New & Noteworthy
Supporting Nonprofit Tobacco Prevention: Celebrating Our Partnership with Waymakers
EVALCORP has partnered with Waymakers, a nonprofit organization in Orange County, California, for more than fifteen years to support tobacco prevention evaluation. Throughout this partnership, one of our roles has been to help Waymakers collect the data needed to strengthen their work, document progress, and meet the requirements of the California Tobacco Prevention Program (CTPP). Waymakers leads…
The Role of Local Evaluation Plans in BSCC-Funded Programs
Evaluation is a compliance requirement for grantees funded by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). It is also essential for demonstrating accountability, measuring impact, and strengthening programs that aim to enhance community safety and well-being. One of the key evaluation deliverables required under BSCC grants is the Local Evaluation Plan (LEP). This…
Insights from AEA 2025: Advancing Evaluation Through Community Engagement and Methodological Innovation
Two of our team members recently returned from the 2025 American Evaluation Association conference in Kansas City, Missouri, energized by conversations exploring the latest innovations in evaluation practice. With the conference theme “Engaging Community, Sharing Leadership,” they contributed their expertise and gleaned insights about how evaluators can lead in supporting communities. Dr. Anthony Clairmont —…
How Evaluation Consultants Can Help Organizations During Policy Transitions
Policy transitions—whether driven by changes in administration, new legislation, or shifts in funding priorities—create both challenges and opportunities for community-based organizations. During these periods of uncertainty, evaluation consultants can serve as strategic partners, helping organizations navigate change while maintaining program quality and impact. In this post, we’ll explore how evaluation consultants can support organizations through…
The Importance of Program Evaluation in Achieving Non-Profit Goals
Non-profits operate with inspiring missions, limited resources, and high expectations from donors, stakeholders, and communities. Every initiative they launch is designed to solve a problem, improve lives, or strengthen communities. But how do organizations know whether their programs are truly working as intended? That is where program evaluation becomes indispensable. For organizations dedicated to creating…
How Evaluation Can Strengthen Foundation Grant Proposals and Organizational Impact
In the world of philanthropy, foundation grants serve as a vital source of funding for nonprofit organizations, driving initiatives that address social issues, promote research, support the arts, and enhance community well-being. However, to succeed in the competitive grant-seeking landscape, one cannot overlook the integral role of evaluation in foundation grantmaking. In this blog, we’ll explore why…
System-Wide Evaluation Support for Behavioral Health Services
Currently, EVALCORP is partnering with eight counties across the state of California on behavioral health initiatives. In this post, we offer a snapshot of our work in one of those counties to illustrate how our program evaluation and needs assessment services work in the behavioral health sector, and touch on the future of mental health…
The BHSA Transition Guide Part 2: Reporting Expectations
Integrated Plans, Community Planning, Transparency Reports, and Timelines In our previous post, we examined how California’s Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), enacted under Proposition 1, restructures and redefines the priorities of the former Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). Since then, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has released Version 1.2.0 of its BHSA…
From Social Host Ordinances to Opioid Settlement Funds: Celebrating our Long-Term Partnership with Ventura County Behavioral Health, Substance Use Services
EVALCORP has had the opportunity to work with the Substance Use Services division of Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH) since 2006, and that long view has allowed our team to generate insights that shape how we approach the work. We have led program evaluation and strategic planning projects for several VCBH substance use and prevention…