Evaluation for the Unevaluated:
Program Evaluation 101

Module 4: Preparing for Your Evaluation - Page 3 of 13

Where To Find Outside Help With Your Evaluation

Jack's town was too small for the Yellow Pages to have a section for "Evaluators." However, in larger cities, the Yellow Pages have a category called "Management Consulting" that might yield some useful information. A Web search for researchers who've published in the prevention field could also give you a starting place.

Jack took one look at the zoo of names on the Web, opened up his e-mail, and pecked out a quick note to a friend who'd worked with evaluators before.

From: JackDogood@coolafterschool.org
To: JaneLuvzkidz@abcyouthcenter.org
Date: Shortly before the grant proposal is due
Subject: Where to find evaluators?

Dear Jane:

I'm applying for a grant from the City of Springfield to do an after school program for latchkey kids. We have to say how we're going to evaluate the program. There's no way we can do it ourselves and I have no idea where to find an evaluator. Can you help me find an evaluator in Springfield or someplace nearby?

From: JaneLuvzkidz@abcyouthcenter.org
To: JackDogood@coolafterschool.org
Date: Later that day
Subject: Where to find evaluators?

Dear Jack:

First, try your local university. The Psychology Department or Sociology Department should be able to help you. You may be able to pay for supervisory time for a professor to help you finalize your evaluation plan and then pay graduate students and interns to do your leg work. They could collect and analyze data. It's great real world experience for them and cheap labor for you.

You can also contact the American Evaluation Association or visit their Web site at www.eval.org. Also, I heard that CSAP is putting an evaluator registry on their Prevention Pathways Web site.

Good luck!

Excellent! Jack felt like he had this one nearly nailed!

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