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Projects
PPI
performs a range of social policy research and evaluation for government,
non-profit and community-based organizations.
Workforce
Development
The Oregon Talent Assessment
In partnership with ECONorthwest, PPI is
developing the Oregon Talent Assessment for the state Higher Education
Coordinating Commission. The Oregon
Talent Assessment provides an opportunity for business and industry to identify
in-demand jobs and skills to focus and prioritize public and private investment
in workforce and talent development in the state. The Talent Assessment will also investigate
the existing collaboration between industry and talent development suppliers, and provide context for developing the state’s
education and training attainment goal for adult Oregonians.
Business Champion for Talent Development
In partnership with FutureWorks, PPI is
assisting the Indiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation in developing a framework
for a Business Champion for Talent Development recognition and technical
assistance model. The goal of the
program is to strengthen and facilitate greater business engagement in talent
development across the talent development spectrum of K-12 education,
postsecondary education, and incumbent worker training. The program will identify key levers of talent development,
develop self-assessment tools for employers to measure their level of
engagement, and link results to targeted technical assistance, including
reference materials, expert consultation, communities of learning, and periodic
workshops and convenings on engagement strategies.
Workforce
Development Landscape Scan and Needs Gap Analysis
For the Indianapolis Private
Industry Council (EmployIndy), PPI conducted a Workforce Development
Landscape Scan and Needs Gap Analysis. Hire Up is a collaborative effort of EmployIndy to align Central Indiana’s education and workforce
development resources with the talent needs of the region’s key wealth driving
sectors and emerging economies. Hire Up contracted with Program and Policy
Insight (PPI) to investigate the projected capacity of existing programs to
meet identified demand for technically skilled workers within key wealth
driving sectors in the region. Through
extant data review and key stakeholder interview, PPI collected projected
participation and completion data, provided a catalogue of existing STEM,
technical, and workforce development efforts, assessed the utility of existing
program data, and provided summary observations and recommendations for next
steps in the effort.
Evaluation of Illinois Workforce Innovation
Fund
The State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
received Workforce Innovation Funding from the U.S. Department of Labor to
implement the Accelerated Training for Illinois Manufacturing (ATIM) program.
The ATIM program has distributed funds to Illinois Local Workforce Industry
Associations (LWIA) to develop collaborative programs that provide training to
individuals for jobs in the manufacturing industry while helping manufacturers
address the skills gap. Under subcontract to Social Policy Research Associates,
PPI is contributing to the experimental evaluation of the ATIM program required
by the federal government. PPI is responsible for coordinating random
assignment implementation for selected sites, and for contributing to a process
study of the initiative.
The National Fund for Workforce Solutions
The National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS) is an initiative of national
and local funders, intended to advance the careers of low-wage workers using a
model of substantial employer engagement to increase the potential for
successful outcomes. Since 2007, the initiative has assisted regional funding
collaboratives in 30 communities across the country to develop a pipeline of
skilled workers, meet the needs of employers and promote improvements to
business practices and public policies. PPI has been a key partner in the
national formative evaluation of the NFWS initiative, first as subcontractor to
Workforce Learning Strategies from 2007-2012, and since 2012, as the primary
national evaluation contractor. The national evaluation draws on multiple data
sources to yield information about the model’s effectiveness and the
initiative’s progress toward goals. PPI has been 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.
Technical Assistance to Health Profession
Opportunities Grantees
Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for
Children and Families, the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program
provided grants to state entities, local Workforce Investment Boards,
institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, Indian tribes
and tribal organizations. The grants are intended to provide opportunities for
education and training to TANF recipients and other low-income individuals for
occupations in the health care field that pay well and are expected to either
experience labor shortages or be in high demand. This project provided
responsive technical assistance individualized for HPOG grantees providing
healthcare sector based workforce development
programs. Technical assistance must take into account
diverse program designs, population, and regional contexts while sharing best
practices and lessons learned from the field. Under subcontract to JBS
International, PPI staff developed and provided customized TA to HPOG grantees.
