At The Ian Potter Foundation, we recognise the value of evaluation. Consequently, we also receive many requests from applicants and grantees about sourcing high-quality evaluators.  Therefore, we have created The Ian Potter Foundation Evaluation Panel (TIPFEP) that identifies high-quality evaluators that we can recommend to grantees seeking external evaluation.

This document is organised by program area and is shared with grantees (prospective, past and current) and other foundations in an effort to improve the quality of evaluations conducted for philanthropically funded projects.

For grant applicants wishing to include evaluation costs in their budget, we recommend requesting an estimate from several evaluators based on a brief that states:

• the type of evaluation you require
• the data you have available 
• your preferred timeline.

We have provided an example evaluation brief and request for quotation template to help organisations engage an experienced evaluator.

Grantees are not required to select an evaluator from the TIPFEP list. In providing this document, the Foundation does not endorse or guarantee the quality of the listed evaluators' work. 

The selection of evaluators is predominantly based on submissions via an open call on the Australian Evaluation Society website, plus some submissions received by the Foundation on behalf of our existing grantee organisations.  

The most outstanding submissions are added to the current panel. Selected candidates have submitted a work sample to the Foundation showing strong outcomes measurement, experience with the government sector and a willingness to build their clients’ capacity. The vast majority also had excellent financial analysis abilities and evidence of a diverse team; this is noted where this is not the case.

If you are already on TIPFEP, you will receive a proforma email enquiring about your interest in re-applying when Expressions of Interest open each year.

As the quality of applications improves from year to year, prior applications will be re-assessed against the current submissions. Current TIPFEP evaluators will remain on the list as long as their contracted work is of outstanding quality. 

Limited feedback may be provided upon request, and evaluators whose work is not chosen in a given year are welcome to re-apply with new material in subsequent years.

How to submit

We will announce when Expressions of Interest for inclusion on TIPFEP open next via our social channels and the Australian Evaluation Society website.