Context matters: real-world and utilization-focused evaluation strategies to support change and improvement in child welfare

This article examines the importance of context in evaluative inquiry. Following guidelines from real-world and utilization-focused evaluation frameworks, four projects are described to illustrate one foundation's pragmatic approach to evaluation that values collaboration, methodological appropriateness, and utilization. The authors contend that such an approach helps to ensure meaningful and actionable results in child welfare because it is responsive to local agency information and capacity needs while simultaneously contributing to the knowledge base of the field.