Like the budget, program evaluation tends to be one of the elements that most intimidates grant writers, but that doesn’t have to be the case. More than ever, there are greater expectations for effectiveness, particularly with funders. We live in a data-driven world, and the expectation today is to show not just how many students you served, but how you impacted them in the short-and long term.

Program evaluation is a tool, a very useful tool that can be a tremendous help when developing a proposal. People who do program evaluations come from many different backgrounds, and aren’t necessarily trained as professional evaluators.

There is a time and place for a complex, more scientific evaluation, but there are times when a simple, straightforward program evaluation can be developed using data and information that is already being collected. It doesn’t necessarily require developing new tools and/or data collection methods. It is important to know the difference, and there are resources a grant writer can use to learn the basics of good program evaluation or turn to when more than just the basics are needed.

Presenters:
Becky Crump, GPC since 2010, has worked more than 25 years in grant development and administration. Currently as Director of Resource Development for Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), Ms. Crump directs the ongoing search for external funding opportunities for JCPS, the 28th largest district in the nation with more than 101,000 students. She also directs the district’s combined employee giving campaign which raises almost $500,000 annually. She also teaches Grant Fundamentals workshop for the University of Louisville and conducts several grant workshops each year in the community.

Dr. Judi Vanderhaar works as a program evaluator in the Data Management, Planning & Program Evaluation Department in Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), Kentucky.    Over the last 10 years, she has developed and conducted program evaluations that span multiple domains in K-12 education for local, state and federally funded grants. Dr. Vanderhaar’s work has been published and presented nationally. Her current evaluation work examines the impact of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on school climate and discipline.

Skill Level:
Early-Career
Mid-Career

Learning Track: 
Evaluation/Collaboration

GPC Competencies:
How to craft, construct, and submit an effective grant application
Strategies for effective program and project design and development