Evaluation Toolkit

If you are looking for resources and information to support your journey of evaluating sexual violence prevention work, then you have come to the right place. We built this toolkit to increase your knowledge, give you access to useful tools, and point you toward additional resources. The goal of this toolkit is to increase the capacity to implement program evaluation for sexual violence prevention work by providing tools and guidance for both program implementers and those who support them.

Evaluation is a vast and diverse field of practice. Properly implemented and integrated with program implementation, it can help us do every aspect of our jobs better, and enable us to create deep and lasting change in our communities. Because there are so many types of evaluation and methods that can be used, the process of developing and implementing the appropriate evaluation for our work can sometimes feel overwhelming or not worthwhile. Sometimes when planning an evaluation we pick the easiest method, even if it is not the most useful for the context and content of our work. The purpose of this toolkit is to present you with evaluation tools that are accessible, implementation processes that are reasonable, and guidance on selecting the most effective methods for your evaluation tasks.

This toolkit offers guidance on evaluation within the context of primary prevention. This toolkit will equip you as prevention workers at the local and state levels with the knowledge and skills necessary to make strategic decisions about evaluation, including

• Designing and implementing evaluation of primary prevention programs
• Providing support to others doing evaluation work
• Understanding the language of evaluation to engage with consultants or other partners.

In each section of the toolkit, you will find one or more of the following to assist you in your capacity building efforts. You can browse the toolkit through the left menu or use the "next" and "back" buttons at the bottom of each section. Look for the icons below throughout the toolkit to link you to more information and resources.

Resources for Further Learning

More information on given evaluation topics and issues, most of which are free resources that are accessible on the Internet. Resources that are not free will be indicated with a $.

In addition to section-specific resources, check out the following Self-Study Guides for curated sets of resources that will lead you through a course of self-study on particular evaluation topics.

• Introduction to Evaluation
• Qualitative Evaluation
• Integrated, Creative, and Participatory Evaluation Approaches
• Evaluation Beyond Individual and Relationship-Level Changes
• Introduction to Data Visualization (Beginner)

Tools for Implementation

There are worksheets and other tools that can assist you in planning for or implementing program evaluations. Use the worksheets as you move through the toolkit.

• Doing Evaluation

  • Brainstorming Stakeholders 

  • Mapping Your Evaluation System

  • Evaluation Plan Checklist

  • Program Model Development Guide

  • Logic Model Worksheet 

• Outcomes and Indicators

  • Outcomes and Indicators Worksheet

  • Indicator Selection Tool

  • Evaluating How Activities Contribute to a Particular Policy

• Data Collection

  • Data Collection Hacks

  • Mapping Data Sources to Evaluation Questions

  • Identifying Data Options

• Tools, Methods, and Activities for Participatory Evaluation

• Organizational Support for Evaluation: Creating cultures of curiosity in the anti-sexual violence movement.

Training Activities

• Training activities that can assist you in spreading the knowledge and skills you’ve gained about evaluation with other people.

Examples

• Examples or case studies from the field can help you understand how certain evaluation methods or concepts have been applied by others who are working to prevent sexual violence.

Inspirations

• Videos about how communities are incorporating evaluation can help you think creatively and critically. Access the full NSVRC Mapping Evaluation Video Podcast series on YouTube.
• Watch the recording of a PreventConnect Peer Learning Forum about the Toolkit for a broad overview.
• Head over to NSVRC's podcast Resource on the Go for regular episodes on evaluation topics or browse our evaluation playlist on Spotify.

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