Lesson 6: Project evaluation
Grant writing tips
A. In order to make the most of your grant experience, you will want to evaluate your project. To do so, it is sometimes helpful to consider the benchmarks along the way. This can be done by looking at progress made toward each of your project objectives. One way to do this, is to incorporate an evaluation tool or coponent into each activity. This simply means that you will have a series of questions ready to ask yourself and your team as activities proceed. Identifying who will evaluate the project and what methods will be used is an essential component of a successful proposal.
The Foundation requires a brief final report when your project calendar year (September to June) is completed. Recording information from your evaluation process as the year unfolds will make writing your final report more efficient!
B. An easy way to get started on an evaluation component is to envision what success will look like. Ask yourself, “What will success look like? Will there be a change in my students’ behavior or will standardized scores improve?” Then follow that up with, “How will I know if my work is making the change I want?”
In planning your evaluation component, you should think about your initial observations and reflections. What was your starting point? What did you initially want to change?. Once you have implemented your project and collected data, reflect on the information collected and make conclusion based on the results. This is how you will make decisions about your progress/success.
It might be helpful to look at two examples of approved project evaluations-one measurable by observations and one measured statistically.
Sample A: Project Evaluation
To assess whether the project (to reduce bullying at the middle school) has any effect, the team will collect data through short term and longitudinal survey questions. The team believes that success would look like this:
- Students who bully will be visible and identifiable by other teachers.
- Students will intervene when they see or hear bullying.
- Students will seek out adults who have the authority to help.
- Students will assist peers in seeking out help as needed.
The surveys will be distributed at pre-set times to all staff at the middle school. Each of these descriptors has behaviors (by students) that can be observed, counted and discussed by the team.
Sample B: Project Evaluation
To assess whether increased awareness and involvement of families has an impact on MCA and NWEA scores, initial scores on MCA and NWEA scores for these students were noted. Each project activity (see chart in lesson 5) will be monitored for attendance and include pre and post surveys. Follow up surveys to parents/family/students asking:
- How’s it going?
- What successes, problems do you want to report?
- How often are you engaging in activities?
Review all surveys, publish results to team, staff, families. Follow up on next testing cycle.