Grant Writing Program Evaluation and Reporting 3

Question 1

In grant reporting, 'variance analysis' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Comparing actual performance to planned targets and explaining differences

Answer

Variance analysis examines gaps between projected and actual results and requires the grantee to explain why differences occurred.

Question 2

Which reporting element best demonstrates a program's cost-effectiveness to a funder?

Accepted Answer

Cost per outcome achieved

Answer

Cost per outcome (e.g., cost per participant who achieved the goal) shows how efficiently resources are converting to results.

Question 3

A grantee discovers mid-project that a key performance indicator is impossible to measure as written. The correct action is to:

Accepted Answer

Notify the funder and request a formal modification to the evaluation plan

Answer

Funders must be informed of measurement challenges; modifying evaluation plans requires formal approval to maintain grant compliance.

Question 4

The primary purpose of a 'theory of change' in a grant proposal is to:

Accepted Answer

Articulate the causal pathway from activities to long-term impact

Answer

A theory of change explains the logic connecting program activities through outcomes to the desired long-term impact.

Question 5

Which data collection method is most appropriate for capturing nuanced participant experiences that surveys may miss?

Accepted Answer

In-depth qualitative interviews

Answer

Qualitative interviews allow participants to describe experiences in their own words, revealing depth and context surveys cannot capture.

Grant Writing Practice Test