Need To Plan An Evaluation for Your AmeriCorps Program?
This comprehensive step-by-step online course is designed to provide all the details you need to design a strong evaluation plan that meets AmeriCorps requirements and provides meaningful insights into how well your program is working and what might need to be strengthened.
Don't worry, you CAN do this... Sue Hyatt will show you the way!
Does this sound like you?
As AmeriCorps program staff, do you always have way too many balls in the air? Getting an evaluation designed and a strong plan written while getting your next recompete application ready to submit can be daunting. There just never seems to be enough time to find the info you need before it's down to the wire time and stressful.
This Course is Definitely For You! For Only $199.
YES - I WANT TO ENROLL NOW!
This Course Is For You If You're...
- Unclear what AmeriCorps evaluation requirements apply to your program to stay in compliance with federal and/or state expectations?
- Worried about planning and conducting an evaluation of your program with limited research and data skills and experience?
- Confused how to develop the evaluation plan and what is needed for each element in the required template?
- Too busy to do much digging to find the resources you need to understand your options and how to do this?
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Not sure where to start or get the help you need?
INTRODUCING
AmeriCorps Evaluation Plans Made Easy
You Are Ready To Create An Awesome Evaluation Plan?
This comprehensive 9-step course will teach you everything you need to know develop a strong evaluation plan that is meaningful and actionable. You’ll learn how to:
- Choose the best evaluation design for your program;
- Craft meaningful evaluation questions to better understand how well your program is working;
- Use data collection and analysis strategies that will clearly help you answer your research questions; and
- Ensure you have the time, expertise, and budget to do a high quality evaluation.
This step by step course covers all 10 elements of the required AmeriCorps evaluation plan template.
What's Included In The Course...
Each of the 9 steps includes:
- A video overview,
- Detailed content provided via a video training,
- Your Turn Worksheet to help you apply the step content to your unique program context,
- Tips and sample language for how to write the element using the official AmeriCorps evaluation plan template,
- Copies of the slide decks, and
- Additional resources!
STEP 1
Navigate Evaluation Requirements
Understand the basic AmeriCorps evaluation requirements for competitive and formula funded programs, including:
- Type of evaluation to do based on amount of federal AmeriCorps dollars received annually
- When the evaluation requirements kick in based on how long you've been funded
You’ll finish this step with a clear understanding of the minimum requirements you are expected to meet.
STEP 2
Pick Your Evaluation Design
Know you know what minimum requirements apply to your program, the next step is to choose the best evaluation design to use. In this step, you’ll learn:
- The differences between process, outcome, and impact evaluations
- What each type of evaluation design will help you learn
You’ll finish this step with a sense of the direction you plan to take.
STEP 3
Zoom In and Focus Your Evaluation
The activities of every AmeriCorps program are varied and complex. The good news is your evaluation doesn't have to include everything you do. In this step, you’ll learn:
- How to use your logic model to identify options for focusing your evaluation and write your plan's theory of change
- Options for identifying the purpose and scope of your evaluation
You’ll finish this step with a strong sense what component of your program to focus on for your evaluation and how you plan to use your findings.
STEP 4
Craft Your Research Questions
Research questions are absolutely key to your evaluation. Having a manageable number of meaningful questions directly affects everything else in your plan - what data you need and how you will collect it. In this step, you’ll learn:
- How to word questions to align with the evaluation design you have selected
- The types of questions that have been used by other programs and where to get ideas for what questions to ask
You’ll finish this step with clear questions as they are the foundation for the rest of your plan and directly affect the utility of your results.
STEP 5
Identify Your Data Sources
Once you know what questions you want to answer, figuring out where to access the information you need is key - does it already exist? Who is in a position to know how things worked? In this step, you’ll learn:
- How to identify sources for the data you need to collect
- The basics of sampling
- How to develop a comparison or control group, if needed.
You’ll finish this step with a road map for where to find the data you will need.
STEP 6
Choose Data Collection Methods and Tools
Once you know what data you need to answer your questions and where you can access it, the next step is to select what data collection methodologies and tools you plan to use. In this step, you’ll learn:
- The difference between qualitative and quantitative data and optimal methods to collect them
- How to identify indicators
- How to put together a data collection plan for each research question
You’ll finish this step with a detailed plan for how to collect the data you need and the tools you will use.
STEP 7
Data Analysis
One you have collected data to answer your research questions, you have to systematically process it to glean the insights it will give you. In this step, you’ll learn:
- How to analyze qualitative and quantitative data for process evaluations
- The basics of what it takes to analyze data for an impact evaluation
You’ll finish this step with a plan for how to aggregate and analyze the data you have collected so you can effectively answer your research questions.
STEP 8
Do a Reality Check
You can design an amazing evaluation but if you don't have the time, access to needed expertise, and/or sufficient resources, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment and unnecessary stress. In this step, you’ll learn:
- The typical evaluation flow of activities within a 3-year grant cycle
- How to determine who will be involved in the evaluation (staff vs. external evaluator) and what their role(s) will be
- How to develop an RFP for an external evaluator (if needed)
- How to identify the projected costs for the evaluation so you can assess if you have sufficient resources to do a high quality evaluation
You’ll finish this step with the confidence that the evaluation you are planning is doable. And if not, you can make the needed adjustments to your plan.
STEP 9
Finalize and Submit Your Plan
Throughout the course, you learned what needs to be included in each of the 10 element in the AmeriCorps evaluation plan. Now it's time to put it all together. In this final step, you’ll get ideas for:
- What sample process and impact evaluation plans look like
- How to check your plan to make sure you have included everything required
- Common issues with evaluation plans so you can avoid them
You’ll finish this step and the course with a strong evaluation plan to submit with your re-compete application.
NICE TO MEET YOU
I'm Sue Hyatt
I've worked with AmeriCorps programs throughout the US providing training and technical assistance on evaluation and performance measurement. I help programs develop evaluation plans that will provide meaningful and actionable results, collect data, and write informative reports with actionable recommendations for continuous improvement.
I've also conducted over 30 AmeriCorps evaluations with programs of all sizes.
I've put together all the very best knowledge, tips, and resources from my 25+ years of experience into this course so all programs can get the help they need.
I know evaluation may not be your favorite thing - it takes time and expertise that you may not feel you have. I pride myself on talking 'AmeriCorps program speak' to make evaluation concepts accessible to everyone. No ivory tower academic here!
I invite you to jump in and get started on your evaluation plan now. This course will walk you through everything you need!
GET STARTED TODAY!
AmeriCorps Evaluation Plans Made Easy
14-DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
If you aren’t completely satisfied with the Evaluation Plans Made easy Course, let us know within the first 14-days for a full refund. No questions asked.