Supports Primary Community Tool BoxSupports for this Process: Overview and Evidence Base Toolkit: Evaluating the Initiative Troubleshooting Guide: We don’t know how to evaluate our program or initiative. Introduction to Evaluation Using Evaluation to Understand and Improve the Initiative 1. Identify key stakeholders, their questions of interest, and other reporting needs (if applicable) for the documentation and feedback system. Key stakeholders of the organization were involved in designing or adapting the documentation system for the initiative. The group has identified the types of data and information that are important to key stakeholders and other audiences. The group has identified the primary purposes, functions, and uses of data that is documented for the initiative. The group has developed a key set of evaluation questions that are important to stakeholders and other important audiences. Core Supports: Understanding Community Leadership, Evaluators, and Funders: What are Their Interests? A Framework for Program Evaluation: A Gateway to Tools Participatory Evaluation Participatory Approaches to Planning Community Interventions Choosing Evaluators Developing an Evaluation Plan Choosing Questions and Planning the Evaluation 2. Identify the measures to be used in the documentation and feedback system. The group collects process measures. The group documents the activities (implementation of the intervention) or efforts of the initiative in addressing the issue. The group collects longer-term or outcomes measures. The group has identified the data sources and assured access to various types of measures to be collected by the initiative. The types of data that are collected and documented are consistent with the measures indicated in the logic model or strategic plan. The group has a protocol established for collecting and documenting data that specifies all of the following: The types of data to be collected; who is responsible for documenting data; how often data will be collected. Core Supports: Our Evaluation Model: Evaluating Comprehensive Community Initiatives Developing a Logic Model or Theory of Change A Framework for Program Evaluation: A Gateway to Tools Gathering Information: Monitoring Your Progress Gathering and Using Community-Level Indicators Developing Baseline Measures of Behavior Behavioral Surveys 3. Document or collect the data using systematic methods. The group has an established process for regularly assessing the reliability and the validity of the data that is collected and documented by the initiative. Core Supports: Community-based Participatory Research Gathering Information: Monitoring Your Progress Gathering and Using Community-Level Indicators 4. Analyze, communicate, and use the data to make improvements in the initiative. The group, including both the staff and board members, regularly reviews and provides feedback on data that is documented by the initiative to assure the accuracy and completeness of the data. The group, including both the staff and board members, regularly reviews the evaluation questions and documented data to assess progress. The group regularly analyzes (make sense of data) to help make adjustments and improvements to the initiative. The group reviews and uses data that is documented by the initiative as a tool for celebrating accomplishments and acknowledging individuals for their contributions to the initiative. Core Supports: Overview of Developing and Improving Community Services Providing Feedback to Improve the Initiative Communicating Information to Funders for Support and Accountability Promoting Internal Communication Establishing Formal Communications and Requesting Participation
