Resources

Tools

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

These tools can be used to conduct evaluations and come from a variety of sources, including EPA and other evaluation organizations.

EPA Tools

• Program Evaluation Glossary — Glossary that reflects the meaning of the evaluation terminology from both the social scientist's and the practitioner's point of view
• Online Logic Model Training — An online course with interactive features that provides users with the basic steps for creating a logic model
• Guidelines for Measuring EPA Partnership Programs (PDF) (49 pp, 1.1MB) — Guidelines for developing and using performance measures for EPA Partnership programs
• Guidelines for Evaluating EPA Partnership Programs (PDF) (68 pp, 1.7MB) — Guidelines for conducting evaluations of EPA Partnership programs
• Guidelines for Formatting Evaluation Reports and Presentations (PDF) (14 pp, 269K) — Guidelines to writing reports and presentations
• Worksheet for Planning, Conducting and Managing Program Evaluations (PDF) (37 pp, 201K) — Worksheet that helps evaluators focus and conduct an evaluation as well as present the results
• ICRs for Program Evaluation — This set of documents describes the guidelines that EPA must follow when collecting information from the public. These guidelines are used to minimize the burden that the government places on the public.

Tools from Other Organizations

• Logic Model Resources — University of Wisconsin provides a self-study online module for developing a logic model.

Organizations

These organizations are separated into government evaluation units and professional organizations. All the organizations relate to program evaluation or performance measurement.

Note: This page provides links to non-EPA web sites. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of information on non-EPA pages. Providing links to a non-EPA Web site is not an endorsement of the other site or the information it contains by EPA or any of its employees. Also, be aware that the privacy protection provided on the EPA.gov domain (see Privacy and Security Notice) may not be available at the external link.

Government Evaluation Units

• General Accounting Office (GAO) investigates and reports on how the federal government spends tax money, which often involves doing evaluations. This website houses GAO's reports.
• Federal Evaluators is a network of federal employees involved in evaluation. Their website houses resources for evaluating federal government programs.
• Environment Canada is an agency in the Canadian government, committed to protecting the environment through the current administration's agenda. Environment Canada has an Evaluation Division, dedicated to keeping programs efficient and effective.

Professional Organizations

• American Evaluator's Association (AEA) is an international, professional association of evaluators. The AEA sponsors an annual evaluation conference and supports an Environmental Program Evaluation Topical Interest Group (EPE TIG).
• Association for Public Policy Analysis and Managements (APPAM) is a non-profit organization that works to improve public policy and management through research, analysis, and education.
• Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) is a Canadian, non-profit association dedicated to the advancement of evaluation theory and practice.
• climate-eval is a website dedicated to connecting professionals interested in climate change and international development evaluation.
• Conservation Measures Partnership is a partnership of conservation organizations that seek better ways to design, manage, and measure the impacts of their conservation actions. CMP offers a variety of tools to assist programs as they undertake these efforts.
• Environmental Evaluator's Network (EEN) is an international organization, comprised of environmental evaluators and evaluation consumers, that seeks to further the field of environmental evaluation.
• Erica.net Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation provides resources and educational information on educational assessment, evaluation, and research methods.
• The Evaluator's Institute (TEI) provides education and training in the field of evaluation.
• Innovation Network is a nonprofit that consults, trains, and provides education through online tools on program planning and evaluation.
• National Academy of Public Administration consults with government and private foundations on a variety of aspects of public management, including evaluation and performance measurement.
• Western Michigan University Evaluation Center is a part of Western Michigan University and advances the field of evaluation through research and education.
• World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is a division of the World Bank that evaluates the activities of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) work in private sector development, and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)'s guarantee projects and services. IBRD, IDA, IFC, and MIGA are all organizations that are a part of the World Bank.
• The World Bank Institute (WBI) Evaluation Group provides training in evaluation and monitoring to World Bank clients and staff.

Evaluation Guides

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

These evaluation guides are from various organizations and discuss principles and instructions for conducting program evaluations or creating performance measures.

Note: This page provides links to non-EPA web sites. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of information on non-EPA pages. Providing links to a non-EPA Web site is not an endorsement of the other site or the information it contains by EPA or any of its employees. Also, be aware that the privacy protection provided on the EPA.gov domain (see Privacy and Security Notice) may not be available at the external link.

• Achieving and Measuring Community Outcomes: Challenges, Issues, Some Approaches (PDF) (34 pp, 77K) — This report, created by the United Way, outlines some of the key issues that they have had and the different ways that they have tackled them.
• AEA Guiding Principles for Evaluators — These guidelines provide a set of standards for performing ethical evaluations.
• Evaluation Handbook (PDF) (116 pp, 1.1MB) — W.K. Kellogg Foundation's handbook outlines the basic information on evaluation, the history of evaluation, and how to conduct an evaluation.
• Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health — The Center for Disease Control provides general guidelines for doing an evaluation, and even though it is meant specifically for the public health sector, many of the principles are applicable to evaluations across the board.
• Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (JCSEE) — JCSEE publishes widely recognized standards on evaluation.
• Logic Model Development Guide (PDF) (71 pp, 280K) — W.K. Kellogg Foundation published this guide to provide basic information on logic models as well as instructions and exercise on how to create them.
• Practical Evaluation for Public Managers: Getting the Information You Need (PDF) (49 pp, 188K) — The Department of Health and Human Services created this document to discuss why program evaluations should be conducted, good techniques for evaluating programs, and how to incorporate evaluation into managing programs.
• Program Measurement and Evaluation: Definitions and Relationships (PDF) (2 pp, 86K) — The Government Accountability Office has provided this document to describe and discuss the relationship between evaluation and performance measurement.
• Taking Stock: A Practical Guide to Evaluating Your Own Programs — Horizon Research Inc. has created this guide to evaluating programs and includes everything from getting started to reporting your results.
• Understanding Evaluation: The Way to Better Prevention Programs — This report, prepared by the U.S. Department of Education, explains the basics of evaluation, especially in regards to education, and then uses a fictitious case study to further illustrate the steps of an evaluation.
• User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation (PDF) (92 pp, 379K) — The National Science Foundation has developed this report to detail how to do an evaluation.