Grant Writing Program Evaluation and Reporting 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The term 'fidelity monitoring' in program evaluation refers to:
- Auditing financial records for accuracy
- Assessing whether the program is implemented as designed (Correct answer)
- Tracking staff attendance at training sessions
- Verifying participant eligibility documentation
Correct answer: Assessing whether the program is implemented as designed
Fidelity monitoring checks whether program components are delivered consistently and as intended by the model.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes a 'mixed-methods' evaluation approach?
- Using two different funders for one program
- Combining quantitative data and qualitative data in the same evaluation (Correct answer)
- Hiring both internal and external evaluators simultaneously
- Measuring outcomes at two different time points
Correct answer: Combining quantitative data and qualitative data in the same evaluation
Mixed-methods evaluation integrates both numerical data (quantitative) and narrative/interview data (qualitative) for a fuller picture.
Question 3: A grantee's final report shows that 95% of participants were satisfied with the program, but employment rates did not change. This finding suggests:
- The evaluation tools were invalid and should be discarded
- Participant satisfaction is sufficient evidence of program success
- Program satisfaction does not guarantee outcome achievement (Correct answer)
- The funder should automatically renew the grant
Correct answer: Program satisfaction does not guarantee outcome achievement
High satisfaction shows a positive experience but does not prove that the intended behavioral or economic outcomes were achieved.
Question 4: Which federal reporting system is commonly used by HHS grantees to submit performance data?
- SAM.gov
- Performance Progress Report (PPR) / SF-PPR (Correct answer)
- FAFSA portal
- USASpending.gov
Correct answer: Performance Progress Report (PPR) / SF-PPR
HHS grantees typically submit performance progress using the SF-PPR (Performance Progress Report) through GrantSolutions or Grants.gov systems.
Question 5: When calculating a program's 'reach,' evaluators are measuring:
- The depth of attitude change in participants
- The total number of people served or exposed to the intervention (Correct answer)
- The geographic distance between program sites
- The number of media outlets that covered the program
Correct answer: The total number of people served or exposed to the intervention
Reach refers to the scope of who was touched by the program, typically expressed as a count of participants or community members served.
Question 6: A funder asks a grantee to conduct a 'needs assessment' before the program launches. The purpose is to:
- Determine the salary scale for new hires
- Document that a gap exists between current conditions and desired outcomes (Correct answer)
- Recruit volunteers for the program
- Calculate indirect cost rates
Correct answer: Document that a gap exists between current conditions and desired outcomes
A needs assessment establishes the documented problem or gap that justifies the proposed program intervention.
Question 7: In an evaluation report, presenting 'lessons learned' serves primarily to:
- Justify budget overruns to the funder
- Share insights that can improve future programming and inform the field (Correct answer)
- Replace the outcome data section when results are poor
- Meet a legal disclosure requirement
Correct answer: Share insights that can improve future programming and inform the field
Lessons learned capture what worked, what didn't, and why—creating knowledge that benefits future programs and contributes to the sector.
Grant Writing Program Evaluation and Reporting 4
The term 'fidelity monitoring' in program evaluation refers to: