Kevin Rafter Email & Phone Number

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

San Francisco, California, United States

- Partnering with clients to address a range of strategic evidence needs like developing theories of change and learning agendas, creating frameworks to guide evaluation and learning, facilitation for learning and improvement, reporting progress on community initiatives (internally and publicly), and building a case for support of research and measurement work.

San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco, Ca

- Led multiple interdisciplinary project teams, often simultaneously, on strategic planning engagements to empower mission-driven organizations to use evidence to increase impact for communities. Engaged senior leaders to ensure commitment to recommendations and support for the necessary organizational change. - Designed learning and improvement practices to increase the quality and impact of services. Led team in a start-up environment to codify internal processes, build disciplined habits, and use tools to increase efficiency and scale. - Clients included Boys and Girls Clubs of America, AppleTree, Chess in the Schools - NYC, REDF, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Upstream, Leading Educators, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, CJP Boston, and the Center for Care Innovations.

San Francisco Bay Area

- Developed and executed a communications strategy that elevated the firm’s profile in key markets and practice fields through journal articles, white papers, blog posts and presentations. Led a visual refresh working with leaders across the firm to create a new brand identity that signifies core values of collaboration, engagement, and diversity.- Established company principles for high-quality deliverables that help clients make informed, strategic decisions. Supported research staff across the firm to reach the standards for effective client engagement. - Led project teams in the firm’s philanthropy portfolio focused on establishing program metrics for monitoring progress and refining strategies. Facilitated small and large group convenings with foundation staff and grantees. Clients included the Knight Foundation, Sobrato Family Foundation, and PropelNext.- Served on the company Leadership Team of directors across the firm’s offices and on the internal Strategy Team focusing on positioning, client feedback, and business development efforts.

San Francisco Bay Area

- Directed evaluations and research across the Foundation’s program areas of Youth, California Democracy, and Arts to inform strategy refinement and support internal program learning from findings.- Launched a new internal learning function to help program staff share insights across their diverse grantmaking experiences and build more consistent and strategic practices at the foundation. Planned annual foundation retreats to strengthen organizational culture.- Directed the Fund for Leadership Advancement, a cross-program grant initiative that invested $5M in additional support to leaders of 70 grantee organizations for tailored development activities. Led the cross-program team, managed an external consultant who supported leaders, and directed two evaluations that guided program refinements to the initiative. - Led an annual assessment of progress and achievements across Irvine’s program areas, the Foundation Performance Report, that was delivered to the Board of Directors and fueled the foundation’s public annual report. Annual assessment included internal impact metrics and population-level measures of progress.- Led an annual process of gathering constituent feedback via stakeholder interviews and multiple rounds of the Grantee Perception Report, administered by the Center for Effective Philanthropy; collaborated with program staff to identify priorities for improvement.- Collaborated with the Foundation’s communications team to share information about our grantmaking and evaluations for grantees and the broader social sector through dozens of reports, articles, webinars and conference presentations. - Led an annual assessment of progress and achievements across Irvine’s program areas, the Foundation Performance Report, that was delivered to the Board of Directors and fueled the foundation’s public annual report.

- Developed new revenue sources through proposal writing, contract negotiations, and pitching to potential funders resulting in $445,000 of new project revenue.- Project manager on Silicon Valley Nonprofit Sector report, a longitudinal analysis of the size and economic impact of the sector, released February 2006. Lead the project from conception and funding through publication.- Created a new fee-for-service model for research services under the California Nonprofit Studies Program, targeting clients in nonprofits and philanthropy for customized data analysis.- Organized a national symposium on information technology adoption in nonprofit organizations. Assembled and edited a manuscript based on research articles presented at the event for publication.

Greater New York City Area

Ph.D, Psychology

Ba, Psychology

Activities and Societies: DJ and Music Director at KDVS, 90.3 FM

Education record