1. INTRODUCTION TO THE TOOLKIT

   • About the Toolkit
   • Toolkit Contents
   • Using the Toolkit
   • Case Study Background

2. INTRODUCTION TO EVALUATION

   • Defining Evaluation
   • Purpose of Evaluation
   • Types of Evaluation
   • Challenges to Conducting an Evaluation

   • Who Should Conduct the Evaluation

     • Assessing Readiness
     • Using a Team Approach
     • Using External Evaluators

   • Considerations for Planning

     • Human Subjects Protections
     • Cultural Competency
     • Budgeting for Evaluation
     • Working with Funders

   • Framework for Evaluation

     • Framework Components
     • Evaluation Standards

3. PLAN YOUR EVALUATION

   • Step 1: Engage Stakeholders

     • Engage Stakeholders
     • Identifying Key Stakeholders
     • Engaging Stakeholders
     • Tools and Resources

   • Step 2: Develop a Logic Model

     • Develop a Logic Model
     • What is a Program Description?
     • Introducing Logic Models
     • Creating a Logic Model for Evaluation
     • Tools and Resources

   • Step 3: Focus the Evaluation

     • Focus the Evaluation
     • Decide What to Evaluate
     • Develop Evaluation Questions
     • What Are Indicators?
     • Start the Evaluation Plan
     • Tools and Resources

   • Step 4a: Plan Data Collection

     • Plan Data Collection
     • Identify Data Sources
     • Select Data Collection Methods
     • Tools and Resources

   • Finalize Your Evaluation Plan

     • Identify the Person Responsible and a Timeline
     • Review Your Evaluation Plan
     • Tools and Resources

4. IMPLEMENT YOUR EVALUATION

   • Introduction
   • Review Your Evaluation Plan

   • Step 4b: Collect Data

     • Design Data Collection Instruments
     • Additional Considerations in Data Collection
     • Tools and Resources

   • Step 5: Analyze and Interpret Data

     • Analyze and Interpret Data
     • Organize the Data
     • Analyze the Data and Synthesize Results
     • Interpret the Results
     • Identify Limitations
     • Tools and Resources

   • Step 6: Share Results

     • Share Results
     • Develop Recommendations
     • Communicate the Findings
     • Follow-up
     • Tools and Resources

Why Include Stakeholders in Your Evaluation?

Involving stakeholders in every stage of planning and carrying out your evaluation is an excellent practice—it builds buy-in for the evaluation and ensures that the evaluation is useful to the greatest number of people. Early in the process, getting consensus on the outcomes you hope to achieve can focus the evaluation design and establish expectations for the evaluation. A good place to start the conversation is by asking stakeholders "What does success for this program (or organization) look like to you?"

Engaging your stakeholders in the planning process has many benefits:

• Stakeholders' interest and support for the evaluation will be heightened, which will help it run smoothly and ensure that evaluation findings will be useful.
• Different stakeholders bring different perspectives, leading to richer planning efforts and clarified program goals and objectives—these provide the basis for measuring the program's effectiveness.
• You can learn what they want to know from the evaluation—they may need different kinds of information for different purposes.
• You can establish common expectations for the evaluation—what it will and will not do.
• You can identify and divert any potential obstacles stakeholders might pose.

Northwest Center for Public Health Practice (2011). Program evaluation in environmental health.