plotlineEvaluation

Where your data becomes your story.

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Services

Two ways to engage: external evaluation for the life of a grant, or a fixed-scope project with a written quote and a firm date. Running a company rather than a program? We also evaluate operations, financial performance, and processes and procedures: see evaluation for businesses.

Everything we do is quoted. The quote depends on the scope, the length of the project, the number of sites and people involved, and any travel. The scope call is free.

External evaluation for funded programs

We serve as the independent evaluator named in your award, from kickoff to the final report. Process, outcome or impact, formative or summative: the kind of evaluation your award calls for, including comparison-group impact evaluations where the funder requires them.

We are a mixed-methods practice. The numbers show what changed and by how much. Interviews, focus groups and observations show why. We design both into the evaluation from the start, read each against the other, and report them as one story.

Plan

  • Logic model
  • Evaluation plan and measurement framework
  • Needs assessment where the award requires one

Collect

  • Surveys of all kinds
  • Standardized instruments and custom-built tools
  • Focus groups
  • Interviews
  • Observations

Analyze

  • Qualitative analysis
  • Quantitative analysis
  • Mixed-methods integration: each read against the other
  • Data management: collection systems, cleaning, secure storage, documentation

Report

  • Expert data visualization and dashboards
  • Annual and final reporting in multiple formats
  • The performance measures your funder requires

Priced from the evaluation budget in your approved application. Not funded yet? Start with the free evaluation plan.

Fixed-scope projects

Plan

Logic model and evaluation plan

Facilitated working sessions, a logic model your team recognizes, and an evaluation plan with measures, data sources and timing.

About two weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Needs assessment

Existing data, surveys, interviews and focus groups brought together into a clear statement of need you can plan and apply from.

Six to ten weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Collect

Survey project

Surveys of all kinds: design, sampling, administration online, on paper or by phone, analysis and a clear summary of what people told you.

About three weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Focus group package

Discussion guide, two facilitated groups (remote or in person), qualitative analysis and a thematic report with recommendations.

About four weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Interview package

Interview guide, up to ten stakeholder or participant interviews, qualitative analysis and a findings report.

About four weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Program observation

A structured observation protocol, on-site or remote observation of the program as delivered, and a report on what is happening against what was planned.

Two to three weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Analyze

Qualitative analysis of data you already have

Transcripts, open-ended survey answers, case notes. We code them, test the themes against the source and report what they show.

Two to four weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Data management and quantitative analysis

Scattered spreadsheets become one clean, documented dataset, analyzed to answer the questions your funder and your board are asking.

Two to four weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Report

Dashboards and data visualization

Expert data visualization: an interactive dashboard and the charts for your reports, built so staff can read them without a statistician.

About three weeks. Quoted to your scope.

Final reporting and report rescue

A funder report is due and the data is scattered. We assemble it, analyze it and deliver it in the formats you need: full report, executive summary, slide deck, one-page brief or dashboard.

Timed to your deadline. Quoted to your scope.

How every project runs

  1. A scope call, free of charge.
  2. A written scope: deliverables, price and dates.
  3. The work, with a short weekly check-in.
  4. Delivery, and a walkthrough with your team so the findings get used.

Request a proposal

Tell us what you need and when you need it. You will hear back within one business day.

Every inquiry is confidential. We never sell or share your information. Privacy policy.