Evaluation Plan Guidance (Page 33 of 68) in pdf

EVALUATION PLAN GUIDANCE

SOCIAL INNOVATION FUND

VI. Reporting Strategy, Timeline, and Budget

Overview

The reporting strategy, timeline, and budget are critical components of the evaluation plan. The process of

aligning these components with the technical aspects of your evaluation design will help you determine

whether your evaluation is actually feasible. In addition, they provide the reader with key information

regarding how the plan will actually be implemented and monitored.

Reporting Strategy

The focus of an evaluation reporting strategy is to ensure that timely information is available for decision

making at key points in the program’s progress. These key points will likely align with the program logic

model. While the sections above have outlined how the program will obtain and analyze information critical

for assessing the implementation and outcomes or impacts of the program, the reporting strategy will explain

how the information will be disseminated.

In developing the reporting strategy, focus on what key information is needed by decision makers including

organization staff, as well as funders, board members and others invested in the outcome of the program.

Then, develop a series of reports that meet these information needs and are aligned with the evaluation

timeline (i.e., what data is available at those points). If the logic model permits, it is often useful to align the

evaluation timeframe with the timing of information needs. That way, the evaluation can be the most useful. It

is likely that at least a baseline and final report will be needed. Intermediate reports are valuable if there are

significant monitoring or data collection points along the way. If the evaluation is multi-year, then an annual

report might include the significant milestones for that year and could count as the intermediate report.

Since programs often are required to report to funders and boards on multiple evaluation activities, it is good

practice for evaluators to complete reports of each component of the study as they occur (for both

implementation and impact evaluation). This should be part of the evaluator’s scope of work and will allow

you to have the most recent information available for decision making, to monitor the evaluation, and to be

prepared for reporting to grantors. Evaluation activity reports could include the following:



Report summarizing the design;



Summary of instrument development;



Detailed description of how sampling was done, including numbers of controls and participants and

any issue(s) encountered;



Report on each data collection, including each instrument used, how many were collected, from whom

(sites, controls, participants, number completed), and when; and



Detailed report of data analysis conducted, including any issues that arose or deviations from the

original analysis plan and summaries of results to date.

Specific Guidance: Reporting

List all reports that will be produced along with dates. Specify how each report aligns with the evaluation plan

(e.g., baseline, intermediate, final) and what significant activities will be included (e.g., follow up data

collection). List the major sections of the report and what they will cover. Be sure to report on implementation

as well as impact evaluations.

nationalservice.gov/SIF

Evaluation Plan Guidance Page 33

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