Community and
Human Service Development
Bridging Oregon
Bridging Oregon is an initiative of The Oregon Community
Foundation that seeks to bridge cultural divides and build social capital
through dialogue, engagement, and discussion. These efforts have related but
distinct goals across program grantees, including engaging active citizens in
addressing perceived cultural barriers, and building civil discourse and
deliberative democracy. PPI is implementing an evaluation framework designed to
help understand program outcomes and support cross-organization learning across
Bridging Oregon grantees and partner organizations. Evaluation activities
include on-site assessment, outcome surveys, and benchmark surveys, as well as
qualitative data collection related to stakeholder experience and perceived impact.
Yamhill County Needs and Opportunities
Assessment
PPI recently completed the Yamhill County Needs and Opportunity
Assessment for the Oregon Community Foundation. The needs assessment was
initiated to identify current economic and social challenges and strengths in
the community, articulate gaps in nonprofit services, and describe the efficacy
and opportunities for growth of existing organization and partnerships
currently addressing local needs. The goal of the effort was to collect
comprehensive information to inform future funding, programming, and policy
decisions within the region broadly and by select funder organizations. The
needs assessment gathered community needs and perspectives in five core
domains, including: county demographic and social characteristics, economy and
employment, training and education, health and human services, and arts and
culture. The PPI team conducted extant data review, facilitated interviews with
key community stakeholders, and implemented an online community survey.
Community Indicators Reports
Under subcontract to Parsons Consulting, PPI has contributed to multiple
community indicators reports intended to identify and communicate local and
regional strengths, foster partnerships and provide information to initiatives
that support improvements in overall quality of life. Annual measures typically
included in community indicator reports include current and historical data
about demographic, housing, health, educational and economic indicators. PPI
made selected contributions to Orange County, Riverside County and San
Bernardino County Community Indicators Reports.
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.
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 provided strategic evaluation and technical
assistance services to help MC-D develop an FES evaluation system that
facilitates ongoing data collection and program improvement. PPI provided
evaluation capacity building services and developed individual evaluation plans
for each FES partner organization, as well as an overall FES evaluation plan
across programs.
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 used 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. Under subcontract to Abt Associates, PPI assisted with random assignment preparation
and implementation activities.
TANF Program Evaluation for the City and
County of Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver solicited an evaluation 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 developed a database template to help the client
manage contractor data and outcomes to facilitate goal attainment. Under
subcontract to Public Knowledge, LLC, PPI led the development of the evaluation
design and data collection tools, conducted implementation site visits and
stakeholder interviews, and led the assessment of implementation and outcome
data.
Early Childhood and
Education Policy
Effectiveness of Promising Strategies in
Federal College Access Programs: Study of Student Messaging in GEAR UP
PPI currently serves as a
subcontractor to Abt Associates to provide evaluation and liaison
capacity on the U.S. Department of Education’s Study of College Transition
Messaging in GEAR UP. This randomized
study will assess the impact of mobile phone text messages and two-way advising
related to college application and participation logistics, and well as growth
mindset, on the enrollment and persistence of first generation, low income
college students. Findings from the
study will inform future efforts to increase access to and persistence in
post-secondary education and training among diverse populations across
different service systems.
EC-LINC Research to Action: Measuring the
Impact of Early Childhood Systems
Impact Evaluation of Upward
Bound’s Increased Focus on Higher-Risk Students
The Impact Evaluation of Upward Bound’s Increased Focus on Higher-Risk
Students, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, was a rigorous random
assignment study designed to provide as assessment of the program’s effect on
higher risk students. Under subcontract to Berkeley Policy Associates, the PPI
team acted at site liaisons, developing random assignment protocols specific to
each site, providing technical assistance to sites in preparation for random
assignment, and facilitating the implementation of random assignment following
established procedures. Funding for this evaluation was cancelled by the US
Congress mid-implementation.
Disability Policy
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 Planning Services for Oregon
Council on Developmental Disabilities
The federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
(Public Law 106-402) authorizes funding and provides the mandate for state
councils on Developmental Disabilities to engage in systems change, capacity
building and advocacy activities. Since 2012, PPI staff has been providing
evaluation planning services to the Council, including development of strategic
evaluation plans, logic models, data collection tools, selected data analysis.
Additionally, PPI has conducted an overall evaluation of the Oregon Consortium
of Family Networks, provided workshops on evaluation as a learning tool, and
conducted literature reviews to support and refine program strategy.
Redesign of the Maine State Olmstead Plan