Effective Grant Writing and Program Evaluation for Human Service Professionals

Francis K. O. Yuen, DSW, ACSW, is a Professor in the Division of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento. He has served in many capacities as human service agency administrator; principal investigator for government grant projects; grant writer and reviewer; and program evaluator for local, state, and international projects. Kenneth L. Terao, MA, is a senior evaluation specialist with JBS International, Inc., Aguirre Division, a social science research firm located in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been a director and evaluator for many major grant-funded projects in community and educational settings.Anna Marie Schmidt, MA, is an evaluation specialist with JBS International, Inc., Aguirre Division, a social science research firm located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Previously, she managed national and international nonprofit projects.

• Acknowledgments xiAbout the Authors xiiiAbout the Contributors xvChapter 1 Introduction 1Purpose of This Book 1The Organization and Approaches Used for This Book 2Grant Writing and Program Evaluation: Outcomes and Evidence 4Grant Proposal and Performance Measures 4Evidence-Based Practice 5Defining Program and Program Planning 6What Is a Program? 6What Is Program Planning? 7The Ethics and Secret Handshake of Grant Writing and Program Evaluation 7Chapter 2 Community and Target Population, Service Providers, and Funding Sources 11The Good Idea Program 12What Is a Community? 13Macro Practice, Grant Writing, and Program Evaluations 14Target Populations and Needs 15Service Providers 17Professional Insight 2.1: Agency Administrator to Get Support for Service Projects 19Funding Sources 21Government 22Professional Insight 2.2: Important Suggestions Related to State or Federal Grant Funds 24Foundations 27Professional Insight 2.3: Ten Tips on Successful Grant Seeking 28Chapter 3 Basic Research Methods and Program Evaluation 31Program Evaluation: A Practice of Social Research 32Research Question 33Developing a Research Question 33Ethical Considerations 34Research Designs 38Qualitative and Quantitative Research 38Inductive and Deductive Learning 39Four Major Types of Research Designs 40Exploratory Designs 40Descriptive Designs 41Experimental Designs 43Evaluative Research Design 46A Mixed Approach 47Validity and Reliability 47Professional Insight 3.1: What Is “Self-Determination” All About? 48Validity 49Internal and External Validity 51Reliability 52The Relationship between Validity and Reliability 53Causation and Correlation 53Correlation and Association 55Sampling 56Probability Sampling (Random Sampling) 57Nonprobability Sampling (Nonrandom Sampling) 59Sample Size: How Many Is Needed? 60Data Collection and Instruments 61Data Analysis 63Four Levels of Measurement 63Dependent and Independent Variables 67Statistics 68Chapter 4 Program Planning and Evaluation 73Needs Assessment 74Define Needs Assessment 75Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation 75Purpose of the Needs Assessment 76Key Steps in Designing a Needs Assessment 77Program Planning Formula 83Why, Who/Whom, What, Where, When 83How and How Much 85Evaluation 85Logic Model as a Tool for Planning and Evaluation and Theory of Change 86Theory of Change 86Logic Model 87Chapter 5 Grant Proposal Writing: Beginning with the End in Mind 99Grant and Contract 100Request for Proposal, Request for Application, and Program Announcement 101Letter of Intent/Letter of Inquiry 105Getting Ready, Logic Model, and Program Planning and Evaluation Worksheet 105Key Components of a Grant Proposal 107Abstract: Write Last, Read First, Most Frequently Used 109Table of Contents: A Roadmap for Your Proposal 110Specific Aims: A Summary of Purpose and Results 111Target Population: To Whom It May Concern 117Approaches and Methods: What, Why, When, Where, Who, and How 118Agency Capacities and Project Management: The Service Providers and Program Management 124Budget and Budget Justifications: Program Plan in Dollars and Cents 128Evaluation Plan: Tell the Stories—Successes and Challenges 134Proposal Reviews 134Professional Insight 5.1: A Reviewer’s Perspective on Preparing Proposals 136Chapter 6 Program Evaluation 139The Level of Rigor 140Outcome-Focused Evaluation 142Empowerment Evaluation 142Outcome-Focused Empowerment Evaluation 143Indicators 143Data Source 144Instrument Type and Method of Evaluation 145Bringing Together the Indicator, Data Source, and Instrument Type 148Evaluation Section of a Proposal 148Evaluation Questions 149Methodology 149Targets for Success 150Evaluation Worksheet and Evaluation Plan 150Beyond the Grant Proposal 152Select/Develop Instruments 153Professional Insight 6.1: Tips for Anticipating Criticism and Planning Accordingly 160Getting Prepared for Data Collection 162Planning for Data Analysis 164Reporting Evaluation Results 165Turning Your Data into an Evaluation Report 165Chapter 7 Learning by Doing: Exercises, Templates, Samples, Checklists, and Training Ideas 169Samples and Self-Help Materials 170Section I: Needs Assessment 171Section II: Results Terminology and Logic Model 183Section III: Grant Application 188Section IV: Program Planning and Evaluation 191Section V: Instrument Development 195Section VI: Evaluation Plan 208Section VII: Interactive Group Activities 211Professional Insight 7.1: Program Improvement 215Chapter 8 Real-Life Samples 219Grant Proposals 219A Coordinated Approach to Youth: Prevention and Intervention Services in Sun Town 220Mandarin Chinese Class in Your School’s Proposals 229Evaluation Plans 232Evaluation Plan Sample 232Domestic Violence Prevention Program: Together with Services (TWS) 237Chapter 9 Application of Information Technology 247Information Technology 247Funding Sources 247Grant Applications: Going Green 249Referencing Information Technology Sources 251Evaluation Methods and Technology 252Electronic Surveys 252Database Software 253Finding the Information Technology 254Author Index 257Subject Index 259

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