When Government Funding is Not Enough Utilizing Internal Evaluation for Non-Profit Program Development and Additional Funding Suzanne Markoe Hayes smarkoehayes@voala.org

Non-Profits current predicament Federal Budget Cuts: White House Budget Chief Jacob Lew Orders Agencies To Reduce Spending Plans Federal budget cuts to WIC could shorten reach of aid for moms, kids Federal Budget Cuts Research, Education Funding

Increased program demands Bigger and better programs wanted Less funds to meet greater needs Effective and evidence-based programs

Internal evaluation is critical for: Studying formative program development Insider View Promoting action based on evaluation findings Follow up on planned action

Who is VOALA? Serve 30,000 individual 27 different programs See www.voala.org VOALA Philosophy- There is always room for improvement.

VOALA evaluation timeline External Evaluator team- AES 2008 Hired Internal Evaluator May 2010 Additional Support Staff (1.5) Summer 2011

Our approach Use-focused evaluation (Patton, 1997) Program staff stakeholders Original programs Upward Bound Evaluation

VOALA Upward Bound Alumni 5 sites South Central, East Los Angeles, South Bay, San Fernando Valley Expect students to enroll in 4-yr institution UB class of 2002- 82% Class of 2003 & on

Why are alumni struggling? Online Survey March 2011 56 alumni participated, 73% Response Rate Focus Groups April to May 2011 15 alumni participated

What alumni said: “Since we are incoming Freshman, we are the last ones to get to pick our classes. So we get the worst times ever.” “I have to leave school next year to work and help my family.” (student joined the army) “I come home twice a month to help my mom.” “I don’t have much time. When I’m not at school, I am helping with my little sister.”

Addressing an identified need Families Losing jobs Childcare Support as a student Better time management Approaching professors Directors unable to provide that level of support

Alumni Coordinator Funded through donations Fall 2011 Connect families to other services Monthly check-ins with alumni Facebook page with helpful tips and social connections Connect with current seniors

Limitations Only surveyed and spoke to students still in college. Drop out student information was anecdotal from directors. Difficult reaching students for focus groups.

Future Directions Review results with program staff Do families receive and use service referrals? Do more students graduate and less students withdrawal? Use successful results to procure additional funding to support position