These resources were created to provide beginning farmers and rancher training organizations tools and skills to effectively conduct evaluations that clearly document program impacts, improve programming, and enable program staff to identify and respond to farmers’ needs. Such documentation and program improvements will increase participants’ success and support the development of strong, effective, and long-lasting farmer and rancher training programs to ensure that beginning farmers and ranchers can enter the field and establish successful farming businesses.
Evaluation Webinars
In order to provide educators with more information on evaluation methods and strategies, this series of webinars shares technical information for conducting evaluations.The webinars provide a venue for sharing information, ideas and experience from both evaluators and other beginning farmer organization staff.
Online Evaluation Resource Library
The Evaluation Resource Library provides links to the many “how-to” guides available for conducting program evaluation. It also provides example surveys, reports, logic models, and similar resources from other BFR programs. These instruments can be used to help BFR training organizations develop surveys or data collections tools, design reports, etc. The Evaluation Resource Library is hosted by the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project.
Outcomes List and Pathway Diagrams
The Outcomes List highlights example outcomes, indicators and data collection questions. The Outcome Pathway Diagrams illustrate ways to help beginning farmer and rancher training staff think about what types of outcomes might be most useful for their organizations.
Ideas, Tips, and Resource Highlights
Read examples, ideas, and suggestions for putting evaluation into practice.