Program evaluation is a component of program design and implementation that is often considered after the program is in place and serving a population. Designing a program with measurable goals in mind creates stronger programming, gives grant proposals a competitive edge, and provides an agency with useful feedback to help achieve its mission. Most importantly, program evaluation allows for program tweaking to deliver the best service possible to the client.

1. If You Evaluate It, They Will Fund:
Program Evaluation Essentials
Cecilia Harry
Special Thanks To Our Sponsors

2. Helping ordinary people raise extraordinary amounts for nonprofits is all we do, and we love it.
A Proud Sponsor of NonprofitWebinars.com

3. Today’s Speaker
Cecilia Harry
Economic Development Coordinator,
Leavenworth County Development Corporation
Hosting: Assisting with chat questions:
Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership April Hunt, Nonprofit Webinars

4. If You Evaluate It,
They Will Fund
Program Evaluation Essentials
Cecilia Zappa Harry, MSW

5. Key Points
• Program evaluation is a necessary step in
program development to ensure quality
programing and to maximize funding
opportunities.
• There are hidden benefits to incorporating
program evaluation into your program, and
can help you evaluate much more than just
the outcomes of your program.

6. What you will learn
• Why program evaluation is worth the effort
• What makes a strong program
• How to use a logic model
• Types of evaluations techniques

7. What you will NOT learn
• What makes your program strong or less
strong
• What evaluation techniques are best for your
programming
• How to conduct different evaluation
techniques

8. Why Include Program
Evaluation?
• Stronger programming
• Better grant proposals
– More funding opportunities
• More feedback for even stronger programming
• Even more funding opportunities

9. Other Reasons for Program
Evaluation
• Required
• Efficacy of new interventions
• Accountability

10. What Makes a Strong
Program?

11. What Makes a Strong Program?
• Evidence-based foundation
• Adequate staffing
• Appropriate budget
• Stable funding
• Clear service philosophy - identity
• Ongoing or finite presence
• Conceptual/theoretical foundation
• Empirical evaluation of services

12. The Logic Model
Resources
Client
Outcomes
Inputs
Outputs Activities

13. The Logic Model
Impact/Long-
Short-Term
Resources Activities Outputs Term Outcomes
Outcomes
(Goals Revisited)
What is needed to What needs to be What What changes do What changes do
accomplish the done to accomplish events/products we expect to see in we expect to
activities? objective(s)? can we record or the short-term? eventually see in
count to monitor the long-term?
our activities?
• Staff • Classes • Attendance • Increased • Longer-term
• Materials • Counseling • Surveys knowledge demonstrations
• Client • Programming • Level of • Changed of short-term
population interaction patterns of outcomes
• Occurrences of behavior • Will look
improved • Self-reports similar to
activity goals/
objectives

14. DISCLAIMER
• The logic model IS NOT a form of evaluation
• The logic model IS a framework to help shape
programming and ensure evaluation is
considered
– Spells out assumptions
– “If ______, then _____.”

15. Limitations
• Representation, not reality
• Focus is on expectations
• Cause/effect relationship uncertain
• Won’t know if it’s successful until you try

16. The Logic Model
Impact/Long-
Short-Term
Resources Activities Outputs Term Outcomes
E Outcomes E(Goals Revisited)
What is needed to What needs to be What V What changes to VWhat changes do
accomplish the done to accomplish events/products we expect to see in we expect to
activities? objective(s)? can we record or A the short-term? Aeventually see in
count to monitor L Lthe long-term?
our activities?
U U
• Staff • Classes • Attendance • Increased • Longer-term
• Materials • Counseling • Surveys A knowledge A demonstrations
Client Programming • Level of Changed of short-term
•
population
•
interaction T• patterns of T outcomes
• Occurrences of I behavior I• Will look
improved • Self-reports similar to
activity O O goals/
objectives
N N

17. Evaluation Types
• Needs assessment
• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Mixed methods (Qualitative & Quantitative)
• Formative/process evaluation
• Client satisfaction
• Cost-effectiveness/analysis

18. Ethical Considerations
• Participants must be volunteers
• Disclosure of risks/discomforts to participants
• Do no harm
• Protection of sensitive information
Vulnerable Populations
• Children
• Mental Capacity Considerations
• Prisoners

19. Again, Why Program
Evaluation?
• Funding applications
• Ongoing evaluation
• Funding reports
• Membership fundraising
• New funding opportunities
• Board reports
• Mission drift prevention & strategic planning
• Multiple goals with multiple objectives
• Who is the client? You decide!

20. Resources
• Program Evaluation: An Introduction by Royse,
Thyer & Padget, 5th Edition, 2010
• University of Wisconsin Extension
– http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/evallogicmodel.html
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model
Development Guide
– http://www.wkkf.org/knowledge-center/resources/2006/02/WK-
Kellogg-Foundation-Logic-Model-Development-Guide.aspx

21. Questions? Comments?
• Webinar feedback
• Cecilia Zappa Harry, MSW
– charry@lvcountyed.org
– http://about.me/ceciliaharry
– Twitter: @cecilia_harry

22. Find the listings for our current season of webinars
and register at
NonprofitWebinars.com
Chris Dumas
Chris@NonprofitWebinars.com
707-812-1234
Special Thanks To Our Sponsors