At Cobblestone we actively engage with our clients through all phases of the evaluation and research process. From the initial stages of study planning, through the final reporting stage and beyond, our team is with you every step of the way. Our goal is to work collaboratively with you to study your intervention and improve your program through data-driven decision making.
Our dedication to helping our clients achieve their program outcomes drives our approach to the evaluation process. With a strong emphasis on evaluation capacity building, our clients get much more than a rubber stamp for accountability.
Evaluation Planning
We work with our clients to plan personalized, reliable, and credible evaluations designed to meet the needs of you and your program.
Theory of Change / Logic Model Development
We work with you to visually represent the ‘logic’ of your program, articulating how specific activities are meant to lead to desired outputs and outcomes.
Proposal Development
When applying for a grant, we work with you to design a plan for evaluation that is aligned with your program design and funder requirements. We work collaboratively with clients to develop targeted evaluation questions as part of a feasible evaluation plan that can be implemented upon funding.
Evaluation Design
Whether you are rolling out a new initiative or already have a well-established program, it is important that your evaluation design meet your stakeholder’s criteria for credible evidence. Evaluation designs can include primarily quantitative data, qualitative data, or a mixture of both.
Conducting Evaluation & Applied Research Studies
We manage evaluations and applied research studies from start to finish – from data collection and analysis to reporting and dissemination.
Instrument Design & Identification
We identify reliable and valid instruments to assess implementation (e.g., dosage, quality) and outcomes. These are often used in studies and research that inform your proposal development. If not available, we design instruments to measure outcomes of interest.
Data Collection System Management
We collaborate with you to develop data collection systems that provide you with useful information about participant progress and implementation of key activities. We then plan processes to ensure appropriate and timely data collection.
Program Implementation Monitoring
To determine how or why a program may or may not lead to its intended outcomes, we assess implementation fidelity. We often include implementation measures in our evaluation design including indicators of dosage, adherence, and quality.
Data Analysis & Reporting
We analyze study data using the appropriate quantitative and qualitative software. Reporting study findings may involve a series of written reports or visual displays for internal use or submission to program funders. Additional reporting activities may involve presentations, working groups, or discussions to allow stakeholders to make meaning of evaluation findings and facilitate good decision-making.
Evaluation Capacity Building
Educating our current and prospective clients about the process of evaluation is a critical part of our work. We understand that individual experience with and capacity for evaluation varies widely. We work diligently to meet clients where they are.
Evaluability Assessment
Is your program ready to be evaluated? Our evaluability assessment process will help you determine the extent to which an informative evaluation can be conducted with your program. This process often sheds light on potential problems related to program design, allowing our clients to address problems before the formal evaluation process begins.
Training and Workshops
In addition to one-on-one work with clients, we also provide training via workshops and presentations for those interested in learning more about evaluation and the role it can have in program success.
Conference Presentations
Disseminating study results can be an important part of contributing to the research base. Along with our clients, we present at conferences and publish peer-reviewed articles help to communicate information about their programs and contribute to the research literature.