Operational Memorandum # 34

AACS PROGRAMS EVALUATION POLICY

The AACS expects its staff and community groups to function as effective and viable entities within their communities. Too, it recognizes a need for strengthening the accountability of the staff and community groups to their communities.

The AACS provides regular self-assessments of project progress conducted by or under the direction of the Board of Directors to ensure the effective operation of community-based programming. These reviews are conducted under the auspices of the Board's Planning and Evaluation Committee at prescribed times during each project year.

THE PROJECT EVALUATION

A Project Evaluation is the last link in closing the circle which includes planning, grant application, and implementation. A Project Evaluation requires a look both to the past and to the future -- to the past to the conditions which existed before applying for project funds, what the Board said it was going to do in the application for funds and/or contract and what has been done; and to the future to determine how the information gathered in the review and the conclusions reached can be used to revise the goals for the remainder of the program year, if necessary, and/or affect the work program for the coming program year(s).

A Project Evaluation is specifically carried out in order to determine:

1) What has been accomplished in meeting the Board's goals as shown in the overall work program;

2) The extent to which each program/project is achieving the purposes as designated in the Board-approved funding proposal or contract and overall work program;

3) The extent to which the program/project is meeting the general and specific standards of effectiveness described in the AACS master/overall work plan;

4) How efficiently AACS planning, project management and overall administration is carried out in addressing the problems of poverty.

PROJECT MONITORING

AACS staff shall monitor programs' performance under their respective grants and agreements and, where appropriate, ensure that time schedules are met, projected work units by time periods are accomplished, and other performance goals are achieved. This review shall be made for each function or activity of each project area as set forth in the approved proposal and/or award document.

The AACS Board, with the assistance of the staff, community groups, and the poor themselves, shall prepare regular, scheduled performance reports that briefly present the following information for each project, function, or activity involved:

1) A comparison of actual accomplishments with the goals established for the period, the findings of the Evaluation Committee(s), or both. The output of the programs or projects should be quantified.

2) Reasons why established goals were not met.

3) Other pertinent information including a problems analysis and explanations of excessive unit costs.

The local evaluation groups, staff and/or the Evaluation Committee(s) shall note the following types of conditions:

1) Problems, delays or adverse conditions that materially affect(ed) the ability to attain program objectives, prevent(ed) the meeting of time schedules and goals, or preclude(d) the attainment of project work units by prescribed time periods. This disclosure shall be accompanied by a statement of the action taken, or contemplated to resolve the deficiencies.

2) Favorable developments or events that enable time schedules to be met sooner than anticipated or more work units to be produced than originally projected.

THE EVALUATION PROCESS

The review process contains, at a minimum, the following:

1) A clear delineation of the roles of all participants in the review process, i.e., the Board itself, the Executive Director, other grantee staff, policy advisory committee(s), target area residents, and the community-at-large;

2) The assignment of responsibilities and allocation of resources for designing the review, gathering the information and analyzing it, developing the final report(s), and deciding how the findings will be used in making decisions; and

3) A description of how the findings and recommendations from the reviews will be used in making or planning changes to on-going or future projects and to improve the management of these projects and the agency as a whole.

*** In addition, the poor must also be involved in all phases including the preparation and review of the evaluation reports. It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors to develop and approve an evaluation policy and process which will ensure the participation of low-income persons.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM EVALUATION

The program evaluation shall measure actual performance against the approved work program for the period covered by the evaluation and review. The agency's work programs are contained in the respective annual refunding proposals.

Comparing with the submitted work plans, the project evaluations shall measure and analyze actual accomplishments against each and every item contained in the funded plans. The following specific data shall be provided:

1) The actual documented number of beneficiaries served per item or activity specified in the work plan. Attach or reference your documentation; anything which cannot be documented must be so stated. Staff will be held accountable for any documentation which is indicated on the evaluation report.

2) Calendar dates for achievement (completion) or stated progress levels actually achieved for goals and/or work plan items which cannot be quantified.

3) Stated actual performance. Do not overstate!

4) Stated work plan goals, milestones and/or targets which were not met. State reasons as to why these were not achieved.

5) Needed changes in the individual project work plan which should be considered by the Board.

6) Training which is needed.

7) Resources mobilized in support of the work program.

8) Any services rendered beyond those specifically noted and required in the work plan. Provide full detail, quantify results.

9) The effectiveness of affiliated community organizations, policy advisory committees and neighborhood groups. Address the areas of community issues, the composition and control of these community groups, the quality and nature of the AACS staff support, group training needs, and the resources available or needed.

10) Some projects must address certain other requirements. Please comment on these.

Be honest and forthright. This review must be objective and accurate; anything less will be unacceptable. This review is intended to expose both strengths and problems. Weaknesses cannot be addressed and improved unless all parties are objective. AACS supervisory staff and the Board shall review each project report with a view toward improving programs and services. Failure to provide accurate and objective reviews can only contribute to poor programming by the AACS.

PARTICIPATION OF THE CLIENTELE

The quality and degree of the participation of the poor and other recipients of AACS services in the planning, implementation and evaluation of each project area must be stated. Document and capsualize the actual participation of the poor for the period covered by the evaluation and specific goals and proposed activities to be undertaken to improve the quality and degree of poor persons' involvement in AACS programs.

Please note that the poor must participate in the evaluation of each AACS project. Appropriate meeting(s) must be called for this purpose; those poor persons attending such meetings shall sign an attendance sheet to attest to the validity of the evaluation of each project and their participation in the evaluation process. The attendance form must be submitted along with the project evaluation.

SUBMIT INPUTS

Forward your completed evaluation reports and forms to:

If you have any questions, please contact the Executive Director at the Central Office.

Thank You.

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