged, and no statistically significant differences were obtained between ewes in different physiologic states. The continuous decline of serum BALP concentration along the sheep lifespan, namely in mature and old sheep, is a sign of decreasing bone turnover associated with ageing. Serum calcium concentrations increased slightly until 2 years of age and then showed a tenuous but statistically significant decrease in mature sheep, while serum phosphorus maintained an uninterrupted decrease as sheep matured. The knowledge of serum values of bone biomarkers throughout the sheep lifespan may be useful in preclinical orthopaedic research studies and for animal science studies using sheep.Cristina P. Sousa acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for her PhD scholarship SFRH/BD/45018/2008