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Program Description

Parent Possible is a Colorado-based organization that equips parents with 

the tools they need for success in their children’s education and lives. Parent 

Possible has administered Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool 

Youngsters (HIPPY) since 1989. HIPPY is a home visitation program model 

with a curriculum to promote children’s development prior to kindergarten. 

In Parent Possible’s implementation of HIPPY, AmeriCorps members work 

with parents’ one-on-one with weekly visits. At home visits, parents roleplay 

the activities from the curriculum, which foster the development of early 

literacy, social/emotional skills, and other cognitive and physical skills in their 

children. 

Return on Investment Analysis

To better understand the impact of the program in relation to costs, 

AmeriCorps commissioned a return on investment (ROI) analysis by ICF, an 

independent research firm. ROI analyses of national service programs 

estimate the monetary value of benefits that a program generates per dollar 

invested.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency 

for national service and 

volunteerism, provides 

opportunities for Americans to 

serve their country domestically, 

address the nation's most pressing 

challenges, improve lives and 

communities, and strengthen civic 

engagement. Each year, the 

agency places more than 200,000 

AmeriCorps members and 

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in 

intensive service roles; and 

empowers millions more to serve 

as long-term, short-term, or onetime volunteers. Learn more at 

AmeriCorps.gov. 

RESEARCH BRIEF − ROI PROJECT

Colorado Home Instruction for Parent of Preschool 

Youngsters (HIPPY) Program

AmeriCorps.gov 
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The ROI analysis of total benefits per funder dollar estimated the HIPPY program’s ROI to be between $0.12

and $6.77, depending on how long AmeriCorps members experience increased earnings as a result of the 

program. Total benefits per federal dollar are higher, between $0.21 and $12.32. 

Overview of Benefits and Costs

To calculate the ROI, the program benefits were identified, quantified, and compared to the program’s costs. 

Benefits of HIPPY include: 

• Additional lifetime earnings resulting from improved education and employment outcomes. 

Parents receive services that strengthen the educational foundation of their preschool-age children. 

As a result, those children will have higher lifetime earnings.

• Reduced education expenditures for government. Federal, state, and local governments spend 

less on education because fewer HIPPY preschooler participants are later held back in 9th grade. 

• Additional earnings by AmeriCorps members. Serving in AmeriCorps leads to increased wages 

and reduced unemployment post-national service through skill acquisition, as well as increased 

educational attainment post-service.

• Living allowances, stipends, and education awards. AmeriCorps members receive living 

allowances and stipends during their national service and receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education 

Award after successful completion. 

• Increased tax revenue for government. Federal, state, and local governments receive more income 

tax revenue from increased AmeriCorps member earnings post-service and from the increased 

earnings of children who benefit from the program once they enter the workforce. State and local 

governments also realize additional sales tax revenue related to those earnings. Federal and state 

governments also realize tax revenue from the taxable living allowances, stipends, and education 

awards provided to AmeriCorps members. 

• Reduced lifetime spending on corrections, public assistance, and social insurance. Because of 

the increase in secondary and postsecondary educational attainment for AmeriCorps members and 

preschooler participants, federal and state governments spend less on these items. 

The estimated annual cost for Parent Possible’s HIPPY program is $2,670,146, of which $1,467,015 is 

estimated to be funded by the federal government, or roughly 53 percent.

ROI Results

The table below shows the ROI results. Each row represents a different ROI calculation depending on which 

benefits are considered (all benefits or only benefits to the federal government) and which funding is 

considered (federal funding only or all funding). The ROI estimates are presented as dollars returned for 

every $1.00 of investment. The analysis used three different scenarios to estimate benefits under different 

assumptions. Specifically, the study assumed that increased earnings for AmeriCorps members attributable 

to their service last for one year (short-term scenario), 15 years (medium-term), or 30 years (long-term). 
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ROI Calculation

ROI Scenario

Short-Term Medium-Term Long-Term

Total benefits per federal dollar $0.21 $7.13 $12.32

Total benefits per funder dollar $0.12 $3.92 $6.77

Federal government benefits per federal dollar $0.04 $1.92 $4.01

The program produces strong returns for the medium- and long-term scenarios for all ROI calculations.The 

magnitude of the positive ROI estimates in the medium- and long-term scenarios are driven by the following 

factors:

• Income gains by children whose parents participate in HIPPY. Children enjoy increased earnings 

during their working years due to their increased educational attainment.

• Additional earnings by AmeriCorps members. Serving in AmeriCorps leads to increased wages 

and reduced unemployment post-national service through skill acquisition, as well as increased 

educational attainment post-service.

• Reduced lifetime spending on corrections, public assistance, and social insurance. Because of 

the increase in secondary and postsecondary educational attainment for AmeriCorps members and 

children whose parents participate in HIPPY, federal and state governments spend less on these 

items. 

In the short-term scenario—which only includes benefits for 1-year post-program—the ROI results indicate that 

there is a short-term loss under all three ROI calculations. An ROI that is below $1.00 in the first-year postprogram is common in programs where there is an initial one-time investment made and benefits accrue in 

the following years. This is because it can require several years of benefits to recoup the initial investment 

and generate positive returns. 

About the Office of Research and Evaluation 

The AmeriCorps Office of Research and Evaluation assists AmeriCorps and its partners in collecting, 

analyzing, and disseminating data and insights about AmeriCorps programs and civic life in America. 

For more information, please contact evaluation@cns.gov. 

Produced and published at US taxpayer expense.

About this Brief

The report summarized in this research brief was commissioned by AmeriCorps’ Office of Research and Evaluation under Contract # 

GS00Q14OADU209 and Order # 95332A20F0068. Information in this report is in the public domain. Please, direct communications 

related to this report to Lily Zandniapour at lzandniapour@cns.gov and Emily McDonald at emcdonald@cns.gov. Cite the report as 

follows: Clark, D., Borgida, J., Miller, B., Modicamore, D., Pershing, J., Thompson, P., & Voigt, G. (2023). Return on Investment Study: 

Colorado Home Instruction for Parent of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Program. ICF.