Spark Evaluation and Learning Few things worth doing can be done quickly and simply. Stakeholders who are tackling complex policy problems know that real change takes time, thought, exploration, and revision. Strategic learning is the key to successful and sustainable changes, as a strategic learning process allows for understanding and responding to ongoing lessons learned through monitoring and evaluation. Evaluation is a critical component of strategic learning, through its process of building an understanding of what works, why, and when. Evaluation can help you learn how to develop effective strategies and improve outcomes. Spark Policy helps communities and organizations develop strategic learning processes by clarifying the change that is desired and helping to build the internal capacity to monitor the change. Spark Policy also helps learning processes through participatory evaluation, including systems, advocacy, policy, and implementation evaluations designed to provide ongoing feedback to those engaged in change. Spark Policy uses a theory of change process, a model that focuses on long-term changes and creating the roadmap to reach them. Through commitment to the change that is desired, instead of a primary focus on static activities, strategic learning can lead to changed activities and improved outcomes. Spark's specialized areas of evaluation include: Advocacy evaluation. Policy evaluation. Systems evaluation. Public will building evaluation. Collaboration and partnership evaluation. Spark's Evaluation Services include: Theory of change processes. Evaluation design and implementation. Capturing and translating best practices and policies. Capacity building for internal evaluation. Technical assistance on using evaluation results. Community-based participatory research and evaluation. Specialized methods, including social and organizational network analysis, community readiness assessments, q-methodology, geographic information systems (GIS), and more! Spark's Strategic Learning Services include: Training on real-time strategic learning; Coaching to develop real-time strategic learning in your organization; Facilitation of learning debriefs.