Does your organization possess a good system for screening new project and
program proposals and for reviewing existing programs and services?

The Kentucky Historical Society (95 staff and $7M
budget) wants to think and act strategically as regards program evaluation
and review. Establishing a system, one based upon known
and agreed upon criteria, for regular review/evaluation of
existing KHS programs and services and new proposals has
been deemed a priority.

At many of our institutions programs/services accumulate like barnacles on
the hull of a vessle. There is little on-going or systematic review.
Often an articulate senior manager with a good idea can sell the CEO on
a project or program often without detailed consideration of the wider
implications for the institution as a whole. Too often existing programs
sometimes sputter along for years without sufficient review.

The Issues:

1) Does your institution have a process in place for systematically
 reviewing ideas/proposals for new initiatives and for examinging
 existing programs and services?

2) Is program development, review and evaluation a concern at your
 institution?

If you've got something in place that works really well please share it
with me (samples of the paperwork, description of the process, etc.).  My
organization has a work team addressing these issues and we hope to have a
system process design mapped out by late fall 2001.

I would welcome your thoughts and suggestions (war stories) in this area.

James E. Wallace
Assistant Director
KY Historical Society
100 W. Broadway St.
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-1792 x 4449

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