The Collaborative Evaluation Fellows Project. Background and overview of the model

The Collaborative Evaluation Fellows Project (CEFP) of the American Cancer Society builds organizational capacity for evaluation by partnering with schools of public health to conduct local evaluation studies. This model was envisioned in response to the American Cancer Society's growing demand for program evaluation and the challenges of institutionalizing evaluation nationwide and at all levels of the organization. The CEFP also formalizes partnerships between the American Cancer Society and universities, and provides practical opportunities for public health graduate students and faculty. Working with an American Cancer Society evaluation facilitator and an advisory group, faculty and graduate students use a 15-step process to conduct evaluation studies at the local level. Students also can use these data for their master's these. The 15-step process is based on the utilization-focused evaluation approach and is designed to foster the use of evaluation findings by program stakeholders. The CEFP model has been implemented in American Cancer Society offices nationwide and has been replicated with another nonprofit health organization.