Grant Evaluation Format

ACF requires that all grantees submit an evaluation at the end of the grant term. This final report assists ACF not only in learning about the grant’s outcomes, but also in preparing reports to ACF’s own funding agencies. As such, we appreciate the timely, concise, and candid evaluation of your ACF grant. A reminder letter will be sent prior to your scheduled completion date. If you need additional time to complete your grant, please contact our office.

Final reports should be between three and five pages in length. Attachments (such as newsletters, flyers, newspaper articles, and other publications) are welcome. Grantees are also strongly encouraged to submit photos, slides, or digital images whenever possible. These images may be used for ACF publications such as the annual report or on the Foundation’s web site; images will be credited to the submitting organization, unless specified otherwise.

To aid in preparing the final narrative report, a list of requested topic areas follows.

The cover letter or page should include:

Organization Name
Contact Person
Phone, Fax, E-mail
Title
Grant Number (included in the award letter and on the narrative report reminder letter)
Grant Amount
Grant Start and End Dates

The narrative portion of your report should address the following questions. Please note that different questions are asked depending on the type of funding received (i.e. operating support or project support). ONLY RESPOND TO THOSE QUESTIONS THAT APPLY TO YOUR GRANT. Respond "not applicable" to those questions that do not apply.

I. General Operating Grants

For reports on general operating grants, please answer the following questions:

1. How is your organization better off today as a result of the grant (e.g. do you now have a strategic plan in place, or is your Board more actively engaged in fundraising)? If not, why? And what are you doing to address this situation?

2. Were any other individuals or groups helpful in creating this change? If so, please describe their involvement and its results.

3. What actions were taken by the organization over the grant period to:

a. Increase membership/individual donations
b. Increase Board capacity
c. Improve fiscal accountability
d. Implement strategic/annual planning objectives for current fiscal year
e. Explore the organization’s future direction
f. Conduct staff development activities

4. How many in-state members does your organization have currently? How many out-of-state members?

Attachments should include a financial statement consisting of a balance sheet and revenue statement showing how the project grant funds were expended.

II. Project Grants

For reports on project support grants, please answer the following questions:

1. What were the project’s primary short-term and long-term goals?

2. Who was the audience served? (E.g., members, volunteers, children, adults, etc.) How many people did the project reach?

3. Were the anticipated results achieved? What steps were taken to achieve those results? What challenges or threats were faced and how were they addressed or reduced?

4. List three or more significant outcomes/results from your work.

5. What evaluation methods were used to determine the project’s success (how do you know the goals and objectives were achieved or that your strategy had an impact)?

6. If you were to do this project again, what would you do differently?

7. How many members does your organization have currently? In state? Other?

Attachments should include a financial statement consisting of a balance sheet and revenue statement showing how the grant funds were expended.

Your financial statement portion of the report should also include a narrative section that reports the portion, if any, of the funds that were spent on direct or grassroots lobbying activities. ("Lobbying" consists of communications intended to influence specific legislation; "grass roots lobbying" encourages the public to contact legislator about legislation. Invited testimony, "self-defense" communications, non-partisan analysis or research, and discussions of broad social or economic problems DO NOT constitute lobbying.) THIS INFORMATION IS A MANDATORY PART OF THE REPORT.

You may send your final report via e-mail to: mrafferty@akcf.org as a Microsoft "Word" attachment or formatted in RTF. (Please use "Final Narrative Report" in the subject box.)

A hard copy of the report should be sent to:

Alaska Conservation Foundation
441 West 5th Avenue, Suite 402
Anchorage, AK 99501.

Please call us at (907) 276-1917 if you have any questions.