Learning Evaluation

Component 1: Performance Monitoring and Outcomes Assessment
This component was designed to track key activities, as well as such variables as numbers of clients served, businesses assisted, etc. In addition, this component was to track how well the grantees targeted low-income clients per FIELD's definitions, and client outcomes on key indicators. This was to be achieved via:

• Annual narrative and financial reports using FIELD formats.
  
  
• MicroTest: This performance measurement system is managed by FIELD and designed to develop and test performance measures for the practice of microenterprise development. It is also designed to document the range of performance achieved by representative microenterprise organizations across the United States.

  Performance measurement categories include target groups, scale, program services, costs, efficiency and sustainability. A final category focuses on outcome measures. All follow-up services cluster participants completed training and actively participated in MicroTest

• Outcomes Assessment: Methodologies for measuring the outcomes of follow-up services for participants were proposed in each grantee proposal. Grantees were responsible for sharing learnings that addressed the key questions raised in their individual proposals regarding outcomes. FIELD staff provided technical assistance on this component. In the course of planning the learning assessment, grantees could decide to implement a common tool or process, which FIELD staff would take the lead in producing. Grantees were responsible for reporting findings from their outcomes assessments to FIELD before the end of the grant period, thus it was understood that the reports might not include outcomes on all clients served under the grant.
  

Component 2: Qualitative Research
FIELD staff undertook site visits and structured phone conversations, and reviewed documents and other media to capture both key learnings and useful tools/techniques for providing follow-up services. One such activity was focus groups with clients to hear firsthand of their experiences with services. Program-level research involved documenting what was implemented, what did and didn't work.