Evaluation Support Scotland
Evaluation Support Scotland is an Edinburgh charity providing evaluation training, mentoring, tailored support, funded access, resources, and peer networks to Scottish third-sector organizations, funders, trustees, and intermediaries seeking to measure impact.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Evaluation Support Scotland does
Evaluation Support Scotland (ESS) is an independent Scottish charity and private company established in 2005 and based in Edinburgh. It helps charities, voluntary organizations, social enterprises, trustees, funders, and intermediary bodies measure and explain their impact through self-evaluation capacity building rather than by conducting external evaluations. It describes itself as Scotland's only charity dedicated to evaluation support and learning for the third sector.
Core delivery comprises Let's Evaluate!, a three-workshop series; Let's Evaluate! Lite; specialist workshops; one-to-one evaluation mentoring; facilitated tailored support; and thematic programmes. Funder-sponsored Evaluation Support Accounts provide access to selected grantholders, while a free resources library, self-directed online learning, and three peer networks extend the service beyond paid engagements. ESS has no proprietary software stack or platform; disclosed operations use an adapted Salesforce database, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks for invoicing, and Zoom for online workshops.
Revenue combines partial core funding from the Scottish Government with fee income from open-enrollment workshops, commissioned sessions, mentoring, tailored support, and direct funder contracts. Public pricing ranges from £99 to £400 per person for open workshops and from £720 to £2,880 per commissioned workshop, while mentoring packages are priced at £350 or £695. Distribution is primarily direct and event-driven: organizations book or request support through the website, with a diagnostic call for tailored engagements, while intermediaries and funders can commission delivery for groups of 8-16 staff or members.
Evaluation Support Scotland firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Evaluation Support Scotland
- Legal name
- Evaluation Support Scotland
- Website
- https://evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Evaluation Support Scotland is an Edinburgh charity providing evaluation training, mentoring, tailored support, funded access, resources, and peer networks to Scottish third-sector organizations, funders, trustees, and intermediaries seeking to measure impact.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Evaluation Support Scotland is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Evaluation Support Scotland business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Scottish Government Funding: ESS receives partial funding from the Scottish Government as a core operational grant.
- Training Workshops: Fee-for-service training workshops including open enrollment workshops (ranging from £99-£400 per person) and commissioned workshops for organizations (ranging from £720-£2,880 per session). Workshops include Let's Evaluate! programme, topic-specific workshops, and Thrive Training.
- Evaluation Mentoring: One-to-one online mentoring support with two programme options: 3-session programme at £350 and 6-session programme at £695, providing personalized evaluation guidance.
- Tailored Support Services: Custom-built support packages for organizations, teams, or funders, individually priced based on scope and duration. Includes facilitated discussions and practical action planning.
- Evaluation Support Accounts: Contractual arrangements with funders (such as Paul Hamlyn Foundation) where the funder pays for ESS to provide training and/or tailored support to their grantholders.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Per seat | Per event | Let's Evaluate! Individual Workshop - open enrollment |
| Per seat | Per event | Let's Evaluate! Full Programme - open enrollment |
| Unit Pricing | Per event | Let's Evaluate! Workshop - commissioned |
| Per seat | Per event | Let's Evaluate! Lite - open enrollment |
| Unit Pricing | Per event | Let's Evaluate! Lite - commissioned |
| Per seat | Per event | Topic-specific workshops - open enrollment |
| Unit Pricing | Per event | Topic-specific workshops - commissioned |
| Per seat | Per event | Thrive Training programme |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Evaluation Mentoring 3-session programme |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Evaluation Mentoring 6-session programme |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Evaluation Support Scotland product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Evaluation Support Scotland is a Scottish charity that helps third sector organisations, funders, and intermediaries measure and explain their impact. Its core offering is the Let's Evaluate! training programme (a 3-workshop series on outcomes, methods, and reporting), complemented by one-to-one Evaluation Mentoring, Tailored Support Services, and Evaluation Support Accounts funded by partner funders. Services are delivered as fee-for-service workshops and bespoke engagements, supplemented by a free resource library and peer networks.
Product overview
Evaluation Support Scotland is Scotland's only charity dedicated to supporting organisations with evaluation and learning, offering a multi-product service portfolio structured around three delivery channels: workshops, tailored support, and evaluation mentoring. The core offering is the Let's Evaluate! Programme (a 3-workshop training series covering outcomes, methods, and reporting) and its condensed Lite version, supplemented by specialised topic workshops covering policy influence, prevention, and service user involvement. Personalised support is delivered through Evaluation Mentoring (one-to-one practitioner guidance in 3 or 6-session packages) and Tailored Support Services (customised team/organisational interventions). The organisation operates thematic programmes including Thrive (physical activity outcomes, developed with Actify), health inequalities, and intermediary impact initiatives. Evaluation Support Accounts provide funded access through partner funders. A comprehensive free resources library, peer networks (Evaluation Leaders Network, Funder Learning Group, Third Sector Research Forum), and self-directed online learning modules complete the portfolio. The organisation is partially funded by the Scottish Government, with remaining revenue generated from workshop and support programme fees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Let's Evaluate! Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- Builds organisations' evaluation confidence and capacity
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Evaluation Support Scotland
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Evaluation Support Scotland technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Evaluation Support Scotland partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ActifycoreJoint development and delivery of the Thrive Learning Programme. Actify co-developed the certified course with ESS to help practitioners understand how to use physical activity or sport to achieve outcomes. Actify handles payment processing for Thrive Training participants.
- Scotland Funders' ForumcoreESS develops partnerships through the Scotland Funders' Forum and works with most major funders of the Third Sector. Co-produced Harmonising Reporting guidance.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Evaluation Support Scotland competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Evaluation Support Scotland social profiles
Digital presenceEvaluation Support Scotland financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Evaluation Support Scotland leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Evaluation Support Scotland funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Evaluation Support Scotland M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Evaluation Support Scotland
What does Evaluation Support Scotland do?
Evaluation Support Scotland is a Scottish charity that helps third sector organisations, funders, and intermediaries measure and explain their impact. Its core offering is the Let's Evaluate! training programme (a 3-workshop series on outcomes, methods, and reporting), complemented by one-to-one Evaluation Mentoring, Tailored Support Services, and Evaluation Support Accounts funded by partner funders. Services are delivered as fee-for-service workshops and bespoke engagements, supplemented by a free resource library and peer networks.
Is Evaluation Support Scotland a public or private company?
Evaluation Support Scotland is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Evaluation Support Scotland founded?
Evaluation Support Scotland was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Evaluation Support Scotland based?
Evaluation Support Scotland is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Evaluation Support Scotland make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Scottish Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are training Workshops, evaluation Mentoring, tailored Support Services and evaluation Support Accounts.
Does Evaluation Support Scotland have an API?
No public API is recorded for Evaluation Support Scotland.