Foundations: Beyond Measurement to Valuing What Matters

At its core, our evaluation framework is built on a simple yet profound insight: evaluation is the practice of valuing energy flows. This perspective transforms evaluation from a static assessment exercise into a dynamic practice of tracking how energy moves, transforms, and creates value, enabling us to catalyze regenerative potential.

To do this, we use two primary lenses to make sense of a system’s complexity and health.

The Lens We Use to See Value: The Multi-Capital Framework

Conventional evaluation often defaults to financial capital. We see a richer tapestry. Our framework recognizes eight interconnected forms of capital that flow through and constitute a living system.

• Social Capital: Relationships, networks, and trust.

• Human Capital: Skills, knowledge, and individual wellbeing.

• Natural Capital: Ecological assets and living systems.

• Cultural Capital: Shared values, traditions, and knowledge systems.

• Intellectual Capital: Innovations, ideas, and shared knowledge.

• Built Capital: Physical infrastructure and technology.

• Political Capital: Influence and agency in governance.

• Economic Capital: Financial resources and assets.

These capitals are not isolated; they are interdependent. Our evaluation tracks how they are generated, exchanged, and converted to build systemic capacity.

The Arenas Where Change Happens: The Five Systemic Spheres

To understand how capital flows create systemic change, we track their effects across five interconnected spheres of collective life.

• The Cultural Sphere: The realm of values, beliefs, and narratives.

• The Social Sphere: The space of relationships and community structure.

• The Economic Sphere: The domain of resource flows and value creation.

• The Political Sphere: The arena of governance and decision-making.

• The Ecological Sphere: The living systems that sustain all life.

By observing how the flow of one capital (e.g., social trust) influences multiple spheres (e.g., enabling new economic models and more inclusive governance), we can identify the true leverage points for regenerative development. Our foundations are inspired by pioneering work in living systems theory, developmental evaluation, and regenerative design.

This approach allows us to see the “connective tissue” of a system, making invisible dynamics visible and providing a shared language for valuing what truly matters.