\n \n

\n How to Develop and Write a Grant Proposal Congressional Research Service 10

\nobjectives are indeed being met, and whether proposed methods are accomplishing these ends; or whether different parts of the plan need to be fine-tuned to be made more effective and efficient. Among the considerations will be whether evaluation will be done by the organization itself or by outside experts. The organizations will have to decide whether outside experts have the standing in the field and the degree of objectivity that would justify the added expense, or whether the job could be done with sufficient expertise by its own staff, without taking too much time away from the project itself. Methods of measurement, whether standardized tests, interviews, questionnaires, observation, etc., will depend upon the nature and scope of the project. Procedures and schedules for gathering, analyzing, and reporting data will need to be spelled out. The evaluation component is two-fold: (1) product evaluation and (2) process evaluation. “Product evaluation” addresses results that can be attributed to the project, as well as the extent to which the project has satisfied its stated objectives. “Process evaluation” addresses how the project was conducted, in terms of consistency with the stated plan of action and the effectiveness of the various activities within the plan. Most federal agencies now require some form of program evaluation among grantees. The requirements of the proposed project should be explored carefully. Evaluations may be conducted by an internal staff member, an evaluation firm, or both. Many federal grants include a specific time frame for performance review and evaluation. For instance, several economic development programs require grant recipients to report on a quarterly and annual basis. In instances where there are no specified evaluation periods, the applicant should state the amount of time needed to evaluate, how the feedback will be disseminated among the proposed staff, and a schedule for review and comment. Evaluation designs may start at the beginning, middle, or end of a project, but the applicant should specify a start-up time. It is desirable and advisable to submit an evaluation design at the start of a project for two reasons:

\n•

\nConvincing evaluations require the collection of appropriate baseline data before and during program operations; and

\n•

\nIf the evaluation design cannot be prepared at the outset, then a critical review of the program design may be advisable. Even if the evaluation design has to be revised as the project progresses, it is much easier and cheaper to modify a good design. If the problem is not well defined and carefully analyzed for cause and effect relationships, then a good evaluation design may be difficult to achieve. Sometimes a pilot study is needed to begin the identification of facts and relationships. Often a thorough literature search may be sufficient. Evaluation requires both coordination and agreement among program decision makers. Above all, the federal grantor agency’s or foundation’s requirements should be highlighted in the evaluation design. Also, grantor agencies may require specific evaluation techniques such as designated data formats (an existing information collection system) or they may offer financial inducements for voluntary participation in a national evaluation study. The applicant should ask specifically about these points. Also, for federal programs, consult the “Criteria For Selecting Proposals” section of the CFDA program description to determine the exact evaluation methods to be required for a specific program if funded.

\n\n\n