Session Abstract: This paper demonstrates how activists on the ground and their funding partners can both benefit from an evaluation process by describing an evaluative base-line study on advancing sexual orientation and gender identity work in Kenya. Several donors worked collaboratively with a range of grantees to conceptualize and implement the project. The experience highlights the challenge of developing an effective process with poorly resourced organizations with limited capacity, and examines the ethical questions this raises about what proportion of donor funds should be spent on evaluation as opposed to grantmaking. It reinforces the need for social justice organizations to give priority to collective reflection and evaluation, as a way of improving collective strategic thinking, and the importance of donors funding this kind of work. Wanja Muguongo is the Executive Director of UHAI and coordinated the process of development and debate of the base-line and is monitoring its ongoing impact.#ProgramTheoryandTheoryDrivenEvaluation #TheoriesofEvaluation #Lesbian,Gay,BisexualandTransgenderIssues #2012Conference #HowTo #DiversityandInclusion #Instruments #AdvocacyandPolicyChange #NeedsAssessment