Evaluation Capacity Building Resources: 

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General Evaluation Resources

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CNCS Evaluation Core Curriculum: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/evaluation/all-evaluation-resources

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Planning an Evaluation

Laying the Groundwork Before Your First Evaluation

Developing the Right Research Questions

Budgeting for Evaluation

How to Write an Evaluation Plan

Logic models

Managing an External Evaluation

Overview of Evaluation Design

Implementing an Evaluation

Basic Steps in Conducting an Evaluation

Data Collection

Managing an External Evaluation

Reporting and Using Results for Action and Improvement

Reporting and Using Evaluation Results 

Developing a Long-Term Research Agenda

The Program Manager’s Guide to Evaluation (published by the Administration for 

Children and Families in 2010): 

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/program_managers_guide_to_eval20

10.pdf

Includes information on why you should evaluate your program, what program 

evaluation is, who should conduct your evaluation, how to hire and manage an 

external evaluator, how to prepare for an evaluation, what to include in your 

evaluation plan, how to get the information you need for your evaluation, and 

how to make sense of evaluation information, and how can you report what you 

have learned

Grantspace Evaluation Resources (a hub for evaluation resources for non-profits and 

grantmakers) http://grantspace.org/tools/knowledge-base/Grantmakers/programevaluation

Evaluation Hierarchies and how to start evaluating your organization: 

http://www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-tos/program-evaluation-forfoundations

Performance Measurement and Data Management Resources

CNCS Performance Measurement Core Curriculum: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/resources/performance-measurement/trainingresources#overview

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Overview of Performance Measurement

Designing Effective Action for Change: Establishing your Theory of Change

Building Evidence of Effectiveness

Establishing High Quality Performance Measures

Collecting High Quality Outcome Data 

Navigating Performance Management Software Options: 

http://www.urban.org/research/publication/navigating-performance-managementsoftware-options

University of Chicago Center for Data Science and Public Policy Data Maturity 

Framework (how to decide if you need to hire a data scientist) 

http://dsapp.uchicago.edu/resources/datamaturity/

Data Maturity Framework Questionnaire: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/199KMPjv1qhs85SyCwmDGpe4s4mVz

KE4jckcFYoSCGOc/edit#gid=1662346894

Data and Technology Readiness Scorecard: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/199KMPjv1qhs85SyCwmDGpe4s4mVz

KE4jckcFYoSCGOc/edit#gid=1637575437

Organizational Readiness to Work with an External Data Scientist: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/199KMPjv1qhs85SyCwmDGpe4s4mVz

KE4jckcFYoSCGOc/edit#gid=0

Data Science Project Scoping Guide (how to set up the scope of work for a data 

science project): http://dsapp.uchicago.edu/resources/data-science-projectscoping-guide/

Best Practices for Survey Design, Construction, and Validation

Stanford Institute for Research in the Social Sciences—Best practices for questionnaire 

design https://iriss.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/questionnaire_design_1.pdf

American Association for Public Opinion Research—Best Practices for Survey Research 

http://www.aapor.org/Standards-Ethics/Best-Practices.aspx

Institute for Work and Health—description of reliability and validity 

https://www.iwh.on.ca/wrmb/validity-and-reliability

Info on Protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

CNCS Cybersecurity and PII Policies: 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CNCS%20Cybersecurity

%20User%20Training.pdf

Department of Homeland Security’s Handbook for Safeguarding Sensitive Personally 

Identifiable Information: 

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/privacy/Guidance/handbookforsaf

eguardingsensitivePII_march_2012_webversion.pdf
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Funding for Evaluation

Funding for Evaluation Specifically 

Brady Education Foundation

Grants for New Program Development or Evaluation of Current 

Programs 

http://www.bradyeducationfoundation.org/applicationguidelines.html

Note—these grants are specific to children (18 and under) so may not 

be applicable to some OY programs

Laura and John Arnold Foundation

Requests for Proposals: http://www.arnoldfoundation.org/request-forproposals/

Currently funding RCT evaluations of social programs: 

http://www.arnoldfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Request-forProposals-RCTs-to-Evaluate-Social-Programs-Whose-Delivery-Will-BeFunded-by-Government-or-Other-Entities.pdf

