Question
What is the difference between a needs assessment and a program evaluation?
A needs assessment comes before a program and asks what a community needs. A program evaluation comes during and after and asks whether the program is working.
In short
A needs assessment comes first and asks what problems a community has and which ones to tackle. A program evaluation comes later and asks whether the program you chose is being delivered as planned and is making a difference. One tells you what to do; the other tells you whether it is working.
The short version
| Needs assessment | Program evaluation | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before you choose or fund a program | While the program runs and after |
| Main question | What does our community need most? | Is our program working, and why? |
| Typical data | Existing data, community surveys, focus groups, key informant interviews | Program records, participant surveys, outcome measures over time |
| Result | A set of priorities and a plan | Findings on delivery and results, with recommendations |
How they fit together
In SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework, assessment is the first step and evaluation is the last, with capacity building, planning and implementation in between. The framework is a cycle, so your evaluation findings feed the next assessment.
An example
A town worried about youth substance use might start with a needs assessment: a youth survey, local data and conversations with parents and school staff. If vaping stands out, the coalition chooses a prevention strategy and an evaluation then measures whether students' views and vaping rates change over the next survey cycles.
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Frequently asked questions
Do we need both?
Can the same team do both?
Sources
- Strategic Prevention Framework, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (opens in a new tab)
- A Guide to SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework, SAMHSA (2019) (opens in a new tab)