Program Evaluations
In 1999, CBCRP staff and Council created a committee to develop a formal evaluation of CBCRP’s funding efforts. Comprised of both staff and council members, the Evaluation Committee has accomplished the following:
• Investigated standard methods to evaluate the outcomes of research funding.
• Surveyed the CBCRP's 2000 Peer Reviewers.
• Drafted an evaluation plan to guide both the short-term and long-term evaluation strategy for the CBCRP.
• Created evaluation models encompassing CBCRP's seven major program activities.
• Conducted a pilot evaluation study focusing on the first four years of the Postdoctoral Fellowship awards.
• Implemented a process evaluation to improve implementation of the Community Research Collaboration Awards.
• Assessed the career impact and outcomes from the first five years of the New Investigator Award program.
• Conducted a preliminary evaluation of the Innovative, Developmental and Exploratory Awards (IDEAS).
• Conducted process evaluation studies of the biennial Research Symposium that provided input to the Outreach committee and staff to improve the Symposium.
• Conducted a process evaluation of the Advisory Council Priority-Setting Process.
• Created an exit interview process for outgoing Advisory Council members to assess and improve participation on the Council.
• Oversaw the implementation of an in-depth outcome evaluation study of the Community Research Collaboration Awards.
Transforming
Research: An Evaluation of the Community Research Collaboration Awards
In 2004, Marj Plumb and Associates conducted a follow-up evaluation to
examine the impact and outcomes of the CRC Awards on both the academic
and community partners who conducted the research, the communities they
serve, and on health services and policy. The evaluation focused on Community
Based Participatory Research, the research process used in the CRC Awards.
The impact and outcomes of the CRC Awards were also assessed through the
quality of the research in areas such as recruitment and retention; research
methods; data analysis; and dissemination. Future evaluations will examine
the characteristics of the collaborations, and the influence of these characteristics
on the outcomes of the research.
Assessing Direction and Outcomes: Evaluating the New Investigator Awards
This report evaluates the CBCRP's New Investigator Awards granted during
cycles I - V (1995 - 2001). The purpose of the evaluation was to assess
the influence
that the award had on the career development of the recipients and to collect
feedback that will improve the New Investigator award program. This report
describes the goals, methods, and findings of the evaluation and provides recommendations
to improve the program.
Understanding the Impact: Evaluating the Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards
This report describes the background, methods, findings and recommendations
from a 2001 study assessing the outcomes from the first four years of the CBCRP's
postdoctoral fellowship award program. Thirty-nine previous grantees participated
in the study. Results include the current career and employment of respondents,
the reported impact of the CBCRP fellowship on the respondents' career, outcomes
from the research conducted with CBCRP funds, and feedback about CBCRP.
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Surveying CBCRP Reviewers
This report summarizes the findings from a 2000 survey of CBCRP peer reviewers.
Findings include reviewers' assessments of the CBCRP's priority areas, award
types, scoring procedures, and inclusion of breast cancer advocates in the
review process.
Community Research Collaboration Awards: Report on the Evaluation and Capacity
Expansion Project
In May 2000, the CBCRP began a process of evaluating the CRC Award's program/funding
mechanism. The consulting firm Marj Plumb and Associates interviewed awardees
and applicants who had not received funding to assess the strengths and weaknesses
of the CRC Awards.
Can the Women Most Affected by Breast Cancer Be Equal Partners in Designing
and Conducting Breast Cancer Research?
This is the Executive Summary from the evaluation report "Community Research
Collaboration Awards, Report on the Evaluation & Capacity Expansion Project",
September 2001. It gives an overview of the CRC Awards, lists the 22 projects
funded between 1997 and 2001, and summarizes the major findings.
The CBCRP welcomes input into our efforts to evaluate the outcomes of the research we fund. For more information or to comment, please contact:
Janna N. Cordeiro, MPH
Coordinator of Special Projects
California Breast Cancer Research Program
(510) 987-9841
janna.cordeiro@ucop.edu
