Even though evaluation is essential, program administrators and managers are often challenged to find ways to fund their evaluation efforts. The following resources present funding and cost-analysis strategies, along with suggestions for getting the most out of the evaluation process.
Applying the Research and Evaluation Provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act
McKlindon (2019)
Child Trends
Describes how the Federal Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 provides funding for prevention programs with specific requirements for the use of evidence-based programs and evaluation.
Children's Bureau-Funded Research
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2019)
Lists examples of research and evaluation projects funded by the Children's Bureau and includes a description of each.
Child Welfare: Purposes, Federal Programs, and Funding (PDF - 342 KB)
Congressional Research Service (2019)
Describes the work of child welfare agencies and discusses how their work is funded. Funding for "competitive grants, research and evaluation" made up 3 percent of all child welfare funding in fiscal year 2019.
Cost Analysis in Program Evaluation: A Guide for Child Welfare Researchers and Service Providers
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2014)
Presents a guide for program directors, evaluators, child welfare agency administrators, funders of research and evaluation projects, and others on the costs of program evaluation.
Cost Analysis in Program Evaluation Videos
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau Offers a two-part video series on how to perform a cost analysis of program evaluations in child welfare.
Cost Evaluation Toolkit
James Bell Associates, Inc. (2017)
Guides evaluators and program and financial staff in conducting a cost evaluation to understand how child welfare resources are used.
Evaluation Resource Guide for Children's Bureau Discretionary Grantees, Second Edition (PDF - 628 KB)
James Bell Associates, Inc. (2018)
Provides a guide for organizations that receive Federal grants and are required to conduct program evaluations. The guide offers information on cost analyses and cost studies for program evaluation (on page 15).