Evaluating Your Program or Project
Local, state, and national policy makers, nonprofit organizations, and foundations are looking for better ways to gauge the return on their grant dollars. Many now require grantees to secure a formal evaluation to measure the success of their project or program in order to be eligible for new or continued funding. Wayne State University – Michigan’s premier urban research university – has the experience and expertise to provide this service.
Wayne State University has provided a broad array of evaluation services to researchers, education programs, service programs, treatment centers, government agencies, private organizations and non-profits for more than 20 years, including New Detroit, Inc, the Wayne County Circuit Court, Skillman Center for Children, City of Detroit Planning Commission, State of Michigan “Cool Cities” program, Detroit Public Schools, Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency, and the Michigan Department of Corrections. Through this experience, Wayne State University has acquired extensive expertise in developing evaluation plans and in conducting qualitative and quantitative program evaluations using the most current methodologies.
To connect to the Evaluation Services available through Wayne State University, click on one of the services or program areas listed below.
Applied Psychology and Organizational Research Group
The Applied Psychology and Organizational Research Group (APORG) operates out of the Psychology Department and provides program evaluation and a range of other services to public and private sector organizations in the community. Focused services in the program evaluation arena include: (a) working with organizations to define their missions and organizational objectives in measurable terms; (b) developing measurement (metric) systems that provide meaningful assessment of organizational accomplishments; (c) the conduct of attitude, opinion, and climate surveys; and (d) the conduct of employee and customer focus groups to evaluate aspects of organizational success.
Contact:
Dr. John D. Arnold
(313) 577-9434
johnarnold.@wayne.edu
Website: http://sun.science.wayne.edu/~aporg/
Center for Arts and Public Policy – Evaluation Services
The Center for Arts and Public Policy (CAPP) is available to help organizations evaluate and assess their own work either in relation to client services provided or in terms of their own progress toward a stated goal, perhaps one developed during strategic planning. CAPP is also quite expert at facilitating the development of these kinds of plans, including benchmarking and measurement so that tasks can be assigned and vision translated into concrete action steps within the organization or unit. CAPP also does evaluations of future prospects, i.e., what happens when a town or city might like to change their character in some way. What kind of outcomes can be expected.
CAPP presently coordinates all assessment for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). Using a system they designed every grant is assessed by professional outside assessors on a rolling four-year basis. CAPP has also been called to help evaluate efforts of cities and towns (Albion, Manistee. Alpena, Port Huron, etc.) through alliances with other state agencies. CAPP personnel are also assessors in programs like "Cool Cities" and others in cooperation with housing and economic development authorities. David Magidson has been a professional assessor for organizations that include Michigan Opera Theatre, The Detroit Institute of Arts, Mosaic Youth Theatre, Interlochen, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the College for Creative Studies and many others.
The Center also has access to other professionals in Urban Planning, Economics, Psychology, Sociology and other disciplines to meet all your evaluation needs.
Contact:
Dr. David Magidson, Director
(313) 577-5200
d_magidson@wayne.edu
Center for Urban Studies
Since 1967, the Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University has conducted research and provided support to scholars, community organizations, businesses, municipalities, foundations, non-profits and others throughout Southeastern Michigan.
Evaluation Research Unit
Evaluation research is the systematic application of research methodologies in assessing social intervention programs. The evaluations conducted by the Evaluation Research Unit are methodologically rigorous and in keeping with state-of-the-art evaluation practice. Evaluations utilize responsive, culturally sensitive research approaches. The staff excels in both qualitative and quantitative research methods and is experienced in the design and implementation of Formative/Process and Summative/Outcome evaluation projects.
The Evaluation Research Unit services range from complete evaluation design and implementation of large multi-site, multi-year evaluations to providing consultation or coaching to organizations preferring to build their internal evaluation capacity. Project management is also available, including management of multiple and simultaneous data collecting and processing activities.
Recent research partners include: The Skillman Foundation, Detroit Health Department, 36th District Court, U.S. Department of Education, Detroit Public Schools, and the WSU College of Education.
Contact:
Stephen Sills, Ph.D.
(313) 577-8337
av3822@wayne.edu
Michigan Metropolitan Information Center
The Michigan Metropolitan Information Center's (MIMIC) primary task is investigating, tracking and portraying demographic trends in urban population and housing in southeastern Michigan. Research also focuses on community development, needs assessment, location/site selection and affirmative action planning. MIMIC provides technical support to research projects, offers services to the general public, and serves as the coordinating agency in the Census' Bureau's State Data Center (SDC) network. We bring local census data to the web at this site that includes publication, data profiles and maps. MIMIC's expertise has recently been called upon in projects with United Way/Community Services, Detroit Data Partnership, the Skillman Foundation and City Connect Detroit.
