Program Evaluations and Social Needs Assessments
Our ability to blend quantitative and qualitative research techniques – along with an understanding of the practical challenges facing nonprofits and government agencies – has allowed us to assist many agencies with evaluations, strategic plans, and needs assessments. Our grasp of the potentials and pitfalls of community indicators also helps us determine if programs if making any lasting or wider impacts.
We can analyze, and we can advise. Neither is much good without the other!
Selected Major Examples
2005-08 Program Performance Measures Reporting System: Hawai`i Coastal Zone Management (accountability reporting to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration). We are assisting the State Office of Planning in working with all its partner agencies to develop and report annual Hawai`i indicators to the federal government for the new CZMA Performance Measurement System.
2001-2004 Summative Evaluation: Pacific Asian Consortium for International Business Education and Research (PACIBER) – Diploma Program . Three-year project, included tracking Master's-level exchange students at universities around the Pacific, surveys of faculty and students in innovative web-based courses, and input from school Deans and Directors.
2001 Research for Lanakila Rehabilitation Center's Strategic Planning. Secondary research, focus groups, and other guidance for center for disabled adults. Involved extensive interviews with various government and nonprofit agencies involved with assistance to adults with mental or physical challenges.
2001 Needs Assessment and Planning Study for Proposed New Kapahulu Community Center . Prepared for Kapahulu Center. Feasibility study to determine both community demand for new services and organizational willingness to pay for space in contemplated new center. Resident survey analysis and focus groups or interviews with potential tenant agencies.
2000 Evaluation of Kaua`i Violence Prevention Program . Prepared for Child & Family Service. Original staff and teacher interviews/surveys, development of program logic model, secondary analyses of past teacher questionnaires.
1994 Program Assessment: Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program . Prepared for Bishop Museum and NHCAP. Focus groups, surveys, organizational capacity analysis and recommendations for improving lines of decision-making and funding authority.
Overview of Experience and History
Program Evaluation, Performance Measures
• Hawai`i Coastal Zone Management performance measure data reporting to federal government (2005-08).
• Evaluation of multi-campus international MBA program based at UH-Manoa (2001-04).
• Co-evaluator, UH Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER, 2002).
• Handbook and workshop for Queen Lili`uokalani Children's Center field units on sources of, and uses for, community-level data in community planning and program evaluation (1999).
• Assistance to State Office of Youth Service programs in transition to outcomes-based system of evaluation, through University of Hawai`i Social Science Research Institute [SSRI], 1999).
• Family Center community and participant utilization analyses (1994).
• ALU LIKE Ke Ola Pono Kupuna Program organizational and impact assessment (1994, 1996).
• Evaluation of Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program (1993-94).
• Process and impact evaluation for Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Kupuna Program (1993-94) and Wai`anae Diet Funding (1993-94).
• Impact and cost evaluation for Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Scholarship Program (1993-94).
• Program evaluation for Hawai`i Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS), for AFDC recipients (1991-92).
Social Planning and Research
• New Communities Assessment Project, socio-demographic profiles of communities for Kamehameha Schools' early education initiative (2006).
• Native Hawaiian Community Survey, demographic/cultural mapping, Kamehameha Schools (2004)
• Community Outcomes report on quality of life indicators (private-public partnership) (2002).
• Lanakila Rehabilitation Center – research input to, and facilitator for, strategic planning (2002).
• Analysis of community indicators relevant to substance abuse prevention (SSRI, 2002).
• Surveys of Honolulu City pool users; design of user count system (2001).
• Analysis of resident survey on desired priorities for well-known Hawai`i private school (2000).
• University of Hawai`i community image study (1992-93).
Needs Assessment
• Hawai`i public housing resident service needs and gap analysis (2006, in progress).
• Kapahulu Community Center needs assessment & preliminary planning (2001).
• Housing needs survey and assessment, La`ie (1993).
• Analysis of social characteristics/needs, selected O`ahu regions, for Catholic Charities (1992).
• Child care research/planning for proposed preschool programs at Kuilima Resort (1989-91), Moloka`i Resort (1991), and City & County's proposed Mililani child care facility (1991).
• North Shore (O`ahu) assessment of job training, housing, and child care needs for Kuilima Resort (1990-91).
• Policy research consultant for Hawai`i State child care needs assessment study, Governor's Office of Children and Youth (1988-90).