SmartStart conducts evaluation for university programs and non-profit agencies that receive outreach and training grants. They mainly evaluate university level science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) projects funded by federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation. Their projects range from small to large but all require a plan for sustainability and the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool has met that need perfectly. SmartStart’s president Lisa Kohne states, “the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool has been a fantastic addition to our evaluation toolbox.”
When Principal Investigators are writing a proposal, Lisa recommends they use the eight domains as part of their sustainability plan. Then when their proposal is funded, SmartStart uses the tool to assess potential sustainability of their project during the middle and final years. According to Lisa, “it is extremely simple to deploy, the questions are easily understood by our project participants, and results are quickly downloaded into a format that can be pasted into a report or PowerPoint. It has become an invaluable tool for our company.”