Evaluation

Teleconference- Evaluating Community-based Initiatives
(http://www.aap.org/commpeds/resources/teleconf_eval.htm)
This teleconference provides practical information to community-based programs about program evaluation. The focus of this teleconference is on developing an evaluation plan, writing measurable objectives, and identifying strategies to address evaluation challenges.

How to Evaluate
Child Trends' LINKS Database
(http://www.childtrends.org/_catdisp_page.cfm?LID=ACEF5829-3BE5-405C-B8DDA9BB92511DB7)
The LINKS online database provides easy access to child and youth programs across various domains of child well-being that target children from birth to young adulthood. This user-friendly site offers four ways to search for programs in the LINKS database. Search results provide an overview of the program and target population and a description of the program's evaluation approach and measured outcomes results.

Evaluating Your Community-Based Program Part 1: Designing Your Evaluation (http://www.aap.org/commpeds/htpcp/EvalGuide1.pdf)
This publication is a guide to program evaluation for pediatricians and others implementing community-based health initiatives. This guide provides quick overviews of major issues in program evaluation and will help you learn strategies for setting measurable objectives and identifying realistic outcomes.

Measuring Outcomes for Children and Youth in Out-of-School Time Programs: Moving Beyond Measuring Academics (http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/resources/pdf/ResearchChildTrends.pdf)
This fact sheet designed through Child Trends’ newest initiative, Research-to-Results, is a new resource for designing, expanding, refining, improving, and evaluating out-of-school time programs. This material will help you use research and evaluation to improve programs for youth.

Basic Guide to Outcomes-Based Evaluation for Nonprofit Organizations with Very Limited Resources (http://www.mapnp.org/library/evaluatn/outcomes.htm)
Use this short, simple step-by-step guide if you need a good tool for introducing the concept to others. It does not, however, address process evaluation.

Thinking About How to Evaluate Your Program? These Strategies Will Get You Started (http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=9&n=8)
This longer, but still simple guide includes a discussion of process evaluation. It includes links to tools, checklists, measures and other goodies.

The Community Toolbox (http://ctb.ku.edu/index.jsp)
This site offers a wealth of tools and guides, including samples of different logic model formats and checklists for a high quality evaluation. You can learn an evaluation skill, plan your evaluation, or network with resources.

American Psychological Association: (http://www.apa.org/pi/aids/introprogrameval.html)
This Web site provides tools for the development and evaluation of HIV prevention programs; however, most of the evaluation resources are applicable to a wide range of health promotion and disease prevention topics. The evaluation web links located at this site are organized by topic and include sites that may be useful for novice evaluators, as well as those that may be more relevant for highly experienced evaluators and technical assistance providers. Each web link has a brief annotation that describes the content to help you to decide whether it meets your needs.

Harvard Family Research Project (http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects.html)
The HFRP examines topics related to family involvement in education, evaluation, and continuous improvement, strategy consulting for foundations, and works to increase the professional development base of those who work directly with children and youth. HFRP's research can be placed under two categories of study: family-school-community partnerships and strategy consulting and evaluation. Some of their research projects include, home visitation, early childhood education, after-school programs, and family-school partnerships. The site also features a searchable evaluation database for out-of-school-time projects: (http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool/evaldatabase.html).

Center for Disease Control and Prevention Evaluation Working Group (http://www.cdc.gov/eval/resources.htm#manuals)
CDC Evaluation Working Group provides several resources to promote program evaluation in public health. You will find multiple links that will provide information about evaluation or assistance in conducting an evaluation project.

Evaluating Community-based Child Health Promotion Programs
(http://www.nashp.org/Files/GNL_62_final_for_web.pdf)
This report was developed by the National Academy for State Health Policy in partnership with Nemours Health and Prevention Services. The report provides the practical experience and knowledge of program administrators, evaluators, and researchers regarding what works and what does not work when evaluating community-based initiatives that focus on children’s health promotion and disease prevention. It provides a snapshot of seven projects nationwide that have a community-based component and the lessons learned from their evaluation activities. The report includes a discussion of evaluation design, process and partnerships, outcomes, and dissemination.

Locating Evaluation Tools
This section provides resources for finding previously developed tools, including surveys and questionnaires, that may be useful to you in evaluating your program.

Aspen Measures (http://www.aspenmeasures.org/)
The Measures for Community Research database is a collection of measures used to evaluate outcomes viewed as important by Comprehensive Community Initiatives (CCIs), public policy makers, program funders and experts in relevant research fields. This collection of measures covers eight areas: Community Building, Economic Development, Employment, Education, Housing and Neighborhood Conditions, Neighborhood Safety, Social Services, and Youth Development. The data base includes descriptions of primary data collection instruments, such as survey instruments, interview protocols, and self-assessment guides.

Health and Psychosocial Instruments Database, OVID
To use this database of evaluation instruments, you must access OVID from a medical school library or other institution with a subscription to the database, or subscribe to the service for a fee.

