Step One:

Describe the problem this program addresses.

1. What is the exact problem you are addressing? 

2. What is the size and extent of this problem? Use local data if at all possible, and be sure to cite your sources. Use national data to support your case.

3. Describe the root cause(s) of this problem (Theory of Cause).

1. There is a high level of relationship/intimate partner violence (IPV) among adults and young people in our community.

2. This is a huge problem:

• 40% of women respondents in a survey conducted this year in Oaktown reported they had been physically abused or threatened with physical abuse.

• The Oaktown police department reports that over 50% of its calls are related to IPV.

• In a recent survey of Oaktown high school seniors, only 32% were able to identify three main signs of IPV.

3. Young people and adults have been socialized to use and to tolerate IPV. They are not aware of:

1. the possibility that IPV should not be tolerated AT ALL;

2. the spectrum, types and indicators of IPV; and

3. they do not have the skills or support to stop their own violence or their own experience of others’ violence.

Step Two:

Describe your prevention approach and why it makes sense.

1. Explain how your prevention program activities will lead to a desired outcome (Theory of Change/Solution). 

2. Name 3-4 ways that your prevention program is making a difference or will make a difference (Your Impact / Outcomes). 

3. Describe where your prevention program’s activities are on the Spectrum of Community Change. List any collaborative efforts.

4. Describe any data and research that supports your approach.

1. Our prevention approach involves reaching community members through several educational methods that teach about IPV and how to apply the knowledge learned. This leads to:

1. increased awareness of IPV, and

2. increased action to stop this IPV.

2.  Our program:

1. Provides workshops to adults and young people at risk of IPV through two service providers and trains these providers to improve their ability to address IPV with their clients;

2. Conducts a video presentation in all Oaktown middle and high schools;

3. Distributes a bi-annual Community Action Newsletter in the community.

3. Levels 1,2,3 (list). Collaboration with Women’s Health Services, CalWorks, Youth Club, middle and high schools.

4. The data and research upon which this program is based is:

Step Four:

Create a cost analysis profile.

1. What is the cost of this program for a specific year? Review the annual budget and list costs by category.

2. What does each program component cost?

3. How many people did each program component reach directly in the year identified?

4. How much does it cost per person for each program component? (Divide the cost of the component by the number who participated.)

Note: You may find that the per person cost of one component was less than that of another. This is useful information AND PROVIDES THE COST ANALYSIS.

1. The program cost $90,000 in 2005:

Staff salaries/benefits: $50,000

Rent: $15,000

Marketing: $9,000

Training equipment: $8,000

Supplies: $4,000

Postage: $3,000

Other: $1,000

2. Cost per component:

Workshops: $20,000

Video presentations: $40,000

Newsletter: $30,000

3.  Number of people reached:

# of people who attended workshops: 1000

# of people who viewed video: 4000 

# of people who read newsletter: 6000

4.  Costs per person per component:

Workshops: $20 per participant

Video viewing: $10 per viewer

Newsletter reading: $5 per reader

Step Five:

Describe various approaches to the measurement of this program’s cost-benefit.

a) List the outcome measures for each program component.

b) Evaluate the effectiveness of each component using the same measures. For prevention education mobilization, use the mobilization template from Chapter 4 of this Manual for each participant in each component. This allows you to compare outcomes. Rank and list the components in terms of effectiveness.

c) Now, apply the cost per participant that you determined in Step 4 of this worksheet. List these costs next to the rankings.

1. Measurable changes in participants’ understanding of:

1. the forms/range of  violence;

2. methods of stopping one’s violence before it occurs;

3. methods of intervening when someone else is being abusive;

4. healthy relationship skills.

2. Component effectiveness:

Workshops: 78% Third Level Mobilization Rate

Videos: 53% Third Level Mobilization Rate

Newsletter: 16% Third Level Mobilization Rate

3. Ranks with cost per participant:

Workshops: 78% mobilization @ $20 per participant

Videos: 53% mobilization @ $10 per viewer

Newsletter: 16% mobilization @ $5 per viewer

STEPS FOR MAKING YOUR CASE

Step Six:

Analyze Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness.

See Chapter 4 of this Manual for ideas on how to analyze from a cost perspective.

• How do you know this program is cost-beneficial?

• Can you compare and analyze program components?

You may also wish to consider:

• Are there things you would do differently next time to gain greater benefit for the use of these funds?

• Are there things you could do to get the same benefit for less money?

Analysis:

• In this example, we see that the cost per person of each program component doubles as we move from newsletter ($5) to video ($10) to workshops ($20).

• However, the increase in mobilization is far higher than the increase in cost per participant, these rates going from 8% to 30% to 78%, which is more than a doubling in each case:

Workshops: Total component cost = $20,000 for 78% mobilization rate = $256.41 for each 1% increase in mobilization;

Videos: Total component cost = $40,000 for 30% mobilization rate = $1,333 for each 1% increase in mobilization;

Newsletter: Total component cost = $30,000 for 8% mobilization rate = $3,750 for each 1% increase in mobilization.

• We conclude here that at a rate of $20 per person, the 78% mobilization rate of the workshops is the most cost-effective approach because this method costs the least per unit or percent increase in mobilization.

• Note that despite the above data, we believe that the community is best served by offering all three components as we know that different people are reached by each component.

Step Seven:

Summarize your case and make a specific request.

1. After summarizing and presenting the information in steps 1-6, what are the 3-5 key points that you will say to the policymaker/funder to show that this prevention program is worthy of their investment/support?

2. Can you repeat this cost-benefit analysis of your program and produce the same or very similar findings? Explain how or prove this (optional).

3. Based on these findings, we are seeking support for both the continuation and expansion of our program.

Request?

1.  Summary:

• For an average cost of less than $12 per person served, the Healthy Partnerships prevention education and mobilization program is having a profound impact on adults and young people in our community.

• Evaluations show that awareness of IPV in our community has increased by 42% since this program started.

• Perhaps more importantly, people who take part in this program are taking action to end their own abusive behavior and to intervene when they see others being violent.

2. Replicability (optional)

3. Request (optional)

You can make a difference by making a financial contribution:

• $1000 will fund training for ten more peer educators.

• $500 will fund five more workshops in the community.

• $250 will fund a presentation and video discussion at a local middle or high school.

• $20 will fund one adult’s participation in a Healthy Partnerships workshop.

• $10 will fund one student’s learning about IPV.

• Etc.