Research & Evaluation
Data and strategy go hand in hand, but organizations are often overwhelmed by a data avalanche and don't know what to do next. SWIM analyzes available data and fills the gaps with custom assessments and vigorous research to help organizations understand their environment and develop strategies that can move from data to action.
The evaluation cycle consists of three phases, repeated regularly to gauge progress and make adjustments for ongoing improvement.
SWIM prioritizes a participatory evaluation process that engages program staff, program participants, organizational leadership, community partners, and other key stakeholders in every phase.
This approach is centered around activating moments for change at all levels from the program end-user to the greater community.
“We engaged SWIM to guide our team in developing an approach to program evaluation that was disciplined, replicable and neighbor-centered. We expected to come out of the engagement with thorough evaluations of two programs and the ability to apply what we learned to others. We didn’t expect to walk away with a detailed evaluation manual that makes our “replicable” goal possible, but we did. Our partnership with SWIM once again delivered great returns. ”
What you can expect from us.
We create clarity and find focus
Our engagement and assessment methods identify pain points and create actionable solutions.
We prioritize collaboration
We want you to be co-creators in the process! Your input helps us shape a solution to fit your exact problem.
We are flexible and adaptive
Our plans are custom-tailored to our client needs and organizational culture. We bring expansive network knowledge but listen for your unique requirements.
We empower you with tools to continue
We recognize your organization’s change process is ongoing. Our clients benefit from access to our resource library.
Take a look at our work with the City of Alexandria where we researched the demographics, economics, and state of food insecurity in Alexandria, Virginia, and the Washington, DC metro area.
“SWIM’s organization of neighbor engagement was critical to the success of our food security work in Alexandria. They facilitated conversations with key at-risk populations, as well as the community at large. The survey they created and the focus groups held provided crucial feedback and suggestions that serve as the basis of our strategic planning process.”
Interested in exploring whether our approach might align with your needs? Let’s talk!
1. Schedule a free consultation by phone or face to face
The goal of this meeting is to learn more about the problem you’re trying to solve and give you a taste of our style as consultants.
2. Complete a quick assessment
During your free consultation, we will walk you through an assessment to analyze your needs.
3. We will point you in the right direction
Once we know more about your needs, we build a plan that points you to support that could accomplish your goals. From there, we can start to outline a scope of work or refer you to resources.
“We have worked with SWIM on a number of programs and projects over the last decade. We can always count on them to bring fresh ideas, helpful frameworks and positive energy to the work. They are true thought partners in shaping our strategic direction and helping accelerate our efforts.”
Ready to get started?
Schedule a free consultation.