William T. Grant Foundation

Letters of Inquiry are due August 2, 2017

http://wtgrantfoundation.org/grants/research-grants

Research Grants Application Guide: 

http://wtgrantfoundation.org/library/uploads/2017/03/2017-ResearchGrants-Application-Guide.pdf

John Templeton Foundation

Letters of inquiry due August 31, 2017

http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/rfps/rfp7864-john-templetonfoundation-invites-letters-of-inquiry-for-core-fundingareas?utm_campaign=rfps%7C2017-06-

29&utm_source=pnd&utm_medium=email

https://www.templeton.org/grants/apply-for-grant

Note: One of their core funding topics is character development so it’s 

possible that AmeriCorps programs work with OYSI could fall under this. 

Funding for Dissertation/Scholarly Research (you can work with an academic institution 

to conduct the evaluation and have it be funded through these grants)

CNCS Research Competition: Through June 9, 2017, the CNCS office of Research 

and Evaluation is funding evaluations that address the impacts of civic 

engagement, volunteering, or national service. The funding is specifically for 

institutions of higher education and supports dissertation fellowships and 

scholars at universities, but could help fund an evaluation of a program(s) if you 

were working with a researcher. 

https://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2017_CNCS_Re

search_Competition_NOFO_updated.pdf
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NOTE: These grants can’t be used to fulfill a CNCS grantee’s evaluation 

requirements, but can be conducted in addition to these requirements.

ACF Behavioral Interventions Dissertation Research Grants: 

https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/index.cfm?switch=foa&fon=HHS-2017-ACFOPRE-PD-1201

Application info here (letter of intent due early June) 

https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/files/HHS-2017-ACF-OPRE-PD1201_0.pdf

Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy Dissertation Research Grants ($7,500-

$9,000): https://www.horowitz-foundation.org/grant-info

Funding for your Organization with evaluation required/embedded

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

NOTE: These funds are for organizations building a culture of health so 

proposals would need to be focused on that

http://www.rwjf.org/en/how-we-work/grants/fundingopportunities.html

http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/funding-opportunities/2015/evidencefor-action-investigator-initiated-research-to-build-a-culture-ofhealth.html

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

The foundation does not specifically provide funding for evaluation, but 

incorporates evaluation into most of it’s funded projects, see more info 

on their evaluation policy here: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/HowWe-Work/General-Information/Evaluation-Policy

Funding for your Organization Generally (to free up funding for you to conduct your own 

evaluation or hire an external evaluator)

Weinberg Foundation 

Small Grants Program (for programs with an operating budget of less 

than $1 million, up to $50k in funding) 

http://hjweinbergfoundation.org/small-grants-program/

General Grants http://hjweinbergfoundation.org/grants/guidelines/

The Richard E. & Nancy P. Marriott Foundation 

Grants typically range from $5,000-$10,000 and are due Sept. 1st

http://remnpmfoundation.org/grant-procedures/

Other local foundations or community foundations

Strategies for Building a Learning Culture within your Organization:

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an_organizational_learning_culture_2.pdf

Data Management Systems and Software

TechSoup is a company devoted to providing affordable software solutions to nonprofits and can be a good starting place if you’re looking to purchase a data system. 
They also have great articles about the pros/cons of different software options if you’re 

not sure where to start!

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Database and Analytics Software options: http://www.techsoup.org/databasesand-analytics

Cloud Computing Info: http://www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-howtos/what-are-the-benefits-and-drawbacks-of-cloud-computing

Idealware is a blog devoted to disseminating technology information to non-profits and 

you can find a wide range of information there in their section on CRM and database 

systems: http://www.idealware.org/topics/crm-and-database-systems/

Some common software/database systems used by nonprofits include:

For a listing of the Top 10 Case Management Systems Used by NonProfits: 

http://blog.indiesilver.com/2013/12/top-10-case-management-software-fornon.html

Salesforce

TechSoup has a discounted rate for programs to get a 2 hr consultation 

about whether Salesforce would be a good fit for them 

http://www.techsoup.org/products/salesforce-data-managementassessment--G-49180--

Social Solutions (Efforts to Outcomes & Apricot): 

http://www.socialsolutions.com/eto-product-suite/

TraxSolutions (from NFocus): http://www.nfocus.com/traxsolutions/