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What is Grant Evaluation at BCM? - BCM primarily considers evaluation to be a learning mechanism that helps both BCM and Grantee Organizations know about the performance and results of our intended efforts.  Evaluation is an accountability tool in that it facilitates both on-going monitoring, and summative judgment and decision-making.  To be a learning mechanism, however, knowledge gleaned from evaluation efforts must do more than merely serve accountability purposes.

Competently designed evaluation knowledge carries the potential to serve its greatest value through its capacity to inform programming personnel about program functioning and progress towards success throughout the life of a program, even before program implementation - this is one of the ways evaluation serves the role of a learning mechanism.  For example, an evaluation perspective applied to a program?s design prior to any effort placed into program implementation can identify missing or mis-alignments of design attributes and intended results.  Knowledge such as this creates an opportunity for design revision prior to implementation, thereby increasing the potential for performance success (or reducing the likelihood of performance failure).
It is because of the potential for learning as it affects performance that, even beginning at the proposal stage, BCM encourages the presence of an evaluation perspective in program planning and design.

Why is Grant Evaluation Important at BCM? - Stewardship.  The BCM Board of Trustees and Management are charged with oversight responsibility for the appropriate and reasonable use of resources consistent with the intent of resource-allocation decisions.  BCM believes that evaluation is one of several important tools for being responsible stewards.

Evaluation Policy - Program evaluation activities are required for all grants issues by BCM.  Depending on the grant, most evaluation activities are embedded within the required Award Agreement between BCM and each Grantee Organization.  Evaluation tasks required in the Award Agreement include: (1) identification and collection of data that will help to understand grant performance, (2) determination of how selected data will be housed, analyzed, and reported, and (3) specification of targets, expected results and/or outcomes.

Grant Evaluation Policy in Practice - BCM Program Directors (PDs) are primarily responsible for individual grant evaluations.  E&R works closely with PDs on individual grant evaluations when required and/or requested - typically determined by grant size and/or strategic importance.  In practice, this means that together with their Program Director, many Grantee Organizations retain responsibility for conducting required evaluation tasks.