Grant Guru

Planning an effective evaluation begins when you first develop your proposal. As you identify your needs and develop your program goals and objectives, be thinking of how you would answer the following questions:
What questions will your evaluation answer?
What are the time frames for each evaluation activity?
What kind of data will you collect?
When you will collect your data?
What will you use to collect your data?
Are there any specific instruments you will use in data collection?

The data collection methods that you choose will be summarized and briefly described in the beginning of your evaluation plan. Your evaluation plan will make sense if you find the right fit between your selected methods, the questions you want to answer, and the information needs of those that are providing funding.

There are several kinds of evaluations that could apply to your program. There are internal and external, as well as national evaluations. Internal evaluations are completed by your project personnel. External evaluations are conducted by someone that your organization has hired as a consultant. Occasionally, national evaluations may be conducted by the grant-awarding agency. National evaluations look at a variety of geographic locations where a particular project has been funded. This evaluation focuses on looking at results across similarly funded projects and organizations. Most evaluation plans you will design will combine elements of internal and external evaluation. Some RFPs will require you to hire an external evaluator (for example a college or university). In these cases, you will determine the cost and have line item budget detail to support your need. When not stated how to do so in the RFP, your organization will need to choose who and how your program is evaluated.

Some funders will mandate an evaluation type. In these cases, the cost and evaluator may have already been selected. You simply include the cost as a line item in your budget. This kind of evaluation is common among national projects.

When the evaluation type is not spelled out in the RFP, your organization would normally contract with a faculty member or another educational entity. External evaluations are most often completed by faculty from a nearby college or university. As part of your planning process you would negotiate an agreeable cost to include in your budget.

Very small grants, for example, under $5,000, usually have less exacting evaluation designs. A small classroom is often evaluated with a simple survey of project staff and students involved in the program. Review the guidelines in the RFP carefully to determine what is required.

Educational research is complex and there are many human factors involved in teaching and learning. As tempting as it may be to try comparing groups of students to a particular treatment, ultimately, you will find this to be very difficult. Many external factors make finding equal comparisons groups almost impossible. Additionally you will need to determine if a cause-and-effect relationship takes place. Overall, you may find it easier to collect baseline data and compare with data at future points in time. Think carefully about your baseline data. What kinds of numerical baselines will you use? Do you have a pretest or posttest in mind? Will you be looking for quarterly progress or a one-year follow-up? How will you determine that you implemented your program as planned? Will your evaluator create written reports? Who will the evaluator share the gathered reports with?

Your evaluation plan will be strong if you are able to answer questions important to both the grantor and the grantee. What do you and your organization hope to learn, and what does the granting agent hope to learn? Blending the needs of both will create a strong project.