Kathryn Newcomer

Engagement for Equitable Outcomes provides practical suggestions for practitioners addressing urgent social problems and reducing inequities in their communities. Newcomer, Wilson, and Brown offer approaches and models customized to local conditions and equity-focused guidance for innovating and adapting encouraging interventions. Their approach stresses intentional end-user engagement and collaboration, including a five-step Performance Improvement Model: 1) inclusively collaborating to prioritize equitable outcomes; 2) identifying and developing promising interventions; 3) engaging and adapting to implement customized interventions; 4) scaling interventions for maximum impact; and 5) sustaining and improving equity-focused programming. The authors provide road maps, check lists, insights, and practical tips for navigating these five essential practices. Ultimately, this book is designed to enhance the knowledge, skills, and perspectives of policy makers, researchers, practitioners, and citizens interested in addressing urgent social problems with sustainable, equitable results.

Engagement for Equitable Outcomes provides practical suggestions for practitioners addressing urgent social problems and reducing inequities in their communities. Newcomer, Wilson, and Brown offer approaches and models customized to local conditions and equity-focused guidance for innovating and adapting encouraging interventions. Their approach stresses intentional end-user engagement and collaboration, including a five-step Performance Improvement Model: 1) inclusively collaborating to prioritize equitable outcomes; 2) identifying and developing promising interventions; 3) engaging and adapting to implement customized interventions; 4) scaling interventions for maximum impact; and 5) sustaining and improving equity-focused programming. The authors provide road maps, check lists, insights, and practical tips for navigating these five essential practices. Ultimately, this book is designed to enhance the knowledge, skills, and perspectives of policy makers, researchers, practitioners, and citizens interested in addressing urgent social problems with sustainable, equitable results.

Public managers, contractors, and grantees conducting evaluations for government operate in complex environment where policymakers and commissioners of evaluation expect different types of “evidence” and simultaneously employ different criteria in judging the quality of that evidence. This text provides a road map for evaluators doing business within or for government, and public managers who are expected to assess and use evidence generated by a large variety of evaluation approaches. The book provides checklists and how-to guidance to help students and other readers develop skills in important activities such as: assessing the quality of evidence claims; developing theories of change to guide the design and evaluation of programs and policies; developing learning agendas to bridge the gap between evidence producers and potential evidence users; and increasing the support of public leaders and executives in the generation and use of evidence to inform their decision-making. The authors include end-of-chapter exercises for readers to test their ability to apply the skills described.