Developing evaluation capacity: Lessons from the tuberculosis program evaluation network

As program evaluation becomes an expected activity for programs receiving Federal funds, the need to build evaluation capacity increases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) manages cooperative agreements with 68 tuberculosis (TB) control programs stipulating program evaluation as a core activity. Each TB program has designated evaluation focal points (EFPs) who serve as the point of contact for evaluation activities and as advocates and implementers of these activities in their respective jurisdictions. The EFPs role is to build state and local program evaluation capacity among TB program staff. In conjunction with the EFPs, the tuberculosis program evaluation network (TB PEN) supports a national effort to build capacity within the TB programs to conduct program evaluation. As a peer-to-peer network, TB PEN develops and strengthens the capacity of state and local TB programs to monitor and evaluate their programs and use the findings to enhance the effectiveness of prevention and control activities. This presentation will describe the approach to building evaluation capacity through a national network and the lessons learned from the inception of TB PEN in 2010 among federal and state program staff. TB PEN provides multiple opportunities to increase EFPs evaluation subject-matter knowledge; allows EFPs to share their specific evaluation experiences; assesses evaluation competency and training needs; and provides a repository of evaluation knowledge. As of 2012, 100% of TB programs have a designated EFP and TB PEN has held over 20 open forums and multiple series of evaluation training and skill building sessions that have fostered sharing of evaluation experiences among state and local health departments. TB PEN encourages a culture of shared learning and provides local TB staff with evaluation technical skills, ownership, and empowerment that can contribute to the ultimate goal of TB elimination.