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Program Evaluation: an Essential Tool in Strategic Planning

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Program Evaluation: an Essential Tool in Strategic Planning
|Program Evaluation: An Essential Tool in Strategic Planning|May 13 |
| |2013 |
|Program evaluation is one of the most essential elements of strategic thinking and planning. By |Using Program Evaluation to improve |
|definition program evaluation is the systematic assessment of the processes and/or outcomes of a |programs and services |
|program with the intent of furthering its development and improvement. For example, during program | |
|implementation, evaluators can provide formative evaluation findings so that program staff can make | |
|immediate, data-based decisions about program implementation and delivery. | |

The Program Leader's Guide to Evaluation

Dr. Dwayne B. Thomas, Ph.D.

Why Evaluate Your Program?

You should evaluate your program because an evaluation helps you accomplish the following:

• Find out what is and is not working in your program • Show your funders and the community what your program does and how it benefits your participants • Raise additional money for your program by providing evidence of its effectiveness • Improve your staff's work with participants by identifying weaknesses as well as strengths • Add to the existing knowledge in the human services field about what does and does not work in your type of program with your kinds of participants

What is program evaluation?

Program Leaders and staff frequently informally assess their program's effectiveness: Are participants benefiting from the program? Are there sufficient numbers of participants? Are the strategies for recruiting participants working? Are
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