How do you train program evaluators for non-profit programs?

1 Assess your needs

Before you start training program evaluators, you need to assess your organization's needs and goals. What kind of programs do you run and what are the intended outcomes? What are the evaluation questions and indicators that matter most to your stakeholders? How much time and resources can you allocate to evaluation activities? How will you use the evaluation findings to inform decision-making and improvement? By answering these questions, you can identify the gaps and priorities for your evaluation capacity building.

2 Choose your methods

Next, you need to choose the evaluation methods that best suit your programs and needs. There are many different types of evaluation methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, case studies, experiments, and more. Each method has its own strengths and limitations, and you need to consider the validity, reliability, feasibility, and ethics of each one. You also need to decide whether you want to use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods, and how you will analyze and interpret the data.

3 Develop your curriculum

Once you have selected your evaluation methods, you need to develop a curriculum that covers the essential knowledge and skills for program evaluators. The curriculum should include topics such as evaluation design, data collection, data analysis, data visualization, report writing, and communication. You should also include examples and exercises that are relevant and applicable to your programs and context. The curriculum should be flexible and adaptable to different levels of experience and learning styles.

4 Deliver your training

The next step is to deliver your training to your program evaluators. You can use various formats and modalities, such as workshops, webinars, online courses, mentoring, coaching, or peer learning. You should also use interactive and engaging methods, such as discussions, case studies, simulations, games, or quizzes. You should also provide feedback and support to your trainees throughout the training process. You can use tools such as surveys, tests, portfolios, or evaluations to measure their learning outcomes and satisfaction.

5 Evaluate your training

The final step is to evaluate your training program and its impact on your program evaluators. You can use different methods and sources, such as feedback forms, interviews, focus groups, observations, or self-assessments. You should also collect data on the performance and behavior of your program evaluators before and after the training, such as their evaluation quality, frequency, confidence, or challenges. You should also track the changes and improvements in your programs and outcomes as a result of the evaluation activities.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?