This document discusses evaluation of projects funded by the Innovation and Strategic Development (IESD) program. It notes that evaluation was previously seen as a barrier to applying for funding. The document recommends that grantees conduct an evaluation of their IESD project using allocated funding. Evaluation should be seen as a tool to improve projects by understanding what works and why. Projects can be evaluated internally or externally. Evaluations should specify the aims, questions, methodology, outputs, and budget. Examples of what to evaluate include delivery models, outcomes, impacts, stakeholder involvement, and cost effectiveness. The document provides tips on measuring impact and notes helpful evaluation guidance available online.

1. 1
Evaluation
IESD Meet the Funder Event 2013

2. 2
Context Around Evaluation
• Historically we have received a low number of
Excellence applications
• Evaluation was seen as a barrier to applying to
Excellence Strand
• Under the Innovation and Strategic
Development Strands some organisations
scored low on evaluation questions

3. 3
Evaluation
• We would expect you to conduct an evaluation
of your IESD project using the funding you
have allocated from within your approved grant
• If you plan your evaluation at the start of the
project you can ensure it is built into the
planning and delivery of your project

4. 4
Benefits of Evaluation
• Evaluation should be seen as a tool to help
improve your project.
• It can help you to understand why and how
your project is working.
• It enables you to involve stakeholders in giving
and collecting feedback.
• It provides evidence to future commissioners
about the success of your project

5. 5
Monitoring vs. Evaluation
• Evaluation involves an assessment or
judgement of your project based on the
information you collect about it.
• It focuses on ‘how’ processes or projects work
and ‘why’ they work and helps you to
understand what worked or did not work and
why.

6. 6
Monitoring vs. Evaluation 2
• Whilst Monitoring helps you to see whether
your aims and objectives are being met,
evaluation helps you to understand why and
how.

7. 7
Who undertakes the evaluation?
• Internal evaluation – which can be carried out
by internal staff or volunteers.
• External evaluation - by a university or another
vcs etc.
• The advantages of using an external evaluator
are that you will have an independent view and
that it will not take up staff resource
• Need to subcontract through a competitive
tendering process

8. 8
Evaluation specification
Needs to include the following:
• Overview of your requirement
• Aim of the evaluation and questions to be answered
• Background and context to the project
• Required methodology or approach
• Outputs and deliverables
• Timetable
• Requirements for dissemination
• Available budget (optional)

9. 9
What to evaluate
Every evaluation will be looking at something
different, so there is no set answer. Examples
include:
• The delivery model
• Service user outcomes and impacts
• Other/wider impacts
• Stakeholder involvement
• Partnership working
• Sustainability
• Cost effectiveness or value for money
• Good or effective practice

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How to Measure Impact
• Local health data from DH website
• Physical health indicators
• Lifestyle indicators
• Measures of how many falls or hip fractures
• Perceptions of health
• Perceptions of life satisfaction

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Useful Information
Helpful guidance on Evaluation can be found on
the Health and Social Care’s Volunteering Fund
website;
www.volunteeringfund.com