Organization,
Management and
Fund Development
Consultants for 
Non-Profits
SOLOMON
ASSOCIATES
SAM SOLOMON
 
 
 
 
 
 

8 Browne Street
Brookline, MA 02446
617 278 9823
617 738 0173 fax
ssolomon@erols.com

 
PROGRAM EVALUATION

Program evaluation should be an important part of the decision-making process for agency executives, governing boards and funders.  Our evaluations are designed to measure effectiveness of programs and services; review service delivery policies and procedures; determine additional human and financial resources may be required for program expansion or to sustain program quality; and, in some cases, target programs or services that should be phased out.  Our evaluation services provide the capacity to conduct comprehensive program assessments, ensure objectivity and preserve valuable staff time for core agency activities.  Our evaluation reports can be particularly useful to:

  • Demonstrate programmatic achievements and support funding applications
  • Provide an important means of assessing staff performance
  • Furnish documentation for legislative or other advocacy efforts
  • Comply with program contract requirements
  • Support communications and marketing initiatives
An evaluation typically begins with a review of appropriate background materials related to the program, including grant/contract funding proposals; internal reports or board/committee minutes; audit and other financial reports; and program promotional materials.  Meeting with staff and board members, we seek to ensure a mutual understanding of what the agency wishes to learn from the evaluation.  We are then able to develop an appropriate data gathering process.

We generally utilize interviews to obtain individual assessments of the program from a range of stakeholders both inside and outside the agency.  A survey questionnaire may be used when the number of proposed respondents is considered too large for individual interviews - or to supplement a group of interviews.  In addition, focus groups - comprised of clients, consumers, funders and/or members of the organization - can be used to document perceptions, attitudes and opinions about the agency and the program in a more substantive way.  We also review data from other sources - e.g., media materials, research projects, etc. - that may help in the assessment.  We provide a final evaluation report, summarizing the assessment findings and setting forth recommendations for the agency’s consideration.

Our broad experience in the non-profit sector and the depth and range of our professional services bring added value the planning and implementation of an organization’s program evaluation activities.