| Session Title: Evaluating Evidence-based Programs in the Real World: A Smart Start Success Story |
| Multipaper Session 789 to be held in Panzacola Section F2 on Saturday, Nov 14, 11:50 AM to 12:35 PM |
| Sponsored by the Human Services Evaluation TIG |
| Chair(s): |
| Joy Sotolongo, North Carolina Partnership for Children, jsotolongo@ncsmartstart.org |
| Abstract: This session will share experiences with the evaluation of four evidence-based programs funded through the statewide, non-profit network of Smart Start, North Carolina's early childhood initiative. In July 2007, Smart Start offered grant funding for four health and family support programs that the literature showed some degree of evidence of being successful. The evaluation for each of the four programs was adapted from approaches described in the research literature so it could be carried out in the context of small non-profit organizations in diverse communities across the state. Perspectives from both the state level funding organization and a local non-profit service delivery organization will be presented. Contextual issues such as political pressure to show results; incorporating evaluation within the provision of services; and supporting small non-profits to conduct evaluations that net credible results will be discussed. Evaluation findings from each of the four programs will be presented. |
| State Organization's Role in Supporting the Evaluation |
| Joy Sotolnogo, North Carolina Partnership for Children, jsotolongo@ncsmartstart.org |
| The first panelist, Joy Sotolongo, will present the state organization's role in: a) using research findings to select the four evidence-based programs that were included in the grant program; b) creating evaluation procedures that could be replicated in low-resource non-profit programs in diverse communities across the state; c) offering training and support for non-profit programs to conduct the evaluation; and d) the successful communication of results with both private and public funders. Evaluation findings from each of the four programs will be presented. |
| Local Non-Profit Organization's Role in Conducting the Evaluation |
| Patty Huffman, Partnership for Children of Wayne County, phuffman@pfcw.org |
| The second panelist, Patty Huffman, will present the local non-profit organization's role in a) deciding to apply for and implement two of the evidence-based programs; b) supporting the evaluation in the context of how services were delivered; and c) using results to inform services; communicate results with local stakeholders; and attempts to leverage additional funding. Contextual issues such as managing grant evaluation requirements in a fast-paced environment; ensuring staff understand and implement evaluation procedures; meshing state evaluation requirements with existing, local procedures; and managing the evaluation with minimal resources will be presented. |