Recently, Transform Consulting Group finished the annual needs assessment for the Indiana Head Start State Collaboration Office (IHSSCO). Each Head Start State Collaboration Office is required to submit a needs assessment annually, which informs its strategic plan goals and objectives.
IHSSCO uses its needs assessment to inform its annual work plan, and all organizations should make the connection between a needs assessment and the organization’s strategic goals! Whether you want to conduct a needs assessment, program or organization evaluation, or annual report, don’t miss the chance to do one of the following:
1. Use your assessment to solicit new feedback or data.
The IHSSCO needs assessment solicited new feedback this year. We interviewed and surveyed external stakeholders and Head Start partners. If you’re going to request feedback, make sure you show you’re doing something with it. No one likes to provide feedback and then see that nothing changes. Head Start partners and stakeholders will soon be able to read the needs assessment report and see the recommendations for solutions that address some of their feedback.
2. Take the time to learn from your data.
Data is collected and reported on, but beyond totals and percentages, what does your data say? What questions does it raise to inform your assessment and planning efforts? For example, we wanted to know:
- How do Indiana Early Head Start and Head Start programs compare to national statistics?
- Where are Early Head Start and Head Start centers located across the state, and is the number proportionate to the population and need?
- What percentage of children are being served?
- Is there more demand for Early Head Start and Head Start in rural or urban areas?
Besides the demographics of your program participants and the outputs of a program, look for issues and barriers, gaps or overlaps in services or clients, and layer the data with other relevant indicators. Don’t forget to look at outcomes as well!
3. Make sure you share the report – internally and externally.
A needs assessment can take multiple individuals’ time, effort, and resources. Once the process is completed, it is easy to quickly review the findings with program staff and then put them on the shelf. The needs assessment report and its conclusions are essential to program staff and provide insight to all staff, program participants, funders, and external stakeholders/partners. Check out this past blog for more ideas!
Make the report accessible and relevant. Many people may only be interested in reading an executive summary of the report or skipping straight to the recommendations. Others may be more attracted to infographics or dashboards. Decide how to best present your data for your audience, and then post these materials on your website, link to them in a newsletter, or mention them on social media.
If you’re ready to approach your needs assessment differently but are unsure where to start, contact us today to discuss how Transform Consulting Group can help!
