What Actually Helps Evaluation Findings Get Used
When evaluation reports go unused, it’s tempting to assume the solution is better dissemination: send the report again, pull a few highlights, add more charts.
But what actually increases use is engagement — creating opportunities for people to make meaning of the findings and understand what they’re being asked to do with them.
There are a few ways organizations successfully do this.
One option is to bring people together for shared sensemaking.
Hosting a team meeting — whether it’s a formal retreat or a working session — creates space for staff to engage with the findings collectively. This might look like a data gallery walk where findings are posted around the room, a data escape room that invites teams to work through implications together, or something much simpler: asking staff to read the report (or a short summary) and come prepared to talk about what stood out.
These conversations often focus on questions like:
What surprised us — and what didn’t?
What feels most important here?
Where do we need to take action?
What does this mean for our next steps?
The goal isn’t to debate the data. It’s to build shared understanding. Another powerful — and often overlooked — option is to widen the circle.
Evaluation findings are frequently treated as program information, but marketing, communications, and development teams bring essential perspectives to impact reporting. When they’re invited into the conversation, different questions emerge:
What stories are embedded in these findings?
What language will resonate with funders or donors?
Who else should hear this information — and how?
When these teams are involved, evaluation stops living in a silo. It starts with informing storytelling, fundraising, and external communications in meaningful ways.
These approaches work — but they’re also moment-based. Meetings end. Conversations fade. Staff turnover. That’s where many organizations still get stuck.
Why an Impact Report Abstract Makes the Difference
An impact report abstract takes the insight generated through conversations and captures it in a form people can return to. It doesn’t replace your evaluation report–it creates an on-ramp to it.
A strong abstract synthesizes the most important findings, explains why they matter, and clarifies what they mean for decisions and next steps. It becomes a tool you can use again and again:
To onboard new staff
To brief board members
To prepare for donor conversations
To support consistent impact reporting across teams
Instead of asking people to reread a dense report, you’re giving them a concise, structured document that answers the questions they’re already asking.
This is often the missing link between having findings and using them.
A Practical Tool to Get You Started
To make this easier, I’ve created a fillable Impact Report Abstract Template designed specifically for nonprofit teams.
The template includes:
Guided prompts (so you’re not staring at a blank page)
An annotated example
Design and formatting tips
A structure that works in Canva or Google Docs
You can use it toward the end of a grant cycle, after analysis is complete, to turn a dense report into something people actually return to.
Download the Impact Report Abstract Template
Use it to translate your evaluation into a clear, compelling impact story.
When a Template Isn’t Enough
Sometimes the challenge isn’t writing — it’s deciding what to elevate, what to leave out, and how to frame findings responsibly.
If you want support:
Identifying the most meaningful findings
Crafting language that works across audiences
Or integrating evaluation into your broader impact reporting strategy
I’d be happy to help.
Schedule a call
Let’s make sure the work you’ve already done is actually working for you.
