AmeriCorps State and National 2018 Evidence Checklist 

Evidence Providedi Submit Studiesii Evidence Tier

Note: Applicants must 1) state the evidence tier in which they think they qualify; 

2) clearly indicate and describe the evidence that supports the highest evidence tier for 

which they are eligible and 3) describe the complete body of evidence that supports 

their program intervention including evidence from lower tiers. Applicants should pay 

particular attention to the requirements for each tier of evidence. All requirements must 

be met in order for applicants to be assigned to a tier. Applicants who do not fully 

describe their evidence base may not be assigned to a tier for which they qualify.

Applicant has not systematically collected any qualitative or quantitative data on their 

program or intervention.

No No Evidence

Applicant is evidence informediii but has not systematically collected any qualitative or 

quantitative data on their program or intervention.

No No Evidence

The applicant has collected systematic and accurate data from their own program or 

intervention to test or track one or more of the following components of its logic model:

 Community need

 Activities and services delivered (outputs)

 Participation in the intervention by the target population (outputs)

 Participant outcomes, including performance measurement data

All of the following are true:

 The data collection process and results are described fully

 The applicant explains the link between data collection and the relevant 

component(s) of its logic model

No Pre-Preliminary
AmeriCorps State and National 2018 Evidence Checklist 

The applicant has conducted a process evaluation of their own program assessing 

implementation of one or more interventions depicted in the logic model. 

All of the following are true: 

 The data collection process and results are described fully

 The applicant explains the link between data collection and the relevant component(s) 

of its logic model

No Pre-Preliminary

The applicant has conducted at least one outcome study of its own intervention. The 

outcome study has one of the following designs:

 Pre and post-test without a comparison group

 Post-test only with a comparison group

 Retrospective pre-post test if use is justified

All of the following are true:

 The outcome study includes data beyond that which is collected as part of routine 

performance measurement

 The applicant provides a detailed description of the outcome study data

 The description explains whether the outcome study was conducted by the 

applicant organization or by an entity external to the applicant

 The outcome study yielded promising results for the proposed intervention

No Preliminary 

(Outcome Study)
AmeriCorps State and National 2018 Evidence Checklist 

The applicant is proposing to replicateiv an evidence-based program with fidelity. All of 

the following are true:

 Applicant submits at least one randomized control study (RCT) or quasiexperimental evaluation (QED) of the intervention the applicant will replicate

 The evaluation found positive results for the intervention the applicant will 

replicate

 The evaluation was conducted by an entity external to the organization whose 

program was studied

 Applicant describes how the intervention studied and the applicant’s approach 

are the same

 Applicant describes how the applicant will replicate the intervention with 

fidelity to the program model

The following may be true but is not required:

 The applicant has described a process evaluation demonstrating how it is 

currently replicating the intervention with fidelity to the program model

The following is true if the applicant is part of a multi-site program (for example, a 

national program operating in multiple states) that has conducted an evaluation that 

qualifies them for the moderate or strong evidence tier, but the evaluation did not 

include the applicant’s proposed sites:

 The applicant describes how they are replicating the evidence-based program 

with fidelity at all of the sites included in the application.

Yes Preliminary 

(Replication)
AmeriCorps State and National 2018 Evidence Checklist 

The applicant has conducted at least one quasi-experimental study (QED) or 

randomized control trial (RCT) of its own program. All of the following are true:

 The studies are well-designed and well-implemented

 The studies evaluate the same intervention described in the application

 The studies demonstrate evidence of effectiveness (positive findings) on one or 

more key desired outcomes of interest depicted in the applicant’s logic model

 The studies were conducted by an independent entity external to the applicant 

organization

 The ability to generalize the findings from the RCT or QED beyond the study 

context may be limited (e.g., single-site)

Yes Moderate

The applicant has conducted at least one quasi-experimental study (QED) or 

randomized control trial (RCT) of its own program. All of the following are true:

 The studies are well-designed and well-implemented

 The studies evaluate the same intervention described in the application

 The studies were conducted by an independent entity external to the applicant 

organization

 The overall pattern of study findings is consistently positive on the key 

outcomes depicted in the applicant’s logic model

 Findings may be generalized beyond the study context

At least one of the following is true:

 The intervention has been tested nationally, regionally, or at the state level (e.g., 

multi-site)

 The applicant has conducted multiple QEDs or RCTs in different locations or 

with different populations within a local geographic area

Yes Strong
AmeriCorps State and National 2018 Evidence Checklist 

i All requirements must be met in order for applicants to be assigned to a tier. Applicants who do not fully describe their evidence base may not be assigned to a 

tier for which they qualify.

ii When submission of studies is permitted, applicants may submit up to two evaluation reports. CNCS grantees recompeting for at least the second time are 

required to submit an evaluation report. For these grantees, the CNCS-required evaluation report may count toward one of the two studies or may be submitted 

in addition to them. In the latter case, all three studies will be considered against the review criteria. Studies submitted beyond the allowable number will not be 

reviewed.

iii An evidence-informed program uses the best available knowledge, research, and evaluation to guide program design and implementation, but does not have 

scientific research or rigorous evaluation of the program itself and is not replicating an evidence-based program

iv Replicate means that the key elements of the applicant’s intervention are implemented as the evidence-based program model describes (e.g., in terms of content 

or curriculum, delivery process, and target population), and the applicant’s adaptations are relatively minor. For example, an applicant implementing an 

intervention using certified teachers to administer the curriculum would not be considered replicating that program with fidelity if it replaces teachers with 

AmeriCorps members who are not certified teachers because the documented success of the intervention relied on the specialization of certified teachers.