>>Back to Evaluation & Research
For many nonprofits, evaluation can seem like an ominous burden beyond, and even unrelated to the purpose of their program; that is, to serve the community. Applied effectively, however, evaluation can facilitate the ultimate success of a program by systematically reflecting back to program staff what is working, what is not working, and potential areas for refinement and change.
A great deal of information about evaluation and research can be found to assist nonprofits with integrating evaluation-type thinking into program planning and operations. Selected resources/links are offered below - keep in mind that some resources will be more helpful than others, depending on your particular needs, working context, and resource availability.
NOTE: Identified resources are for the purposes of information sharing only. That a resource is listed below does not mean, in any way, to suggest or imply that the use of the resource carries any influence on funding decisions, nor that the use of any resource is required of a grantee organization by BCM.
DATA SOURCES
Greater New Orleans Community Data Center
ONLINE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Innovation Network: Helping Nonprofits Succeed
WORKBOOKS, HANDBOOKS, MANUALS, AND "HOW TO" RESOURCES
Beginner
Basic Guide to Evaluation
CYFERnet - evaluation
Getting to Outcomes Workbook (Volumes I and Volume II)
Logic Model Development Guide
Empowerment Evaluation
Intermediate
Essentials of Survey Research and Analysis: A Workbook for Community Researchers
Program Development and Evaluation
Evaluation Benefits, Outputs and Knowledge Elements
Advanced
Evaluating the National Outcomes
Program Evaluation Methods
BOOKS
The Manager's Guide to Program Evaluation: Planning, Contracting, and Managing for Useful Results (2003)
Mattessich, Paul W.
Wilder Research Center
Evaluation Methodology Basics: The Nuts and Bolts of Sound Evaluation (2005)
Davidson, E. Jane
Sage Publications
Pathways to Nonprofit Excellence (2002)
Light, Paul C.
Brookings Institute Press
High Performance Nonprofit Organizations (1999)
Letts, Christine W.; Ryan, William P. and Grossman, Allen
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (Nonprofit Series)
The Program Evaluation Standards
Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation
James R. Sanders, Chair
Sage Publications, Inc.
PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS
Evaluation & Program Planning
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
American Journal of Evaluation
The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation
New Directions for Evaluation
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Evaluation Association (AEA)
Canadian Evaluation Society (CES)
American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Southeast Evaluation Association (SEA)
BCM ARTICLES
Size Matters: Why Big Foundations Perform Poorly
Harrell, Byron, Sc.D, and Culbertson, Richard, Ph.D.
Philanthropy Roundtable, February 8, 2005.