Tracking diversity in Detroit is one of MIMIC's major activities. Maps expressing trends and other demographic information are prepared daily and available through the CUS website, http://www.cus.wayne.edu. These Geographic Information System (GIS) maps assemble, store, manipulate and display geographically referenced information according to location. Changing neighborhood integration patterns are made comprehensible due to the use of GIS maps.
MIMIC’s staff is currently developing a web-based system for use by Detroit area social service agencies in proposal writing and grant application.
Contact:
Lyke Thompson, Director
(313) 577-5209
ad5122@wayne.edu
Crime and Justice Research Unit
The Center for Urban Studies Crime and Justice Research Unit is engaged in evaluation and research related to a variety of issues in the criminal justice system. Ongoing projects include evaluations of programs in: prisoner education, prisoner reentry, community corrections, substance abuse treatment programs and early intervention programs.
One current project evaluates the Prisoner Education and Recidivism Reduction Project (PERRP), which offers distance-learning opportunities in vocational education to inmates in two correctional facilities in Macomb County. PERRP hopes to reduce recidivism by releasing inmates better prepared to reintegrate into society through a cost-effective program. To date, 141 students have participated in this program funded by Hudson-Webber. Another project evaluates the 36th District Court's Drug Treatment Court Program. The Drug Court hopes to halt the abuse of alcohol and drugs and related criminal activity. CUS has been involved in process and outcome evaluation of this program since its inception in 1999.
Contact:
Holly Child
(313) 577-2155
hollychild@wayne.edu
Logic Models
Develop a flow chart, with narrative explanations that depicts how a program operates - includes depiction of inputs, throughputs, outputs, outcomes, etc.
Recent Clients:
- Hudson Webber Foundation
- City of Detroit Planning Commission (Contracting Study)
- Detroit Health Department
- Inner-City Games Foundation
- U.S. Department of Education
Contact:
Lyke Thompson, Director
(313) 577-5209
ad5122@wayne.edu
Developmental Disabilities Institute
The Developmental Disabilities Institute provides participatory evaluation designs and services to a wide variety of programs throughout the human service and disability fields. Our participatory evaluation model ensures that those who are impacted by the program are actively involved in the design, implementation, and interpretation of the evaluation model. We use both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to examine the effectiveness, efficiency, and impacts of various programs. We have provided evaluation support to more than 50 programs over the past 20 years, including the evaluation of personnel preparation programs, systems change models in school and adult services, early intervention models, parent training and support programs, violence prevention initiatives, foundation projects, and multinational education studies.
Contact:
Dr. Barbara Leroy, Director
(313) 577-2654
b_le_roy@wayne.edu
Website : www.wayne.edu/DDI
Department of Pediatrics / Pediatric Prevention Research Center – Evaluation Capabilities
An Information Resource of Children, Family, and Community Status for Metropolitan Detroit
A community database has been assembled from a variety of sources that contains information on 169 measures (Figure 1) for 96 zip code groupings (Figure 2) that encompasses the tri-county Metropolitan Detroit area (Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties). This website and special requests to the database and website developer (Dr. Kallenbach) are available resources for evaluation of service programs at the community level. The timeframe and periodicity of the available data varies by data source and organization. Current plans allow for annual updates through 2009.
Community Health Improvement - Monitoring & Reporting Tool
A community database similar to the DetroitKidsData database has been assembled from a variety of sources that contains information on 33 measures (Figure 3) for 96 zip code groupings (Figure 2) that encompasses the tri-county Metropolitan Detroit area (Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties). This community database includes the total population (all ages) where the DetroitKidsData database is mostly on children (ages 0-17).
3) University Pediatricians Clinical Activity Database
The Pediatric Prevention Research Center maintains a database on Department of Pediatrics clinical activity. Patient registration and service visit information obtained through the University Physicians billing system covering ambulatory, emergency, and inpatient services is available in a health services database. Available information includes patient demographics on age, gender, and residential location; provider and service type; and diagnosis and procedure codes for specific services rendered. Plans call for the geographic mapping of residential locations to facilitate planning of community and population based services.
Contact:
Lee Kallenbach, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Pediatrics
lkallenb@med.wayne.edu
School of Business Administration
The School of Business Administration has provided survey, process, and outcome evaluation services to a variety of multi-national for-profit and non-profit business organizations. Available services include evaluation of the following:
- Stakeholder satisfaction/loyalty;
- Employee morale;
- Performance assessment;
- Organizational effectiveness;
- Return on investment;
- Needs assessment;
- Human resources management;
- Program monitoring and outcome effectiveness.
Contact:
Dr. Richard F. Beltramini
(313) 577-6275
busassocdean@wayne.edu
Evaluation Services, School of Social Work
The Wayne State University School of Social Work has an extensive history of collaboration with community-based organizations to formulate and evaluate social work interventions and programs. These services include qualitative and quantitative evaluations and cost effectiveness analyses where programs and interventions are systematically analyzed and verified based on feasibility, utility, ethical propriety and cost.
