Organizational Learning Through Evaluation: A Reflective Case Narrative of a Canadian Sport-for-Development Program Evaluation Champion

Program evaluation is critical in ensuring the effectiveness of both sport programs and organizations. Despite its importance, many sport organizations lack sufficient knowledge and resources (e.g., funding) to carry out evaluation, reflecting a broader trend referred to as low capacity for evaluation. To address evaluation capacity gaps, organizations can connect with and learn from “evaluation champions” within their respective sectors. Evaluation champions are individuals or organizations that actively promote and exemplify best evaluation practices, provide training and support, and mentor peers in program evaluation. However, little research profiles evaluation champions in sport, limiting sport knowledge users’ accessibility to potential knowledge exchange and collaboration opportunities to enhance evaluation capacity. Therefore, this reflective case narrative describes an evaluation champion in the sport sector with a specific emphasis on the impact of its evaluation practices, priorities, and approaches. Recommendations and lessons learned from the organization are shared to provide insight to other sport organizations that engage in evaluation. Findings add to the ongoing work in Canada to support sport organizations in increasing their capacities for effective program evaluation. • Sport organizations can benefit from evaluation champions for knowledge and resource exchange. • Collaborative team approaches can build evaluation capacity in the sport sector. • Youth-engaged, arts-based methods boost accessible evaluation findings by sport organizations.