The Florida State University Institute for Justice Research and Development (IJRD) has launched a new online training series for non-profit administrators and NGO leaders.  How to Build Funding, Evaluation and an Evidence Base for Non-Profits was created by five members of Florida State University faculty and staff to help strengthen and scale non-profits while demystifying research. 

“This training series responds to the most frequent requests we receive from non-profit leaders, helping them to amplify their missions and identify data-driven solutions for their organization and clients,” said Carrie-Pettus Davis, founding executive director of IJRD. “Each training series brings research concepts to trainees in plain, jargon-free language, ensuring that trainees with no formal research experience can grasp and apply the concepts.”

The five-part online training is designed to teach the basics of identifying funding sources, preparing grant applications, developing tailored programs to meet client needs, conducting program evaluations, collecting high-quality data, and collaborating with researchers. The video-based series includes 3.5 hours of course content. Cumulatively, these trainings will inform trainees how to build an evidence base for their programs and improve their organization’s programs or services, in order to further their organization’s mission.

The team of experts at IJRD who developed the series have brought in over $33 million in funding to support research being conducted in 20 states across the nation. They have designed, implemented, and evaluated dozens of programs in non-profit organizations, correctional settings, and communities with thousands of research participants.  

First in the series, Finding Funding: How to Prepare and Write a Grant Application appeals broadly to professionals who are new to the grant planning, preparation and writing process. It explains how to identify funding opportunities, understand the key components of a grant solicitation, and develop a grant proposal, with tips to maximize the chances of being funded. This training is led by Kerensa Lockwood, PhD.

Developing New Programs helps the trainee tailor their program components to better serve clients and amplify the organization’s mission. The goal of this training is to help the trainee design a high-quality program that can be implemented to help clients thrive. This training is ideal for non-profit administrators, as well as staff eager to customize and optimize the existing service offerings. This training is led by Carrie Pettus-Davis, PhD, MSW.  

How to Conduct a Program Evaluation helps to determine whether an organization’s programs are effective. Trainees will learn how to create an evaluation team, prepare and implement a program evaluation, and use the findings from the evaluation to improve program and organizational function.  The training is ideal for those with little to no formal research training.  This training is led by Stephanie Kennedy, PhD, MSW.

How to Collect Data helps the trainee think through the data their organization has, what data can be collected and what data should be collected to better describe the organization’s clients, programs and services. The training is tailored to those who have little to no experience collecting data. This training is led by Tanya Renn, PhD, MSSW, MPH.

How to Collaborate with Researchers details the benefits of working with a researcher to help evaluate and improve the organization’s programs. It advises the trainee how to identify a compatible research collaborator, how to develop a relationship to ensure the needs of the organization are met. It introduces what a logic model is and how to use logic models to enhance research collaboration. This training is led by Dr. Stephen Tripodi, PhD, MSSW

The trainings can be purchased individually or as a complete series. For more information on pricing and how to register, please visit https://ijrd.csw.fsu.edu/how-build-funding-evaluation-and-evidence-base-non-profits  For inquiries on this training or customized trainings for your organization, please contact Amberly Prykhodko at aprykhodko@fsu.edu