An Evaluability Assessment of Responsible Fatherhood Programs. Final Report.

This report outlines a process for evaluating responsible fatherhood programs. The design was based on interviews with experts, a review of the literature, site visits, and review by technical experts. Components of the recommended evaluation include management information systems, process evaluation, and impact evaluation. The report describes the major design issues for process and impact evaluations and examines considerations such as outcome measurement, explanatory variables, sampling and data collection, participation analysis, and impact analysis. Findings from an evaluability assessment of selected programs also are summarized regarding outcomes, defined service components, processes, program environment, and capacity for data collection. Most of the programs reviewed were not ready for an impact evaluation because they were new, they served a small number of clients, and they did not have an automated system for collecting data about participants. Fatherhood programs can improve their evaluability by clearly defining their program objectives, conducting process evaluations to examine best practices, implementing management information systems, and securing funding. Appendices include process evaluation interview guides and a sample program evaluation.