As mentioned in a previous blog post, program evaluation can play an important role in an organization’s strategic planning initiatives. This is especially true in non-profit organizations, human service agencies, k-12, and higher education institutions, all of whom must rely on non-market data for evidence of program effects. Evaluation can help these organizations to identify, gather, and analyze data with which to judge the impact of their activities and to strengthen current, or redirect future, efforts. Only with clear and accurate information can a non-profit organization take stock of its effectiveness and make informed choices about needed changes in direction. As Heather Tunis and Maura Harrington, note “An evaluation plan helps refine data collection and assessment practices so that the information is most useful to advancing the organization’s mission and the objectives of the program being evaluated. Evaluation is a key component of being a learning organization.” (Non-profits: Strategic Planning and Future Program Evaluation) As Mark Fulop observes, “Indeed nonprofits that embrace evaluation as strategy will be driven by internal excellence rather than an external locus of control. Nonprofits that embrace evaluation as strategy will strengthen not only their organizational core but the centrality of their place in solving social needs.” (“The Roles of Strategic Evaluation in Non-profits” ) To learn more about our evaluation methods visit our Data collection & Outcome measurement page.
Also, here are a few links to resources about strategic planning and program evaluation:
From CDC, “Using Program Evaluation to Improve Programs: Strategic Planning” http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/evaluation/pdf/sp_kit/sp_toolkit.pdf
“Strategic Planning Resources for Non-Profits” http://nonprofitanswerguide.org/faq/strategic-planning/
“Why Strategic Planning for Non-profits is Important,” http://www.event360.com/blog/why-nonprofit-strategic-planning-is-important/
“What is strategic planning, and why should all schools have a strategic plan?” http://www.strategicplanning4schools.com/overview.html
From the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture, “Basic Steps to a Strategic Planning Process,”http://www.namac.org/strategic-planning-steps
From the World Bank, “Strategic Planning- A Ten-Step Guide” http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTAFRREGTOPTEIA/Resources/mosaica_10_steps.pdf