Health and Psychosocial Instruments features material on unpublished information-gathering tools for clinicians that are discussed in journal articles, such as questionnaires, interview schedules, tests, checklists, rating and other scales, and coding schemes. Over two-thirds of the tools are in medical and nursing areas such as pain measurement, quality of life assessment, and drug efficacy evaluation. However, there are also many tools designed to be used in psychology, social work, occupational therapy, and speech and hearing therapy.

Tools for Measuring Acculturation (http://ucalgary.ca/~taras/_private/Culture_Survey_Catalogue.pdf)
This resource is a catalogue of 50 instruments for measuring acculturation. The resource includes measurement categories, survey questions, original citations, reliability data, and scoring information.

Logic Models
Workshop- The Logic Model: Don't Evaluate Without It
(http://www.aap.org/commpeds/resources/teleconf_logicmodel.htm)
This workshop guides Healthy Tomorrows grantees and others implementing community-based health initiatives through logic model development and evaluation planning. The workshop provides two logic model examples to illustrate the concepts introduced in the workshop.

Evaluating Your Community-Based Program Part 1: Designing Your Evaluation (http://www.aap.org/commpeds/htpcp/EvalGuide1.pdf)
The guide is structured in a workbook format. This guide provides an overview of program evaluation for providers implementing community-based initiatives to help you develop a logic model from your program.

University of Florida Extension Service: Using Logic Models for Program Development (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WC041)
This is a short narrative explaining the concept of a logic model without getting into the details of creating one. This is a great handout for staff or board who need more background information before participating in logic model development, but don't need the full guidebook.

WK Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide
(http://www.wkkf.org/Pubs/Tools/Evaluation/Pub3669.pdf)
This guide provides an orientation to the the underlying principles of "logic modeling" so this tool can be effectively used in program planning, implementation, and dissemination of results. This is a critical resource for projects that will do additional grantmaking with major foundations.

The Innovation Network: Logic Model Builder Tool (http://www.innonet.org/?section_id=64&content_id=185)
Innovation Network has developed several free online tools to support capacity building and evaluation for the field. Through Point K you can build your own logic model online with this simple tool. You will need to register to access Point K, but it is free. They also offer an Evaluation Plan Builder tool and an Organization Assessment Tool. This will be helpful to projects who need to see or share their logic model information in a different format, or would like to save it in a place where multiple parties can log in and edit it.

Evaluation Training
American Evaluation Association (http://eval.org/training.asp)
The AEA offer variety of trainings annually, provided throughout the country. Training is available for beginners and more advanced professionals conducting evaluation.

The University of Wisconsin Extension Service (http://www.uwex.edu/ces/lmcourse/)
The University of Wisconsin offers an online course, "Enhancing Program Performance with Logic Models." The course offers seven topics how to use logic models and develop an example with a community nutrition program. Each section includes background information, bibliography and audio supplements to the informational slides you scroll through. An excellent tool for getting comfortable with logic models without having to pay for the course!

Questionnaire Development Technical Assistance
Teleconference- Questionnaire Development
(http://www.aap.org/commpeds/resources/teleconf_questionnaire.htm)
This teleconference assists you in designing a quality questionnaire for your target population. Participants learn about different types of questionnaires, how to develop survey questions, and how to communicate your results.

Survey Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Chicago (http://www.srl.uic.edu/SEMINARS/semnotes.htm)
The Survey Research Laboratory is a division of the University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs that provides survey research services to faculty, staff, and students at the Chicago campus. This link takes you to past and current seminars on survey research methodology offered at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This is a great site for grantees and people who plan to develop a questionnaire for their target population as part of their projects evaluation plan. Check out the following two seminars that may be of particular interest: Introduction to Questionnaire Design and Introduction to Survey Design.

Designing Surveys and Questionnaires Tutorial (http://www.statpac.com/surveys/contents.htm)
StatPac is a recognized and comprehensive survey software tool. In this link, you will find a tutorial that will teach you how to conduct a survey and design a questionnaire. You'll learn the latest survey research techniques...what works and what doesn't. The tutorial is packed with great information.

University of British Columbia: School of Library, Archival and Information Studies
(http://www.slais.ubc.ca/resources/research_methods/question.htm)
The School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS) is an internationally recognized accredited school with innovative programs and exceptional research productivity. SLAIS provides an array of questionnaire resources for students and novice researchers. Take advantage and explore this Web site for excellent sources on designing and carrying out a questionnaire survey.

Hints for Designing Effective Questionnaires (http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=5&n=3)
This link provides a compilation of do's and don'ts for good questionnaire design that will make data analysis easier and faster.

Web Survey Best Practice: Questionnaire Development
(http://www.websurveyor.com/resources/web-survey-best-practice.asp?c=49)
Writing a questionnaire is one of the most critical stages in the survey development process. Online Survey Best Practices offers a collection of best practice articles written and compiled by the their team as your guide to online surveys. Visit this article to learn about the elements of a successful questionnaire.