Logoi: Horizon Research, Inc.

A Practical Guide to Evaluating Your Own Programs

This manual is written for community-based organizations and provides a practical guide to program evaluation. It focuses on internal evaluation conducted by program staff, which will be useful for States planning on conducting their SSIP evaluation internally. The manual provides a nice overview of the evaluation process and includes the basic steps of planning for and conducting internal program evaluation, including practical strategies for identifying quantitative and qualitative data.

Most Relevant Sections:

Phase II: Planning and Infrastructure

  • Pages 15-19: What Are You Trying to Do? Defining Goals and Objectives (Chapter 4)
  • Page 25: Evaluation Planning Chart
  • Page 47: Chart showing link between program objectives and evaluation questions
  • Pages 61-62: Example roadmap for evaluation design

Phase III: Data Collection and Reporting

  • Pages 27-37: Finding the Evidence: Strategies for Data Collection (Chapter 6)
  • Appendices: Example evaluation reports

Published by: Horizon Research, Inc.

Taking Stock: A Practical Guide to Evaluating Your Own Programs