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Evaluation: Measuring the impact of the school garden for success and future funding

  • 1.  Evaluation: Measuring the impact of the school garden for success and future funding

    Posted 08-23-2023 03:22:00 PM

    Hello!

    Here we are at the beginning of a new school year and I'm wondering if any projects out there have figured out evaluation/how to evaluate their school garden project for the purposes of bragging rights -- to the school community (Parents! Donate your time/money!), to future funders/grants (Funders! Fund us!)--and for determining the success and impact of one's own program with it's own mission and goals.

    It seems like there should be some good data that we could start collecting at the start of the school year, as kind of a pre/post impact sort of thing. 

    Insights and examples welcome!

    ~Maya, Rosewood School Garden, Los Angeles, CA



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    Maya Hagege-Sinderbrand
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  • 2.  RE: Evaluation: Measuring the impact of the school garden for success and future funding

    Posted 08-24-2023 04:17:00 PM

    We measure everything! 

    Student usage

    Volunteer hours

    Pounds of produce

    Donated produce

    Event participants

    Compost pounds 

    Student/ Teacher data (pre/post)

    Veggie preferences of kids

    Impact statements (kids/parents/teachers/admin)

    Partnerships

    Donations

    High school graduate data (kids who gardened with us in elementary school)

    We also gather all the grant goodies that are commonly asked for. (demographics,  state test scores - particularly science scores, school information, etc)

    It's a lot of upfront work, but will streamline the process for your grant work, sharing progress and documentation of your work. 

    Good luck and welcome back to the garden! 

    Kim



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    Kim Aman
    Grow Garden Grow
    Dallas TX
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Evaluation: Measuring the impact of the school garden for success and future funding

    Posted 08-24-2023 05:22:00 PM

    Hi Maya! Great question and great suggestions from Kim on things to measure. The SGSO Network has a phenomenal resource page related to evaluation and measuring impact. 

    If you click into the "Outcome Framework and Sample Surveys" section, there is an extensive list of what you can measure and some of the items include links to surveys that other programs have used that you can draw on for inspiration.

    Your community would probably love to hear what the kids are saying about the garden, too! Keep track of any great quotes from participants or if you survey youth directly, you could include an open response prompt. 



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    Amelia Dupuis
    Kids Garden Community Manager
    KidsGardening
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    Original Message


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