How Evaluation Supports Program Design and Implementation

As nonprofit leaders, we continuously design or modify programs to better serve our clients. The question becomes: “How do we design programs so they meet the direct needs of our clients?”

The answer to this lies in the program design, implementation, and evaluation cycle. This cycle begins with conducting a “needs assessment.” Based on the “needs assessment,” the program can be designed, and funding can be secured. Once funding is received, program implementation can begin. Finally, at regular intervals, program evaluations occur.

The “needs assessment” is the foundation of this whole process. A “needs assessment” engages potential clients to hear their biggest challenges and potential solutions directly from them. The key to this phase of the cycle is engaging the community. So often, nonprofit organizations skip this step because they think or assume they know the community's needs. The community tends to know what they need – they just need to be empowered to ask for it.

Let’s simplify the example of housing. A nonprofit organization can assume that if there is a housing crisis, people need housing – so they design a program that builds houses. However, after building homes, the organization finds no one buys them. Why?

When asking the community what they need, they say their biggest need is employment to afford housing. Building new houses won’t solve the problem because families do not earn enough to buy a home. However, a program offering employment training services may lead to families having the ability to stabilize their housing situation. This example helps demonstrate that the community is the expert in knowing what they need. So, just ask!

Now that you know what the community needs, it is time to design the program. Since the community knows what they need, create an advisory board of community members to guide the program design, clarify issues that may arise, and build buy-in from the community. Ensure you draft a program design – often in the form of a Theory of Change or Logic Model (more to come on that in March!)

Your advisory board and you have designed a program that could work for your community. Now what?!

Securing funding is a critical component of the cycle. As nonprofit leaders, you fully grasp the importance of funding. It is more difficult to secure funding for a new pilot program than for an established program with results. There are several grant-makers, however, that will support pilot programs. Often, smaller, family-owned foundations will support pilot programs if they are passionate about the program's goal. Another funding avenue is “major gifts” fundraising. Individual philanthropists may feel passionate about your program and will donate substantial financial capital to support it. You may have to apply for multiple grants or seek donations from multiple philanthropists to secure enough funding to implement your program. This is where your program design (your Theory of Change or Logic Model) will come in handy. Grants (and philanthropists, to an extent) want to see that you’ve thought about what your program will do and how it will do it. Use your Theory of Change or Logic Model to work for you.

Finally, a major donor who is particularly passionate about your new program has come forward. Now is the time to implement the program. Implementing programs is what we do every day – we know we need to hire staff, recruit clients, and begin performing services.

After conducting services for a year, you are interested in determining if your program is working. Now is the time to conduct an impact evaluation (more to come in April!) It is best practice to evaluate the program annually to determine if modifications must be made. Additionally, having results is a plus when it comes time to apply for more grants or seek more donations! You can conduct the evaluation internally, using these blogs to offer support and guidance, or hire an external evaluator with expertise in conducting needs assessments and evaluations. Tips and tricks on working with an external evaluator will come in June!

In summary, evaluation is critical to the program design and implementation cycle. It ensures you are designing programs that truly meet the complex needs of the communities you serve; it allows you to see your impact, and, of course, it helps you secure additional funding. Use this blog series over the course of this year to develop your evaluation program! Reach out to me at Jodie@ChangeAmplifiers.Com for questions about all things evaluation!