EVALUATION CAPACITY BUILDING – THE FIRST SIX YEARS 

Pre-Award Years 1-3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Program Design 

and 

Implementation

Develop theory of 

change/logic model 

(evidence-informed)

Implement program

Make changes to 

program 

design/implementation 

based on 

process/outcome data

Update logic model as 

program design 

changes

Continue implementation

Build/Refine Data 

Collection Systems

Begin developing data 

collection systems and 

instruments 

Note: Programs 

measuring outcomes 

with a pre/post-test will 

need to administer the 

pre-test at start of Year 

1

Refine data collection 

instruments if needed. 

CNCS recognizes that 

not all programs start 

with adequate 

instruments. The 

timeline for refining 

instruments should 

ensure that the 

program has 

instruments in place to 

collect high quality 

data as early as 

possible and no later 

than start of Year 3.

Build off existing data collection systems for evaluation

Performance 

Measurement

Identify performance 

measures – In addition 

to developing aligned 

measure that meet 

Collect performance 

measurement data and 

consider: Is the 

program being 

Continue collecting and reporting performance data to 

CNCS
EVALUATION CAPACITY BUILDING – THE FIRST SIX YEARS

Pre-Award Years 1-3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

CNCS requirements, 

the program should 

identify whether other 

process/implementation 

measures are needed to 

monitor 

implementation. 

Programs may also 

measure additional 

outcomes that are not 

part of CNCS grant.

implemented as 

planned? Is the 

program seeing the 

expected outcomes? 

Make changes to the 

program based on 

implementation and 

outcome data.

Refine performance 

measures as needed. 

CNCS recognizes that 

some new programs 

will need time to 

refine performance 

measures. Programs 

should have solid 

performance measures 

in place no later than 

the start of Year 3.

Institutionalize the review and assessment of performance 

measures data

Staff Capacity Ensure that program 

staff have adequate 

knowledge of 

performance 

measurement and 

familiarity with CNCS 

requirements

Identify 

staffing/resource needs

Continue to build staff 

capacity and ensure 

that adequate staff 

time is devoted to 

performance 

measurement and 

evaluation planning 

activities

Hire external 

evaluator if 

needed/required

Ensure that 

staffing is 

adequate to 

maintain ongoing 

performance 

measurement and 

Continue managing internal or 

external evaluation process
EVALUATION CAPACITY BUILDING – THE FIRST SIX YEARS

Pre-Award Years 1-3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Search for and 

develop relationships 

with potential external 

evaluators, or train 

staff to conduct 

internal evaluations

evaluation 

activities and 

manage 

evaluation

Evaluation 

Planning

Conduct evaluability 

assessment

Large grantees should 

consider conducting 

some evaluation 

activity (process 

and/or outcome 

evaluation) in first 

three years although 

this is not required.

For example, the 

program could 

develop a long term 

research agenda or 

research strategic 

plan.

Develop evaluation 

plan in Year 3. Small 

grantee research 

questions should be 

the natural extension 

of what is being 

Finalize 

evaluation plan

Collect data Analyze data and 

complete evaluation 

report
EVALUATION CAPACITY BUILDING – THE FIRST SIX YEARS

Pre-Award Years 1-3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

learned from 

implementation and 

outcome data 

collection in the first 

three years. All large 

grantees will need to 

plan to conduct a QED 

or RCT or request an 

Alternative Evaluation 

Approach.

For new subgrantees and formula subgrantees, focus on progressing according to this timeline. (Timeline may be stretched for

formula grantees and adjusted according to commission evaluation requirements.) For competitive subgrantees who are behind, the 

focus should be on covering lost ground as efficiently as possible. It is extremely difficult to conduct an evaluation if the subgrantee 

does not have a solid foundation after the first three years.