Research & Evaluation

Health Resource in Action's Research and Evaluation department collaborates with schools, nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies to provide valid, reliable data for developing, implementing, and improving health and social programs across the United States. These services help guide each step of program planning by assessing community strengths and needs, determining potential key partners, understanding issues salient to target audiences, identifying challenges, and evaluating progress and impact. HRiA offers a range of services, including:

• Strategic research planning
• Focus group moderation
• Survey development and administration
• Statistical analysis
• Literature reviews/environmental scans
• GIS mapping
• Report writing

With an increasing focus on evidence-based strategies and outcomes measurement, HRiA utilizes a variety of methods in the research mix. This approach gives clients a more comprehensive picture of the situation, by supplying the quantitative data (the "numbers") to set programmatic benchmarks and determine progress and the qualitative data (the "stories") to provide the context and narrative of people's experiences involved in the program. For client reports, the Research and Evaluation department discusses salient research findings within the community context as well as translates how these results can lead to next steps for program planning. In addition to conducting research for program evaluation and community assessment studies, HRiA also offers trainings on research methods, outcome measurement, and strategic research planning. Guided by an assets-based approach, HRiA aims to encourage community participation and build partner capacity in the research and program planning process.