EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
EVALUATION MEASURES
The organization should measure its CEDS in three ways:
- It will track all projects to document work plan outcomes.
- On an annual basis, it will weigh its performance against initial expectations, as expressed by the CEDS goals and objectives.
- It will evaluate overall regional progress in relation to changing conditions.
Each performance measure will have a different audience. Project outcomes will help public and private sector interests determine the value of any assistance offered by the organization. Specific strategy performance will assist EDA, development partners, and its member communities in gauging the return on their investments in the region. The overall progress assessment will enable the organization to identify productive uses of office resources, along with determining the need for new approaches.
Benchmarks
Performance will be evident by comparing the outcomes to the various data benchmarks which may include:
- The number of projects
- Public infrastructure, investment (grant and loan dollars received and local match leveraged)
- Job creation and retention
- Private equity investment
- Program participation (increase or decrease)
- New development partnerships
- New program services provided
- Changes in economic environment (poverty rates, median income, educational attainment, and labor force participation)
The actual benchmark numbers for each category will be referenced as part of the performance reports. The sources for the numbers will include the U.S. Census, periodic government publications, and other recognized authorities.
Less quantitative benchmarks will also be considered, such as:
- Public attitudes
- Leadership involvement
- Inter- and intra-community cooperation
- Civic engagement
- Cultural changes
- Issue awareness
Primary sources of feedback (observations, data gathering surveys, U.S. Census, formal internal tracking processes, etc.) should be used along with secondary references (new stories and association publications, feedback from member counties and municipalities, board members, interested third-parties, etc.) to illustrate any perceptional shifts.
Adjustments
As noted throughout, the CEDS is a multi-year process. A five-year perspective is utilized for goal setting, with annual adjustments. The adjustments should be based upon the following circumstances:
- Completion or accomplishment of a goal or objective
- Modification or elimination of a goal or objective due to changing conditions
- The identification of a new goal or objective because of an opportunity or challenge
The adjustments should occur with input from the CEDS committee, the organization’s member counties and municipalities, related interested third parties and organization staff. The changes should be highlighted in the organization’s annual update.
Inventory/map the Opportunity Zones in the region
Are there any opportunity zones within your region? If so, please provide a general overview of these areas and include information about the specific district census tracts.
What is distinct about these opportunity zones? Are there any common attributes that allow the Opportunity Zones to share a common typology within the region?
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Discuss resiliency issues and measures here.
The organization should measure its CEDS in three ways:
- It will track all projects to document work plan outcomes.
- On an annual basis, it will weigh its performance against initial expectations, as expressed by the CEDS goals and objectives.
- It will evaluate overall regional progress in relation to changing conditions.
Each performance measure will have a different audience. Project outcomes will help public and private sector interests determine the value of any assistance offered by the organization. Specific strategy performance will assist EDA, development partners, and its member communities in gauging the return on their investments in the region. The overall progress assessment will enable the organization to identify productive uses of office resources, along with determining the need for new approaches.
Benchmarks
Performance will be evident by comparing the outcomes to the various data benchmarks which may include:
- The number of projects
- Public infrastructure, investment (grant and loan dollars received and local match leveraged)
- Job creation and retention
- Private equity investment
- Program participation (increase or decrease)
- New development partnerships
- New program services provided
- Changes in economic environment (poverty rates, median income, educational attainment, and labor force participation)
The actual benchmark numbers for each category will be referenced as part of the performance reports. The sources for the numbers will include the U.S. Census, periodic government publications, and other recognized authorities.
Less quantitative benchmarks will also be considered, such as:
- Public attitudes
- Leadership involvement
- Inter- and intra-community cooperation
- Civic engagement
- Cultural changes
- Issue awareness
Primary sources of feedback (observations, data gathering surveys, U.S. Census, formal internal tracking processes, etc.) should be used along with secondary references (new stories and association publications, feedback from member counties and municipalities, board members, interested third-parties, etc.) to illustrate any perceptional shifts.
Adjustments
As noted throughout, the CEDS is a multi-year process. A five-year perspective is utilized for goal setting, with annual adjustments. The adjustments should be based upon the following circumstances:
- Completion or accomplishment of a goal or objective
- Modification or elimination of a goal or objective due to changing conditions
- The identification of a new goal or objective because of an opportunity or challenge
The adjustments should occur with input from the CEDS committee, the organization’s member counties and municipalities, related interested third parties and organization staff. The changes should be highlighted in the organization’s annual update.