Program Development & Evaluation Flashcards
7 cards from real CNE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Program Development & Evaluation flashcards as text
A nonprofit wants to measure whether its job-training program actually helped participants find employment. Which evaluation type best answers this question?
Answer: Outcome evaluation
Outcome evaluation measures the actual changes or results experienced by program participants, such as employment rates after job training.
Which tool is most useful for mapping the causal chain between a program's activities and its intended long-term impact?
Answer: Logic model
A logic model visually displays the links between inputs, activities, outputs, short-term outcomes, and long-term impact.
When conducting a community needs assessment, which data collection method provides the richest qualitative insight into lived experiences?
Answer: In-depth focus groups with community members
Focus groups generate rich qualitative data by allowing facilitators to probe participants' experiences, perceptions, and priorities in depth.
A program serving 200 clients achieves outcomes for 140 of them. What is the program's outcome rate, and how should leadership interpret it?
Answer: 70%; a benchmark to compare against similar programs and targets
70% (140/200) is the raw rate, but meaning depends on comparison against the program's stated target and similar program benchmarks.
Which approach to program design starts by first identifying the desired end result and then working backward to determine necessary activities?
Answer: Backward design (theory of change)
Backward design begins with the desired long-term impact and works backward to identify the intermediate outcomes and activities needed to achieve it.
An evaluator uses a control group that receives no services to compare against program participants. This design is best described as:
Answer: Randomized controlled trial
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) randomly assigns participants to treatment and control groups, allowing the strongest causal inference about program effectiveness.
Which stakeholder group is MOST critical to involve during the program design phase to ensure cultural relevance and community buy-in?
Answer: Target population and community members
Involving the target population during design ensures the program addresses actual needs, respects cultural context, and builds community ownership.