Choose the situation closest to your project
Practical support for the first steps of an evaluation.
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First decide which decisions the evaluation findings will inform, then develop the program logic, evaluation questions, indicators, and data collection plan in sequence.
Decide who will use the evaluation to make which decisions
Use a logic model or theory of change to examine hypotheses about change
Enter questions, indicators, sources, and responsibilities in the evaluation design matrix
See questions, indicators, sources, and responsibilities on one page
Suggested participants: Program lead + practitioner
Methods, guides, and worksheets for each phase of evaluation.
To explain outcomes, first align evaluation questions, the logic model, and indicator design, then connect the report to recommendations and next year’s improvements.
Guide to evaluating nonprofits and grant-funded programs ／ Logic Model ／ Evaluation report
Training evaluation supports improvement when it examines learning, behavior change, implementation fidelity in the workplace, and organizational results separately, as well as satisfaction.
Training evaluation guide ／ Kirkpatrick Four-Level Training Evaluation Model ／ Implementation Fidelity Assessment
Organize policy questions into a learning agenda, distinguishing those that existing data can answer from those requiring further evaluation.
Guide to evaluation methods for EBPM ／ Learning Agenda ／ Natural Experiment
Complex change becomes easier to examine when you map stakeholders and system structures and combine short-cycle rapid evaluation with participatory interpretation.
Participatory Systems Mapping ／ Rapid Evaluation ／ Most Significant Change
First decide who will use the evaluation to make which decisions. Then choose methods separately for mapping the pathway to results, monitoring implementation, analyzing outcomes, and reporting and use.
You need the evaluation purpose, main evaluation questions, a logic model or theory of change, candidate indicators, intended users, data sources, and a schedule. For a small project, a learning agenda and evaluation design matrix can provide a useful starting structure.
An internal team can begin by clarifying the purpose, building a logic model, framing evaluation questions, and designing monitoring. When causal inference, ethics and personal information, or advanced statistical analysis are involved, consider seeking expert advice early.
The suggested sequence is a starting point. Use the corresponding worksheet’s fictional example to check denominators, unresolved matters, and reasons for judgments, then adapt the participants and timing to your project.
Find worksheets with completed examples
