In today's world, much of what used to be individual work has become collaborative. Moreover, complex change initiatives often require individuals within and across organizations to team up to set and achieve meaningful goals. The role of researchers and evaluators is to offer support that can be used to strengthen the work of organizations and interdisciplinary teams. When infused into the culture and activities of a collaboration, evaluative thinking propels individuals forward in the same direction. This article focuses on four broad categories that can increase the likelihood of successful collaboration: (1) identifying existing evidence in the field that can be used to inform the quality of a project; (2) gathering information from stakeholders to identify key needs in the field; (3) conducting formative and summative evaluation for programs and initiatives; and (4) offering technical assistance support regarding how to use data. These lessons illustrate how transparency in planning activities, naming assumptions behind their effectiveness, and monitoring outcomes can assist collaborative teams in the development and implementation of activities.