The School offers the capabilities to provide technical assistance to community-based organizations and their staffs on a number of different domains. Examples include:
Assistance and training in the areas of grant writing and funding
- Needs assessment
- Program design
- Program evaluation design
- Implementation of program evaluations
- Analyses of evaluation data
- Presentation/dissemination of evaluations
- Instrumentation design and implementation
- Data management
- Outcome assessment to support their efforts with evaluation of practice as well as enhancement of agency capacity and infrastructure.
These services are provided as part of the School of Social Work’s goal to effectively generate, evaluate, and disseminate knowledge that improves the lives and life circumstances of disadvantaged individuals, families, groups and communities in the Detroit metropolitan area.
Representative substantive areas of expertise include:
- Violence and trauma prevention
- Treatment of families, children and youth
- Social and economic development in schools, neighborhoods and communities
- Reintegration of ex-offenders into families, work and communities
- Capacity building/asset development with individuals, families, neighborhoods, community-based organizations and communities.
Contact :
Eileen Trzcinski, Interim Director of Research
313-577-4422
e.trzcinski@wayne.eduNeva Nahan, Co-coordinator of Research
313-577-9918
n.nahan@wayne.edu
Samples of Recent Design and Evaluation Projects
Sexual Assault/Dating Violence Prevention: A Program for Detroit Middle Schools
Beverly Black
The primary prevention program targets 7th and 8th grade students at two Detroit Middle Schools. The five goals of the program are: (1) increase the knowledge about the extent and causes of teen dating violence and sexual assault, (2) increase intolerant attitudes about dating violence and sexual assault, (3) increase help-seeking intentions and behaviors, (4) decrease use of jealousy and other control tactics with partner, and (5) decrease the use of verbal, sexual, and physical aggression with partner. The 10 to 12 session, program, led by trained facilitators, includes role-plays, experiential exercises, worksheets, and video and discussion groups about forms of violence, promoting healthy relationships, risk factors (including the use of alcohol and other drugs), violence dynamics, and communication and help-seeking skills. The program also includes parent training and school teacher/staff training on the dynamics of sexual assault/dating violence. Peer education is incorporated. The evaluation of the program consists of pretest, posttest, 6-month and one-year follow-up with students participating in the prevention program and students participating in a comparison group. The project is funded by the Michigan Department of Community.
Detroit “Best Practices” With Homeless Youth and Families Project
Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni
With initial funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Merrill-Palmer Institute for Child and Family Development at Wayne State University, Dr. Jozefowicz-Simbeni and her colleagues have been able to identify and evaluate agencies in the Detroit metropolitan area that represent ‘best practices’ for serving homeless adolescents and families. A major goal of this study is to provide valuable information to policymakers, researchers, and community organizations on how to more productively use existing funds to improve and develop programs that serve the homeless in the Detroit area. We are conducting interviews, focus groups, and surveys with clients and staff at 6 homeless shelters representing key agencies that service primarily homeless youth in the Southeastern Michigan Metro area. Funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Merrill-Palmer Institute for Child and Family Development and the Skillman Center for Children.
Identification and Evaluation of Best Practices Serving Detroit’s Homeless
Bart W. Miles
Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Wayne State University, Research Group on Homelessness & Poverty, Department of Psychology. Through interviews in the community, and surveys with homeless adults and youth top-rated homeless service agencies were identified. The research will take place at interested top-rated homeless service agencies. Qualitative focus groups and quantitative surveys will be used with administrators, providers and consumers to identify key elements of a successful homeless service agency. The researchers will identify key characteristics of 4-6 “best practices” agencies serving homeless families and youth as identified by providers and consumers. The study will identify staff/client issues, common characteristics across “best practices”, and recommendations for continued program development and evaluation.
Evaluation, Consultation and Training for Project SCOPE
Joanne Sobeck
Collaborating with Elizabeth Agius, School of Medicine, WSU. Funded by New Detroit, Inc. January 2001 – December 2005. Investigators are working with New Detroit Inc., Detroit Executive Service Corps and nonprofit consultants on a 5–year demonstration project funded by the Skillman Foundation. The initiative, Strengthening Community Organizations to Promote Effectiveness (SCOPE) offers a planned approach to strengthen the human and organizational capacities of grassroots organizations in the City of Detroit . Evaluation, training and consultation are provided to help assess the effectiveness of the project as well as to determine strategies to improve quality of the services.
Reclaiming the Village Evaluation
Shirley A Thomas
African American Family Magazine and the Detroit Youth Foundation, in collaboration with a host of other community partners, conducted a series of televised and community-based forums in Fall, 2005. The Skillman Foundation funded the project and the evaluation. The project seeks to create a context for dialogue where parents, youth and community members can “build shared understanding, shared commitment and a new sense of hope” to support and promote positive well being in African- American children and families. The evaluation will document the process of project implementation, and understand how participants and the community overall was impacted. A report is expected by mid-2006.