The Center for Program Evaluation provides a range of services from technical assistance to full external evaluations to numerous organizations and agencies using a partnership evaluation model. Partnership evaluation represents a shared and active approach to critical inquiry, with evaluators sharing the responsibility and commitment for evaluation with community and program stakeholders. Evaluators and stakeholders work together to assess programs or organizations and use information gleaned from the evaluation to inform decision-making and improve programs and systems.
Unlike more traditional research and evaluation designs, partnership evaluation designs are more evolutionary in nature—methodology and questions emerge as program processes evolve and as preliminary findings reveal new directions and program impacts not identified at the outset of the process. Our program evaluations blend traditional research methods and reporting, such as pre-post surveys and technical reports, with alternative methods and reporting strategies as dictated by program and client needs.
Three focal service areas of the Center for Program Evaluation are:
- Securing grants and contracts to provide quality evaluation services for new initiatives, programs, and service delivery systems both independently and in collaboration with the Univerity faculty and community-based partners
- Increasing the capacity of UNR faculty, community based organizations, and educational and health systems in Nevada through ongoing evaluation training, support, and technical assistance
- Providing high quality training experiences to promote evaluation as a profession to help meet the growing demand for program evaluation services
Graduate Programs
Evaluation Training Institute. Since 2004, CPE has offered several program evaluation courses through the organization's annual Evaluation Training Institute (ETI). Course selection varies each year.
Past courses offered include:
- Program Evaluation as Partnership Evaluation. This course provides an orientation to CPEPD’s approach to program evaluation and basic strategies for conducting evaluations.
- Youth as Evaluators. This course will review strategies to include youth in the evaluation of school and community-based programs and initiatives.
- Community Needs Assessment. This course will review strategies to identify the assets or resources in communities as well as their needs and problems.
- Family Support Program Evaluation. This course will review strategies to design programs and evaluations that engage families as partners in setting and achieving their own goals.
- Introduction to Program Evaluation. Experientially-based four day institute that will introduce participants to the purposes of program evaluation, different approaches to conducting evaluation studies, methodology, evaluability assessments and their role in assessing impacts, and general guidelines and principles of the profession. (2 credits)
- Evidence-based Practices: Implications for Evaluating Community Youth Development Initiatives. This experientially-based two day institute will begin with a one-day evaluation conference in which participants will include University of Nevada, Reno students along with Nevada evaluators and coalition staff exchanging perspectives and experiences from both sides of the evidence-based continuum: the benefits and challenges of research-based vs. evaluation-based evidence. The second day will engage participants in a series of activities to reflect upon, analyze, and draw conclusions about the value of current national trends in funding and evaluation for rural, frontier communities and community youth development initiatives.
- Applications and Approaches in Evaluation I. Experientially-based four day institute that will explore further with participants the purposes of program evaluation, different approaches to conducting evaluation studies, methodology, evaluability assessments and their role in assessing impacts, and general guidelines and principles of the profession.
- Reflective Practice in Evaluation. The course is designed as a practicum in program evaluation using a partnership evaluation approach. The practicum experiences will address all aspects of program evaluation for the purpose of providing an overview of the various tasks and competencies involved in working in partnership with consumers and project staff to design and conduct evaluations from the planning and proposal development stage to the analysis, reporting, and presentation of findings stage. The practicum experience will link students with existing CPE evaluation contracts providing them with varied experiences along the evaluation continuum. The seminar will emphasize “reflective practice competencies, engaging students in structured reflection activities designed to help them identify their potential strengths and challenges as a professional evaluator.
- Applications and Approaches in Evaluation II: Evaluating Community Health and Wellness Programs. Experientially-based two day institute that will acquaint participants with current trends in public health evaluations, including conceptual frameworks and methodology through case studies of national and Nevada-based public health initiatives and evaluations. Participants will examine trends in national and global public health policies and their implications for evaluation studies.
Future Evaluation Opportunities for Students: Graduate Certificate in Program Evaluation
We are currently exploring a graduate-level certificate in program evaluation with several departments on campus. This evaluation certificate program would give graduate students and community members with at least bachelor’s degree opportunities to take evaluation-specific courses and assist in field work with local evaluators in Northern Nevada on their current evaluation contracts. The program would complement a graduate student’s current program of study by developing an individualized plan of required courses and opportunities to insure the student is proficient in the six core competency areas of program evaluation:
- Professional Practice
- Systematic Inquiry
- Project Management
- Interpersonal Competence
- Reflective Practice
- Situational Analysis