Grants & Awards: DHP: Grant Application & Reference Material:
Outcomes and Evaluation
Samples to Use When Formatting and Writing your Section II Narrative
Outcomes should be predictions of the results of your project. Evaluations should be the activities you undertake to measure and assess your progress in achieving those results. See section III of the Application Narrative Instructions, Outcomes and Evaluation, pages 43-45.
All Projects
DHP Outcome 1: People who are involved in or learn about the project gain increased awareness of the value of historical records and the importance of organizations that preserve and make them accessible.
Example: The Environmental Action Alliance’s (EAA) Documentation project focuses on the records of three environmental organizations in the region, the EAA, the Land Trust, and Sustainable Solutions.
Project Outcome Statement 1a: Each organization’s leadership team, its board of directors, and its members learn more about its organization and come to appreciate that its records contribute to the history of the environmental movement in the region and the state. They also understand why it is important that the History Society accession the records and make them accessible to students and teachers, environmental activists, and the public.
Evaluation 1b: The Environmental Action Alliance will survey the three organizations’ leadership teams and members at the end of the project to assess what they have learned about the organizations and the value and potential uses of their records.
DHP Outcome 2: Access tools (including MARC records and finding aids) created as a result of the project meet archival standards; needs assessment reports are consistent with archival best practices.
Example: The History Society’s Arrangement & Description project focuses on the records of two Latino organizations.
Project Outcome Statement 2a: With DHP’s Finding Aid Template as a reference and with the Consulting Archivist as a mentor, the archival assistant produces finding aids for the records of the Latino Cultural Center and the Hispanic Alliance that meet archival standards. Once the finding aids are finished, and again with the Consulting Archivist as a mentor, the archival assistant creates MARC records for each finding aid.
Evaluation 2b: The Consulting Archivist will regularly review the work of the archival assistant and make corrections as necessary to ensure the final products meet archival standards. The Project Director will submit drafts of the finding aids to the DHP office for review and address the DHP’s recommendations, if any. The Consulting Archivist will review the MARC records and make corrections as necessary to ensure the final products meets archival standards.
Documentation Projects
DHP Outcome 3: Records of New York’s underdocumented population groups and topics not currently in historical records repositories are identified and surveyed.
Example: Phase Two of the Environmental Action Alliance’s Documentation project focuses on the records of three environmental organizations in the region, the EAA, the Land Trust, and Sustainable Solutions.
Project Outcome Statement 3a: The historically valuable records of the EAA, the Land Trust, and Sustainable Solutions are identified and surveyed.
Evaluation 3b: The Consulting Archivist will meet monthly with the Project Director to monitor progress of identifying and surveying the records, and adjust the target outcomes as needed. At the end of the grant period, the Project Director will assess the overall progress that was made, determine why outcome targets were missed or exceeded, and report on lessons learned.
DHP Outcome 4: The historically valuable records identified and surveyed during the project are donated to an appropriate historical records repository and added to its collection.
Example: Phase One or Phase Two of the Environmental Action Alliance’s Documentation project focuses on the records of three environmental organizations in the region.
Project Outcome Statement 4a: Selection criteria for a repository in which to house the records of the three target organizations are developed, and an agreement with an appropriate repository to collect records that are covered by its acquisition policy is reached.
Evaluation 4b: The Consulting Archivist and Project Director will periodically review progress in developing selection criteria and identifying potential repositories, and will report the progress has been made by January in the DHP application for the next phase of the project. At the end of the grant period, the Project Director will review the project and assess the progress made, the reasons for outcomes that were missed or exceeded, and lessons learned.
Example: Phase Three of the Environmental Action Alliance’s Documentation project focuses on the records of three environmental organizations in the region.
Project Outcome Statement 4a: The EAA, the Land Trust, and Sustainable Solutions donate their historical records to the History Society.
Evaluation 4b: The Consulting Archivist and Project Director will regularly monitor the status of the relationship with the History Society and take action as necessary. At the end of the grant period, the Project Director will review the project and assess the progress made, the reasons for outcomes that were missed or exceeded, and the lessons learned.
Arrangement and Description Projects
Example: The History Society’s Arrangement & Description project focuses on the records of two Latino organizations.
DHP Outcome 5: Access tools created as a result of this project are accessible online and locally, and potential users are aware of their availability.
Project Outcome Statement 5a: The completed Latino Cultural Center and Hispanic Alliance finding aids are available in print at the History Society, and the MARC records are submitted to the State Archives for inclusion in the HDI. Publicity through the press, electronic media, and Latino community networks, and a public reception at the History Society raises awareness of these valuable records and of their availability to potential researchers and other likely users.
Evaluation 5b: The Project Director will meet regularly with the Consulting Archivist and the staff responsible for the public relations, publications, events, and the website to monitor progress and set goals. Attendance at the reception will be recorded; calls and emails about the Latino collections will be logged. The Society will maintain a clipping file of published materials about the project or the collections and will log known broadcasts, presentations, or other communications, especially with members of the Latino communities. The Project Director and staff will periodically assess which communication methods work best for the target audiences and will use this information to develop an ongoing communications program beyond the end of the project.
DHP Outcome 6: The access tools and the records they describe are used by researchers.
Project Outcome Statement 6a: Use of the Latino organizations’ records, begins soon after the finding aids are completed and announced. Use of the records increases during the year following the completion of the project to an average of 10 patrons per month.
Evaluation 6b: History Society volunteers will log all in-house uses of the finding aids and records. They will also regularly survey users about the value of the records and their satisfaction with their experience using them at the History Society. An online survey accessible through the Society’s website will include questions about the online use of, and satisfaction with, the access tools and the records they describe.
Archival Needs Assessment Projects
Example: The Central College library wants to create an archival program to manage, and make more accessible its growing collection of college records and local history materials. The needs assessment will provide the information and rationale necessary to effectively advocate for and plan this process.
DHP Outcome 7: The Needs Assessment Report is presented to and discussed by the organization’s leadership and most important stakeholders.
Project Outcome Statement 7a: The Needs Assessment Report is presented to the director of the library, the relevant committees of the college’s board of trustees, and an advisory group of college faculty and community members whose interests are reflected in the college records and local history materials. The Project Director, Project Archivist and the individuals mentioned above meet to discuss the report’s findings and to make recommendations.
Evaluation 7b: The Project Director will keep the library director, board of trustees, and advisors informed about the project in advance, so they are prepared to receive the Needs Assessment Report. The Project Director will report to leadership and stakeholders on the results of meeting. At the end of the project the Project Director will evaluate its success, including obstacles and lessons learned.
DHP Outcome 8: A plan to meet the needs as described in the report is developed and implemented.
Project Outcome Statement 8a: The library director and board of trustees authorize and fund the development of a detailed long-range plan for the archives, and implement the plan based on the findings and recommendations made in the Needs Assessment Report.
Evaluation 8b: During and after the grant period, the Project Director, Library Director, and advisors will periodically review progress toward the outcome and take action as necessary to further its success. The final report to the DHP will include the Project Director’s current assessment of progress and expectations for implementation. Following the grant year, the library’s director will continue to review progress towards achieving the outcome, take action as necessary to further a successful outcome, and keep DHP informed about the library’s needs assessment implementation.
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