What We Do?
Grant Writing Assistance
We have experience and great success in writing statements of need and evaluation sections for most local, state, and Federal granting agencies.
Evaluability Assessment
This approach help programs to know if they are ready to be evaluated. Not every program is ready to be evaluated, and sometimes forcing a program to be evaluated may be counterproductive.
Needs Assessment
This assessment will help determine what type of program is needed and who the program would serve. It is usually set before a program is started, or when a transition may make sense.
Evaluation Design (Evaluation Plans, Logic Models, Theory of Change, etc)
This set of tools guarantee that there is agreement among all the stakeholders about what the program is doing, and how it is accomplishing its goals. It also guarantees that there is agreement about how to move forward.
• Formative: This type of evaluation is used to improve the program as it is developing, or during its lifetime.
• Process: This type of evaluation focuses mostly on assuring that the program is implemented as it was intended. Because it helps to keep track of everything that happens during the program, it can be used to further explain changes during the outcomes evaluation.
• Outcomes: This is the type of evaluation that most people associate with evaluation. Outcome Evaluation looks at benefits/changes to program recipients during and/or after their participation in the program (short-term, mid-term and long-term).
• Impact: This type of evaluation considers both positive/negative outcomes of program activities for the purpose of policy change. It can also address intended/unintended, direct and indirect consequences associated with the program.
Monitoring and Evaluation
We have expertise in the implementation of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to help improve performance by monitoring outputs, outcomes, and impact in a meaningful framework.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
This approach produces a fair comparison of the total costs of a program (typically monetary units) with its benefits (effectiveness, other criteria), thus enabling the calculation of the net cost or benefit associated with the program.
Data Collection and Analysis Using Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods
We are expert practitioners and teachers in all three methodologies, and use state-of-the-art tools to design, collect, and analyze the data in the best possible way.
Data Visualization and Reporting
Perhaps one of the best ways to make the evaluation data useful to programs and stakeholders is by generating reports and visualizations that are meaningful/easy to understand. At ARI, we have experience in both areas, and have access to multiple tools to generate reports/visualizations in a way that will be meaningful to different stakeholders. We can produce technical and non-technical reports.