First 5 Sonoma County

You are here:

Evaluation

Overview

Evaluation is a cornerstone principle of First 5. Through its evaluation, the Commission communicates its commitment to monitor the effectiveness of its efforts as well as to hold itself accountable as a steward of First 5 funds.

First 5 Sonoma County’s evaluation is designed to:

  • inform learning and decision making,
  • guide program development, implementation, and continuous improvement,
  • document grantee and Commission effectiveness, and
  • support transparency and accountability to the community regarding the use of First 5 funds.

All aspects of the evaluation are guided by the Evaluation Committee, which consists of two Commissioners and two representatives of a Community Advisory Committee.

Pathways to Results

The First 5 Sonoma County Pathways to Results communicates the desired results of the Commission’s Strategic Plan. It identifies:

  • “Program Result Indicators” – specific and measurable results that grantee projects are expected to achieve, and
  • “Community Indicators” – specific indicators of the health and well-being of the broader community that can reasonably be expected to improve as a result of the aggregate impact of First 5 Sonoma County’s and other complementary efforts.

First 5 Sonoma County: Pathways to Results (PDF: 36 kB)

Program Evaluation Reports

First 5 Sonoma County conducts formal evaluations of selected funded programs. These evaluations identify the outcomes achieved and identify areas for improvement. They are designed by First 5’s evaluation consultant, Learning for Action (LFA) Group, in consultation with the First 5 Evaluation Committee and First 5 staff.

photo of childHand in HandMano en Mano