The Competition & Cases
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Case Archive Past Submissions Rules FAQ Past Finalists
Competition Overview
How does the Case Competition Work?
The case competition follows a well-established two-round structure with a preliminary round and a final round that has guided the event for many years.
In the preliminary round, student teams (see General Rules for team composition requirements) receive a novel Request for Proposals and have 5.5 hours to prepare a written response. Submissions are reviewed by a bilingual panel of experienced evaluators from across Canada.
The top three teams advance to the final round at the Canadian Evaluation Society Annual Conference, where they again prepare a response to a Request for Proposals under a time limit. Finalists may revise their initial proposals to address new information from the sponsoring organisation, or they may receive a new Request for Proposals, depending on the format for that year. Teams then present their results live to a panel of judges. The winning team will be invited to represent Canada in the World Evaluation Case Competition.
Each year, the organising committee identifies opportunities to enhance learning and strengthen the competition experience. As a result, certain elements may be refined from year to year, but the core structure remains consistent. Any updates are communicated to teams well in advance of the competition.
The final round will be held at the Canadian Evaluation Society Annual Conference 2026 in Edmonton, Alberta on May 25, 2026.
A General Reference Guide for Coaches and Participants can be downloaded here.
Preliminary Round
For the preliminary round, each team is required to provide their own work space with an internet connection and any materials they might need (e.g., white board, chart paper, printer) to prepare their submission. Teams can explore any public information that would be accessible by a consulting group (such as websites, articles, etc.).
Explore the general procedure of the preliminary round below, or contact us for more information.
Receiving the Case
When you register your team, you selected a contact person. The day before the competition, the contact person will be sent an email with a team identification number and a website link to the case.
You may start the competition on the Preliminary Round Competition Day at a time of your choosing by accessing the website you received the day before the competition. There is no designated start time. Once this website is accessed on the Preliminary Round Competition Day, your team will have 5.5 hours to complete the case and upload your submission to the same website.
Preparing your Submission
Your completed submission will be uploaded to the same website that you used to access the case. Your submission must be sent as one PDF document (not a zipped file of multiple documents). Submissions should be concise; the judges are looking for quality, not quantity!
Keep your Submission Anonymous
To ensure a fair review process, judges must not be able to identify the institutions or individuals behind any submission. Teams should use only the team name provided at registration and avoid including any information that could reveal their identity, such as personal names, photos, institutional affiliations, or references to specific locations (e.g., cities, provinces, or regions).
If you choose to include elements such as a land acknowledgement, please frame it in a general manner that is appropriate to the case while avoiding details that would indicate your home institution or geographic location.
Criteria for Scoring
The case you receive will provide a detailed breakdown of how the submission will be scored. In general, the judges will evaluate your understanding of the program, the appropriateness and completeness of the logic model and/or evaluation matrix, appropriateness of the evaluation design, data collection and analysis plan, the assessment of challenges and potential solutions and the overall quality of the proposal including writing style and presentation. Teams are usually required to discuss 1-3 relevant evaluation competencies. See sample cases for examples of detailed criteria.
Receiving Feedback on your Submission
The judges may take up to one month to review and rank all submissions. The top three teams will be invited to participate in the final round. All teams, regardless of placement, will receive feedback on their submission.
Final Round
The final round takes place at the Canadian Evaluation Society Annual Conference.
Explore the general procedure of the final round below, or contact us for more information. The Canadian Evaluation Society and the Educational Fund expect to provide conference registration and a year-long CES membership for finalists, with additional travel support determined annually based on fundraising.
The 2026 competition format is currently being finalized. Participants can expect a multi-stage process that includes a written response to a Request for Proposal and a live presentation component, typically completed on a designated day at the conference. Final round instructions, timelines, and submission requirements will be communicated in early spring to the three finalist teams.