The Federal Evaluation ToolkitBETA

Conducting evaluation requires resources. This Q&A explains how to identify resource needs for an evaluation, describes resources that may be available, and discusses how to engage external experts to build staff capacity.

To create a realistic and appropriate program evaluation budget, it is important to think through key factors that drive evaluation costs. This guide presents five factors to consider, including program features, the evaluation’s goals, who will conduct it, how it will be carried out, and how findings will be shared, and includes a sample template that itemizes key costs to consider at both the team and staff levels. 

Evaluation questions guide the selection of your evaluation method, data collection tools, and data analyses. Use this checklist to convert your information needs into effective and appropriate evaluation questions and to assess their quality.

This slide show describes four steps to develop evaluation questions: create a logic model, define the evaluation purpose and scope, select the evaluation type, and produce evaluation questions. It includes exercises and templates for developing research questions for process, outcome, and impact evaluations.

Use this worksheet to plan, draft, and finalize a strong evidence-building question. Broadly consider how the question relates to the purpose and relevance of the effort, types of evidence, methodology, and resources.

Logic models are effective tools to assist in program planning, implementation, management, evaluation, and reporting. View this presentation to learn the key components of a logic model, how to develop a logic model and use it in the context of evaluation planning.

Use this tool and discussion guide to identify strengths and gaps in your organization’s capacity to conduct research and evaluation, and set priorities to build capacity where needed. It includes self-assessment scales, a checklist, and questions to guide next steps. Check out the overview to learn more about how this resource can help you.

Use this checklist to assess your program’s readiness for a rigorous evaluation to measure impacts. It highlights elements that are needed to evaluate the impacts of a program, and helps the user consider organizational, program, and evaluation readiness. It may also be helpful for evaluation planning and communication.

Initiating an evaluation requires several key decisions. This resource lays out critical questions you have to answer around evaluation purpose and scope, stakeholder relationships, connecting evaluation activities and outcomes, evaluation goals, and evaluation plan and timeline to optimize front-end decision-making, and includes a sample evaluator information worksheet.  

Program evaluations may be executed by agency staff or by an external entity not directly involved with the program (e.g., research organization, university, etc.). This presentation describes the key tasks involved in overseeing an external evaluation: 1) deciding who will manage the external evaluator; 2) defining the evaluation purpose, scope, and timing; 3) setting a budget and obtaining resources; 4) seeking and selecting an external evaluator; 5) establishing a contract or consulting agreement; and 6) managing the evaluator.

Finding an external evaluator who can effectively execute your evaluation takes strategy and careful planning. Use this tip sheet to understand what kinds of experience and expertise to target, how to confirm an evaluator’s background and publications online, and how to assess technical knowledge through reference and conflict of interest checks, reviews of reports, and responses to a statement of work. Check out the overview to learn more about how this resource can help you.