Evaluation support is often most useful at the front end of the program cycle—during the design and development phase. We collaborate with program staff and stakeholders to articulate program theory and design using diverse tools and strategies, including theory of change, logic models, literature reviews, and strategic planning. Applying for a grant -- we can help!

Through Gaston-Shaffer, SEG facilitates strategic planning for educational agencies. Following a kick-off meeting with agency leadership, SEG launches a community consultation phase accompanied with community announcements and presentations at board meetings. The community consultation phase includes up to 8 focus groups with identified external and internal stakeholder groups, including students, business and industry representatives, local government and civic organization leadership, teachers and other instructional staff, administrators, non-instructional staff, and board members; and online surveys sent to internal and external stakeholders and posted on social media and the agency website. Results of the community consultation phase are shared with a steering committee; then the consulting team facilitates a series of meetings with the steering committee to generate a strategic plan including a mission, vision, values, goals, objectives, and performance metrics.

Performance monitoring ensures regular measurement of results, generating reliable data on program effectiveness. We design performance indicators using extant data, including student attendance and performance and course enrollment records, as well as customized data collection including surveys and assessments. Reporting methods are designed to engage, including dashboards and visualizations. 

Through evaluation, programs can be improved and their outcomes assessed. Our team has implemented evaluation studies using a wide range of evaluation designs, including non-experimental designs (fidelity studies, formative/process monitoring, case studies), quasi-experimental evaluations that utilize comparison cohorts, and experimental studies with random assignment. Data collection includes qualitative methods -- interviews, focus groups -- in addition to quantitative methods.  Learn more about our Title III grant evaluation services.

Organizations that are adept at learning from mistakes and adapting to new challenges are more likely to be successful and more likely to make significant progress toward mission-related outcomes. We offer professional development and planning services that improve an organization’s ability to use evaluation to learn from its work and improve results.  

Writing a grant is an intensive undertaking, critical for obtaining funding. We offer a holistic, all-encompassing approach to writing your grant. Our team also has the capacity to support our clients through singular elements of the process including evaluation of grant priorities, an examination of existing literature, or developing a program evaluation for their project. Additionally, we maintain a curated list of current grant opportunities for our clients. Learn more about our Title III grantwriting services.