Evaluation of the Movement to End Violence

Project Highlights

The Move to End Violence

is an initiative of the NoVo Foundation designed to strengthen the collective capacity of the movements to end gender-based violence in the United States.

The program provides

an intensive two-year experience to five cohorts, each consisting of 15-21 movement makers. MEV seeks to grow and expand strong, innovative, and sustainable movements to end violence against all girls and women, including those who are cis and trans and those who are gender non-conforming.

SPR's evaluation documented

the way that MEV supported leadership, helped MEV align its program design and operations with its values, and generated lessons on how to support transformative leadership development and movement building.

“
A central dimension of MEV’s story arc is the role it has played in expanding the base of who is seen as a leader within the movements to end violence, building alliances across movements and sectors, and centering the voices of impacted communities."

Heather Lewis-Charp, SPR Project DirectorReflections on Transformative Movement Building

The design phase for MEV began in 2009 with 350 stakeholder interviews. An advisory committee was formed the next year. SPR joined as the evaluation and learning partner in 2010, working with the advisory committee on the development of a theory of change that would guide the initiative for 10-plus years.

SPR produced baseline and final reports for cohorts 1, 2, 3, and 4. SPR also observed and documented the first cohort’s experience, which included traveling with the group to India for their international convening. SPR attended and documented the final convening for each of the four cohorts.

MEV sunsets in December 2022. The final convening of the initiative will be held in August 2022 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and will include a virtual component for those who cannot attend in person. SPR will produce a paper highlighting key lessons from MEV and a final report documenting the experience and outcomes for cohort 5.