Evaluation of Place-Based Initiatives
In evaluation, attribution and contribution analysis each have their place. Attribution analysis offers rigour to impact evaluation where there is a funder (or a consortium of funders) who implement (or contract out) the delivery of services. These services may be at a single site, community, state or territory or national level. In this case, there is a causal link between the delivery of the program to the intended audience. Contribution analysis offers rigour to evaluation of place-based initiatives where there are multiple funders (government, philanthropy, not-for-profit, social enterprises and community) who implement (or contract out) the delivery of services. In the situation of place-based initiatives in Australia, it is more likely to be located within a community experience extremely high levels of social disadvantage. Given the complexity...