Transcript Slide 1

Research and Evidence
Kate Waller
Information Manager
What are funders looking for?
Funders are looking for well
defined problems/needs
You must define the problem in words that funders
can understand and in a way that makes them want to
do something about it
Try not to generalise and make bland assertions e.g.
there is a serious drugs problem and the problem is
growing
Use data to paint a picture don’t just tell them
everything you know
Don’t assume the reader understands the
problems you are describing
• What is the nature of the problem you are tackling?
– e.g. More and more people are developing long-term health
problems through lack of exercise
• How do you know the need exists?
– Where possible the most important evidence will come for the people
who benefit from your work e.g. surveys amongst young people in
your area
• How widespread is it?
– You need to evidence your claims e.g. over 50% of children age 1116 watch more than 3 hours of television each night
How does it fit with the bigger picture
• Are there any social trends which demonstrate that the
problem will increase in the next few years?
– Prevention is usually cheaper than cure
• Are you building on work you or other organisations do
to address the particular need?
• What are the specific features of your area or
community that make support for your project
particularly important?
BIGs Reaching Communities programme
judgement criterion
• Whether there is a clearly defined need or needs that the
project will address
• Whether the applicant has carried out or referenced open
and inclusive research and consultation that is recent and
relevant to the project and demonstrates a clear need
• Whether the consultation has been extensive and detailed
and included potential beneficiaries and all relevant
stakeholders
• Whether the consultation clearly shows that the project will
fill identified gaps of add value to existing provision
Sources of evidence
Primary vs Secondary data sources
Primary
• Data collected by you (or
on your behalf)
• Specific to your needs and
you control the quality
• Usually costs more and
takes longer
Secondary
• Existing data that has been
collected and analysed by
someone else e.g. Census,
other peoples surveys
– Desk research
• Usually cheap and quick
• Data can be too old and not
specific enough for your
needs
Your choice is likely to be determined by time, budget
and the need you are trying to demonstrate
Secondary data sources
Surrey-i: Open data source
Area profiles: CCG, Local Authority,
Ward, Lower Super Output area
A treasure trove of information
• Has a wide range of information and should be your first port
of call for open data from government sources and Surrey's
public service organisations. Surrey-i is also home to:
– Census data e.g. age, ethnicity, carers, disability
– Future populations predictions (POPPI, PANSI)
– Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
– Surrey Residents Survey
– School Census
– Mosaic Public Sector Interactive Guide
– Community Foundation for Surrey: Surrey Uncovered
– Active People Survey: Sport England
– Voluntary, Community and Faith sector page
The VCFS Page: Sharing what we have
Other information sources
• Projecting Older People Population Information
– www.poppi.org.uk
• Projecting Adult Needs and Services
Information
– www.pansi.org.uk
• Public Health Observatories (Part of Public
Health England)
– www.apho.org.uk
• ONS (Office of National Statistics)
– www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk
• Official labour market statistics
– www.nomisweb.co.uk
Other sources of information
• National charities
– NCVO
– NAVCA
• Universities and Think Tanks
– Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC)
– The King’s Fund
– New Philanthropy Capital
– New Economics Foundation
• Fellow VCFS organisations in Surrey
Be sure about the credibility of your data source. Have
you heard of them? How have they compiled the data?
Reporting secondary data
Reassures the reader about the credibility of the data;
provides an important link to the original methodology
Primary data
Primary data: Quantitative v Qualitative
Quantitative e.g. surveys
• Gathering answers to fixed
(closed) questions
• From a large number of
people – 100+
• Measures the incidence of
views and opinions
• Provides statistically valid
results
• Results provided in the
form of tabulations, quoting
actual percentages
Qualitative
• Specifically uncovers
thoughts and opinions
• Exploratory, investigative
and descriptive
• Normally conducted with
relatively small numbers of
people
• Unstructured or semistructured (open) questions
• Not statistically valid or a
measurement tool
Primary data: Evaluation and evidence of
need
• Primary data is used for evidencing need AND evaluating
projects/funding streams
87% of grant holders state that they use
questionnaires/surveys as a method of evaluation
Based on a survey of 404 grant holders from across
the UK commissioned by the Big Lottery Fund
Source: An evaluation of Big Lottery Funds’s Monitoring and Evaluation
Policy for grant holders, Edcoms, 2013
Qualitative research can be more than
anecdotal
• Conducted by an independent moderator
– Avoid bias
• Research participants are selected at random
– Not just your best friends!
• All interviews are taped and transcribed
– The original data source is kept and made available for
scrutiny
• Analysis is rigorous and methodical e.g. grid analysis
– Again, making it open to scrutiny
The more robust the methodology the more credible
the findings
Example of grid analysis
Quantitative research considerations
• Method
– Online, telephone, face-to-face, self completion
• Sampling
– What is the total ‘universe’?
– What ‘confidence’ level do you wish to achieve?
– How are you going to select your sample i.e. random
sampling?
– What is the potential return rate?
There are numerous considerations but the key is
to ensure that the method and sample are fit for
purpose and fit with your objectives
Quantitative research tips
• You will only gets answers to the questions you ask
– Make sure all questions fit with you overall objectives for
the research/what you are being asked to measure
– Avoid unnecessary questions
• Think about the person answering the questions
– Test your survey if you can
• Beware of survey fatigue
– Don’t over-survey your audience
– Minimize respondent effort
– Write good questions
The better the research/evaluation design the more
reliable the responses/evidence
Write good questions
• Ask questions whose answers you plan to use
• Ask questions that can be answered
meaningfully
• Avoid leading questions
– Do you appreciate our service a little or a
lot?
• Ask as few questions as possible to get the
information you need
• Don’t ask questions for which there is already
data available
• Where possible use multiple choice responses
– It is more effort to write in a box!
– Make sure the you cover all options
We are here to help
Eleanor Swann
Fundraising Officer
Tel: 01483 447 142
Email:
[email protected]
Kate Waller
Information Manager
Tel: 01483 447 135
Email: [email protected]