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Projects
PPI performs
a range of social policy research and evaluation for government, non-profit
and community-based organizations. Examples of PPI projects include:
The National Fund for Workforce Solutions
The National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS) is a national funding collaborative that proposes to invest $30-50 million between 2007 and 2011 to “strengthen and expand workforce partnerships through direct support of rural and regional collaboratives, technical assistance to programs and collaboratives, and research, evaluation, and policy advocacy.” PPI, as subcontractor to Workforce Learning Strategies, is a key partner in an ambitious formative and summative evaluation that will examine each level of the initiative and target of intervention. The national evaluation draws on multiple data sources, including process and implementation data, participation and outcomes data, and extant and primary contextual data. PPI is responsible for the development and implementation of a web-based outcomes data collection system, collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, and presentation and communication of evaluation findings.
Lane County Human Services Commission Strategic Plan
The Lane County Human Services Commission (HSC) provides health, housing and human services under the sponsorship of Lane County, OR, and the cities of Eugene and Springfield, and through partnerships with other public, private non-profit, and private community-based organizations. In 2008, the HSC sought to determine community human service priorities and develop a long-term strategic plan for effective provision of human services. Under contract to the HSC, PPI developed a multifaceted approach to identify service priorities and appropriate funding strategies for human services in Lane County. Program components include review and analysis of existing data, primary data collection through interviews, focus groups, and a community wide survey, comprehensive data analysis, and development of a long term strategic framework for service development and resource allocation.
Orange County Community Indicators Report (2010)
Under sub-contract to Parsons Consulting, PPI contributed to the Orange County Community Indicator Report, an annual measurement tool designed to foster partnerships and support initiatives to address local and regional challenges and improve overall quality of life. PPI was responsible for demographic, housing, and economic indicators and context included in the county profile of the report.
San Bernardino Community Indicators Report (2010)
Under sub-contract to Parsons Consulting, PPI was responsible for the county profile of the San Bernardino Community Indicators Report, including related demographic, housing, and economic indicators and context. Like the Orange County Community Indicator Report, the San Bernardino Community Indicators Report is a measurement project designed to identify and communicate local and regional strengths, challenges and opportunities to improve overall quality of life.
Comprehensive Needs Assessment for Oregon Department of Human Services
The Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (OVRS) is responsible for the administration and operation of Oregon’s general vocational rehabilitation program. DHS contracted with Program and Policy Insight, LLC (PPI), to conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (detailed analysis, information, and recommendations) related to the vocational rehabilitation needs of Oregonians with disabilities. PPI implemented multiple program components to inform the Comprehensive Needs Assessment, including a mixed mode survey of current OVRS consumers, a web-based survey of OVRS staff, a semi-guided telephone interview with other key stakeholders, and an analysis of existing disability prevalence data.
Evaluation
and Technical Assistance Services for the Making-Connections Denver Family
and Economic Success Cohort
The
national Making Connections (MC) initiative is an innovative effort of
the Annie E. Casey Foundation to involve community stakeholders in improving
economic, educational, and social opportunities for families and their
children. Making Connections Denver (MC-D) is one of ten Making Connections
local affiliate sites that provide place-based, comprehensive services
for families. The Family and Economic Success (FES) cohort of MC-D focuses
on strategies, such as supports and resources for job seekers in target
neighborhoods, which help families achieve economic success. Through a
contract with the Piton Foundation, PPI will provide strategic evaluation
and technical assistance services to help MC-D develop an FES evaluation
system that facilitates ongoing data collection and program improvement.
PPI will provide evaluation capacity building services and will develop
individual evaluation plans for each FES partner organization, as well
as an overall FES evaluation plan across programs.
Technical Working Group Facilitation and Research Quality Assurance for the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory
The Regional Educational Laboratories are educational research and development organizations supported by contracts with the U.S. Education Department, Institute of Education Sciences (IES). The mission of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) is to improve educational results for children, youth, and adults by providing research and development assistance in delivering equitable, high quality educational programs. NWREL conducts methodologically rigorous studies that examine the impact of proposed policies, programs, and practices on academic achievement and related goals for the region. Program and Policy Insight, under subcontract to NWREL, facilitates meeting logistics, content, and proceedings for the external technical working group established to provide expertise on the design and conduct of NWREL research activities. In addition, PPI provides on-going quality assurance for NWREL research and related products.
Impact
Evaluation of the Compassion Capital Fund Demonstration Project
The Compassion
Capital Fund Demonstration Project, funded by U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, provides
funding and other support to selected intermediary organizations that
in turn offer a variety of capacity-building services to faith-based and
community organizations (FBCOs). Capacity-building services typically
include a combination of group training and networking opportunities,
one-on-one technical assistance, and competitive sub-award grants to selected
FBCOs. The impact evaluation will use an experimental evaluation design
(i.e., random assignment) to assess the impact of receiving capacity-building
services, including intensive technical assistance and/or financial assistance,
on the organizational capacity of FBCO recipients. Program and Policy
Insight, LLC, under subcontract to Abt Associates, will assist with random
assignment preparation and implementation activities.
TANF
Program Evaluation for the City and County of Denver, Colorado
The City
and County of Denver seeks to determine whether contracted TANF services
to assist participants in overcoming barriers meet identified needs and
contribute towards meeting the TANF program work requirements. The TANF
Program Evaluation of program effectiveness and cost efficiency includes
implementation and outcome studies to assess program processes, define
overall program goals, and measure related program outcomes. Additionally,
the evaluation will develop a database template to help the client manage
contractor data and outcomes to facilitate goal attainment. Program and
Policy Insight, under subcontract to Public Knowledge, LLC, leads the
development of the evaluation design and data collection tools, conducts
implementation site visits and stakeholder interviews, and leads the assessment
of implementation and outcome data.
Department
Staffing and Process Improvement Study, Phase II, for the State of Oregon
Department of Human Services
The Oregon Department of Human Service is striving to determine ways
to increase efficiency in the delivery of services to its clients. A phased
approach to studying DHS programs was designed by Public Knowledge, LLC
with the Phase One study and report completed in July 2005. Phase II of
the study focuses on several human service programs, including vocational
rehabilitation, TANF, employment related day care, and long-term care.
Like its predecessor, the study provides an analysis of staffing standards
and assessment of best practices. The study examines the work activities
and systems for these programs and identifies changes and process improvement
that would improve effectiveness and efficiency. Similar to the first
phase, the study will 1) assess the current DHS service organization,
staffing, processes, and systems; 2) benchmark current staffing levels
with comparable public and private agencies; 3) forecast the possible
effects of changing staffing methodologies and standards; and 4) identify
valuable and achievable service delivery process improvements. Under subcontract
to Public Knowledge, LLC, PPI leads the benchmarking and best practice
research for the study.
Department
of Labor Employment and Training Administration Professional and Administrative
Management Support
Program and Policy Insight is part of a team led by Abt Associates that
was awarded the ability to compete for task order contracts from the Department
of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The purpose of
the contracts is to assist ETA in building and operating a high-performance
national workforce development system. The nine potential tasks to be
conducted under the contract vehicle include:
- Research and Evaluation Reports
- Statistical and Analytical Support
- Issue Papers
- Technical Assistance
- Short-Term Research and Evaluation Projects
- Quick Turnaround Surveys
- Logistical Support for Working Meetings
- Meeting Summaries
- Logistical Support for Conferences
- Reports of Conference
Proceedings
