R&E Newsletter #1

AmeriCorps sent this bulletin at 02/23/2016 08:00 AM EST

Hot off the Press: SIF National Assessment

Soccer for Success SIF

Just in time for the Social Innovation Fund (SIF)'s seventh birthday, we released the SIF Classic National Assessment report!

A key goal of the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) Classic program is to build the evaluation capacity of grantees and subgrantees so they can successfully assess whether their programs are truly creating impact.

To evaluate whether SIF Classic is achieving its goal the Office of Research and Evaluation and the SIF designed and oversaw the implementation of the national assessment.

The national assessment focused on SIF Classic grantees’ and subgrantees’:

  • adoption of evidence-based grantmaking strategies;
  • ability, and willingness to build the evidence base for the program models they support;
  • scaling of program models; 
  • and use of collaborative approaches to address local community needs.

The study found promising evidence of improved organizational capacities among the SIF Classic grantees and subgrantees in almost all of these areas relative to a comparison group of similar organizations. SIF Classic grantees and subgrantees reported that the SIF Classic program was instrumental in bringing about these changes.

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a webpage.

Evaluation Resources: an Overview of Evaluation Design

As part of the CNCS Knowledge Network, we have designed  resources and evaluation courses to assist grantees and CNCS staff as they move through each stage of the evaluation process.

One of our favorite evaluation courses is Overview of Evaluation Design, check it out!

Evaluation Design Overview

Overview of Evaluation Design: The course explains different types of evaluation designs, the key elements of each, as well as considerations in selecting a design for your evaluation.

Slides    
Handout #1       
Handout #2     
Handout #3     
Recording of Presentation

Share This With Your Colleagues: the Evidence Exchange

ev ex

The Evidence Exchange is our digital research repository.

The purpose of this repository is to provide our grantees, our partners and, most importantly, communities across America easy access to this information. 

Search the Evidence Exchange and you’ll find studies on:

1. Programs and interventions run by CNCS grantees

2. CNCS grant programs, including AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, the Volunteer Generation Fund and the Social Innovation Fund

3. Issues related to the Mission and Focus Areas of CNCS

February 2016

Welcome to R&E

The Office of Research and Evaluation (R&E) newsletter is designed to highlight recently published reports and resources, and provide insight into the work R&E conducts.

Supporting CNCS: Addressing the Agency's Mission

Our ambitious research and evaluation strategy addresses the Agency’s mission, accommodates agency-wide evidence priorities, and illuminates the Agency’s most effective policies, programs, and practices.

Reports published by the Office of Research and Evaluation are in one or more of the following study areas: Members (AmeriCorps and Senior Corps), Communities and Beneficiaries, Funded Organizations, and the Agency.