Why evaluate:
*report to donors/funders
*giving clients what want
*mission accomplishment
*guides decision-making
*influences programming decisions
*improve delivery mechanisms
*produce data to be used in pubic relations
*provide comparisons between programs (budget cuts)

Challenges for Nonprofit Challenges:
*time
*connecting the big picture
*hard to stay neutral if doing and measuring
*volunteer inclusion
*use of time and/or $ toward something other than program delivery/mission (taking away from real work)
*evaluating programs against the mission
*technical skill of staff
*lack of financial resources
*board of directors
*agency records not updated or existent for review
*data is not valued
tracking clients can be difficult

Strengths:
*meeting unmet needs
*dedication of staff and board and volunteers
*resourceful
*dedication to mission
*programs derive from mission
*passionate people willing to get the job done right
*access to human resources (who may have technical skills needed- other nonprofits, local universities, volunteers, etc)

Evaluation Planning is key!!!

Steps include:
*plan
*develop
*collect
*analyze
*communicate---very important step we forget!
*modify
*do again!

Key Terms:
*Logic Model
*Output
*Outcome
*Impact
*Key Performance Indicator
*Formative Evaluation/Process Evaluation

Questions to Ask Self when determining if program is effective...

*#s of served?

*stories of those?

*economic impact? $ we are bringing to the community and what we are saving/reinvesting in the community

*What impact did our program have that the public should know about?

*For what purpose is evaluation being done?--consider audience (funders, clients, staff, etc...)

*What kinds of info is needed to make the decision you need to make or enlighten your audience?

FYI- ensure that mixed method study TRIANGULATES data!!

*From what sources should the info be collected?
(ex. clients, donors, agencies you partner with, general public, officials, POTENTIAL clients, etc)

ex. Girls Scouts interviewed women who were NOT in Girl Scouts and asked why?

*How can the information be collected in a reasonable fashion (take cost into consideration)?

*When is the information needed?

*What resources are available to collect the information (federal, topical resources that can help guide)?

Resources by Pat Mullen: www.uis.edu/publicadministration/faculty/mullen.html

www.aabpa.org: evaluations for specific topical areas as well as federal guidelines; can see who's getting what grants and what to measure

MAKE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO LATEST LINKS!!!

Academic libraries are available to help you research thru these sites. Also you can access: www.askawayillinois.info/

Evaluation Plan includes....

*outlines the when, where, who and how of the evaluation

*helps determine the type of evaluation

*ID stakeholders

*Determination of indicators

*Determination of how, when, by whom

Check out the examples here:
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resr...apter_6_pmguide.html

Needs Assessments
Questions to Consider Prior

*WHO to inform, influence or persuade?

*WHAT purpose intended to accomplish?

*WHOSE needs are to be assessed?

*WHAT ?s need to be asked? Can you do anything to change the situation?

*HOW will the information be used?

*WHAT ...

TECHNIQUES:
*Existing data approach
*Survey Information
*Key Informant Approach
*Community Forum
*Focus Group Interview

Great Book Resource:

Journeys in Evaluation: A Guidebook on Program Evaluation from IL Center for Violence Evaluation

Taking Stock!

Part 1: ID of Mission

Part 2: Democratic focus on activities & assessment (ex. vote with dots)

Part 3: Planning for the future

Balanced Scorecard:
www.balancedscorecard.org/BSCResources/E...abid/57/Default.aspx

*learning & growth; business process; customer; & financial

*pre-determined categories to strategic focus

*influence of organizational culture

****need authoritative leadership style for this to be effective!

Great outline for developing an evaluation tool.