Coalitions have key roles in helping their communities accomplish the following: (1) Track the level of literacy in the community; (2) Use that information to help identify what, and how much, literacy assistance is needed; (3) Assess the extent to which community literacy programs are meeting the need, including how well existing literacy…

In 1996, United Way of America (UWA) developed and began disseminating the most widely used approach to program outcome measurement in the nonprofit sector. Today an estimated 450 local United Ways encourage approximately 19,000 local agencies they fund to measure outcomes. The authors first describe and then assess the strengths and limitations…

Community-based organizations (CBOs), typically small and underfunded with transient staff members, are told by funders to care for clients and verify program value. To assist CBOs with evaluations that speak to program effectiveness, many funders wish to expand the evaluation capacity of CBO staff members so that evaluation will occur as long as…

A task force was set up to develop a system of evaluating community-based, nonprofit organizations that were members of the Rockford, Illinois, United Way. The task force experimented with participatory evaluation, which resulted in an action plan for the groups. (JOW)

The Exploratorium is home to XTech, a science education program which began in 2006 and was primarily funded by a three-year National Science Foundation grant (Award # 05-25217) through its ITEST (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) initiative. XTech provided project-based afterschool activities in science, engineering,…

This report presents the findings and conclusions from the first phase of a two-phase study of education and work councils (community organizations of business leaders, school officials, and representatives of other institutions, formed to ease the transition of youths from school to work). The report describes the education and work councils…

Increasingly, government, foundations, and others are asking community-based organizations for more evaluation information. Although the demand for this information may be increasing, the field knows very little about the way organizations are responding to this demand. Using data collected from interviews and a mail survey of community-based…

Conversations continue as to whether and how community-based learning and research (CBLR) can be most effectively integrated into the mission and practice of institutions of higher education (IHEs). In 2005, eight District of Columbia- (DC-) area universities affiliated with the Community Research and Learning (CoRAL) Network engaged in a planning…

Community organizing for school reform is a growing national phenomenon, as young people, parents, neighborhood residents, and faith-based institutions struggle to improve the quality and equity of public schooling, particularly in urban school districts. Now a decade old, community organizing projects are influencing local public schools in…

Guidelines are presented that can help Parent Teacher Associations, schools, and parents assess the ability of community agencies and programs to serve the needs of children, families, and the community. Topics include staffing, licensing and accreditation, insurance, resources, program evaluation, networking, ethical and professional standards,…

Details the design and implementation of a rolling review process for community-based adult literacy programs. Describes four steps: documentation to become "review ready," collection of feedback from participants and key informants, site visit by reviewers, and use of the evaluation report as a planning tool. (SK)

The method of evaluation involves measurement of program objectives and subobjectives in order to ascertain program effectiveness. Evaluation provided useful information with regard to the agencies using the service, the flow of patients through the program, and the subsequent flow, through a hospital outpatient clinic, of a majority of patients…

A Program Review Unit was established at the Philadelphia Area Agency on Aging and an evaluation model was developed during the first year of operation. The single most important attribute for a successful program review activity is the availability of measurable program goal statements. (Author)

Issues involved in empowering evaluation conducted with grass-roots organizations are discussed. One major issue centers on conflicting evaluation standards evaluators and stakeholders may have, and another is whether there is harmony between the empowerment model's goals of evaluation ownership and group advocacy. (SLD)

Studied learning culture and outcomes measurement in 25 community agencies serving children and youth. Findings indicate that although there is an awareness of the importance of outcomes evaluation, most agencies lack the resources for its systematic implementation. (SLD)