The Media Evaluation Project works by creating opportunities for experts from the nonprofit, academic, evaluation, and for-profit communication communities to come together - both through in-person gatherings and the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) - to examine a new field that integrates communication, evaluation, and social change. Research and communication, that is, becomes a venue for evaluators and communicators to advance and integrate their fields. This process involves gathering knowledge about theories of behaviour change - as well as theories, practices, methods, and tools for evaluating communications campaigns in the social marketing, commercial, and political arenas - and documenting findings.

The set of principles and guidelines articulated through this collaborative process has been disseminated in a series of interim papers and a final working paper, which are shared with members of the global public on the CCMC-hosted Media Evaluation Project website. The goal here involves fostering understanding of the research findings, and promoting their use; key foundation representatives and grantees are taking part in this outgoing consultation process.

This research, communication, and consultation process is not envisioned as a static one but, rather, as one that is evolving based on the input and experience of participants. The idea is that evaluation methodologies cannot be defined in the abstract; instead, they must be refined through "on the ground" work by practitioners. Namely, CCMC will engage selected nonprofit organisations and foundations in testing the preliminary principles to evaluate actual communications campaigns. The preliminary principles will be revised based on test outcomes, and then incorporated into a set of evaluation tools. These toolkits will then be shared throughout the nonprofit community. Outreach strategies will centre on written materials and events (such as meetings).

Evaluation.

CCMC originated this project in response to the observation of two key changes in the philanthropic and nonprofit worlds:

1. Foundations are becoming increasingly focused on outcomes and results and are asking their grantees to measure impact.
2. Strategic communication activities - those which draw on tactics and technologies to achieve greater public awareness and social and policy change - are becoming an established component of both foundation and grantee work.

According to CCMC, "The field of evaluating nonprofit communications campaigns is not keeping pace with funder demands or grantee needs. Foundations desire to determine whether their investments are achieving targeted results. Meanwhile, grantees have little information about how to conduct meaningful evaluations of their communications activities."