Federal Evaluation

All federal agencies are expected to use performance information to strengthen programs. The federal government has therefore pushed for a greater emphasis on evaluations to prove what is working and what is not. Program evaluations can help EPA meet these expectations and comply with federal policies such as those outlined by the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

• Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRA)
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Professional Organizations

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• American Evaluator's Association (AEA) — an international, professional association of evaluators. The AEA sponsors an annual evaluation conference and supports an Environmental Program Evaluation Topical Interest Group (EPE TIG).
• Association for Public Policy Analysis and Managements (APPAM) — a non-profit organization that works to improve public policy and management through research, analysis, and education.
• Better Evaluation — an international collaboration to improve evaluation practice and theory by sharing and generating information about options (methods or processes) and approaches.
• Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) — a Canadian, non-profit association dedicated to the advancement of evaluation theory and practice.
• climate-eval — a website dedicated to connecting professionals interested in climate change and international development evaluation.
• Conservation Measures Partnership — a partnership of conservation organizations that seek better ways to design, manage, and measure the impacts of their conservation actions. CMP offers a variety of tools to assist programs as they undertake these efforts.
• Environmental Evaluator's Network (EEN) — an international organization, comprised of environmental evaluators and evaluation consumers, that seeks to further the field of environmental evaluation.
• Erica.net Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation — provides resources and educational information on educational assessment, evaluation, and research methods.
• The Evaluator's Institute (TEI) — provides education and training in the field of evaluation.
• Innovation Network — a nonprofit that consults, trains, and provides education through online tools on program planning and evaluation.
• National Academy of Public Administration — consults with government and private foundations on a variety of aspects of public management, including evaluation and performance measurement.
• Western Michigan University Evaluation Center — a part of Western Michigan University and advances the field of evaluation through research and education.
• World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) — a division of the World Bank that evaluates the activities of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) work in private sector development, and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)'s guarantee projects and services. IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA are all organizations that are a part of the World Bank.
• The World Bank Institute (WBI) Evaluation Group — provides training in evaluation and monitoring to World Bank clients and staff.

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Evaluation Guides

These evaluation guides are from various organizations and discuss principles and instructions for conducting program evaluations or creating performance measures.

Note: This page provides links to non-EPA web sites. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of information on non-EPA pages. Providing links to a non-EPA Web site is not an endorsement of the other site or the information it contains by EPA or any of its employees. Also, be aware that the privacy protection provided on the EPA.gov domain (see Privacy and Security Notice) may not be available at the external link. Exit

• Achieving and Measuring Community Outcomes: Challenges, Issues, Some Approaches — This report, created by the United Way, outlines some of the key issues that they have had and the different ways that they have tackled them.
• American Evaluation Association Guiding Principles for Evaluators Exit — These guidelines provide a set of standards for performing ethical evaluations.
• Evaluation Handbook Exit — W.K. Kellogg Foundation's handbook outlines the basic information on evaluation, the history of evaluation, and how to conduct an evaluation.
• Introduction to Program Evaluation for Public Health Programs: A Self-Study Guide — is a “how to” guide for planning and implementing evaluation activities. The manual, based on CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, is intended to assist managers and staff of public, private, and community public health programs to plan, design, implement and use comprehensive evaluations in a practical way.
• Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (JCSEE) Exit — JCSEE publishes widely recognized standards on program evaluation.
• Logic Model Development Guide Exit — W.K. Kellogg Foundation published this guide to provide basic information on logic models as well as instructions and exercise on how to create them.
• The Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation — the Administration for Children and Families has developed The Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation to explain program evaluation — what it is, how to understand it, and how to do it. It answers questions about evaluation and explains how to use evaluation to improve programs and benefit staff and stakeholders.
• Performance Measurement and Evaluation: Definitions and Relationships — The Government Accountability Office has provided this document to describe and discuss the relationship between evaluation and performance measurement.
• Taking Stock: A Practical Guide to Evaluating Your Own Programs Exit — Horizon Research Inc. has created this guide to evaluating programs and includes everything from getting started to reporting your results.
• User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation Exit — The National Science Foundation has developed this report to detail how to do an evaluation. 

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EPA Tools

• Program Evaluation Glossary — Glossary that reflects the meaning of the evaluation terminology from both the social scientist's and the practitioner's point of view
• Online Logic Model Training — An online course with interactive features that provides users with the basic steps for creating a logic model
• Guidelines for Measuring EPA Partnership Programs — Guidelines for developing and using performance measures for EPA Partnership programs
• Guidelines for Evaluating EPA Partnership Programs — Guidelines for conducting evaluations of EPA Partnership programs
• Guidelines for Formatting Evaluation Reports and Presentations — Guidelines to writing reports and presentations
• Worksheet for Planning, Conducting and Managing Program Evaluations — Worksheet that helps evaluators focus and conduct an evaluation as well as present the results

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Tools from Other Organizations

• Logic Model Resources Exit — University of Wisconsin provides a self-study online module for developing a logic model.
• Practical Evaluation Using the CDC Evaluation Framework — The National Asthma Control Program, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, has created a four-part Webinar series on program evaluation basics. Nationally recognized experts present a general introduction to program evaluation; note challenges in conducting useful evaluations as well as methods for overcoming those challenges; and introduce the six steps of the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation using examples that are relevant to state partners of the National Asthma Control Program.

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