Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation systematically assess the performance of projects and initiatives. When done effectively, it reveals gaps or issues early and helps ensure resources are used efficiently. 

• Monitoring is a continuous collection of specific data and information to track a project's progress and achievements, improve practices, and have internal and external accountability for the resources used.

• Evaluation is the systematic and objective assessment of an ongoing or completed initiative using collected data and information. The aim is to determine the relevance and fulfillment of objectives, development efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability.

Our Monitoring and Evaluation efforts support programs and projects across the organization—domestically and internationally—and encompass five key areas:

• Planning and Design: This stage involves extensive planning and designing of evaluation processes, such as creating evaluation questions, designing data collection methods, and developing plans for disseminating and reporting impact.
• Reporting: To ensure organized and appropriate reporting, we create reporting systems and refine indicators and performance measures in collaboration with funders and partners.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Data about the project/program is collected through a variety of evaluation instruments—such as observations, surveys, qualitative interviews and focus groups—depending on what is suitable for the subject.
• Communicating Results: We prioritize using evaluation results effectively by converting data collection and analyses into actionable findings. In addition to reports or dashboards, results and outcomes are presented directly to the program/project managers, highlighting next steps and action items.
• Continuous Quality Improvement: We work across the association to ensure the use of evaluation results, quality standards and best practices. This includes beta-testing, data-driven decision-making and quality control checks.

In partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), APHL is supported via a five-year cooperative agreement to enhance public health laboratory capabilities and increase capacity. This agreement covers a wide array of member activities across many APHL programs, including training and leadership, experiential learning, environmental health, food safety, infectious diseases, preparedness and response, newborn screening, informatics, quality and safety and policy. The midpoint report, below, highlights some of the success stories from this critical work. View additional evaluation briefs and highlights on the CDC DLS site.