Services

QREM’s mission is to put strong data into the hands of decision makers so they can develop effective strategies to improve their services and expand their organizations. We aim to help organizations answer questions like:

How much impact does our organization’s activities have on the community?

How does our programming affect individuals?

Does our programming match our organizational goals?

What should our programming look like?

To answer these and other questions, QREM offers a range of evaluation services including impact evaluations, process evaluation, and comparative data analysis, as well as advice on grants, financial management, and client satisfaction. Our services include:

Evaluations

Process Evaluations

A process evaluation assesses the implementation of programming and determines if it was done as intended. Process evaluations look for better strategies for efforts like event logistics and service delivery.

Impacts Evaluation

An impacts evaluation determines whether a program is effective or capable of accomplishing its goals. They look at impacts on individuals, organizations, and communities. Impacts evaluations answer the questions: What would the world look like without our organization or our programming? How large of a difference are we making? Impacts evaluations can also look at unexpected impacts areas where an organization may be making a significant difference.

Outcomes Evaluation

An outcomes evaluation measures changes that a program aims to create in a target population. Outcomes evaluations help answer questions like: Are middle school student reading levels higher? Are more students in the Denver area graduating from high school?

Collective Impact Evaluation

Collective impact evaluation examines the effects of the combined efforts of several partners working on a system-level issue. These analyses can measure the total impact of the collective impact as well as the estimated contribution of an individual partner.

Analysis

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Cost-benefit analyses identify and measure the relative costs to benefits of a social phenomenon, new product, public policy, etc. QREM’s strength lays in using the peer-reviewed literature to determine potential costs or benefits that might otherwise not be measured in traditional data reporting. QREM helps organizations state outcomes in more tangible ways, for instance defining educational achievement as completing a post-graduate degree program.

Client Satisfaction Analysis

Client satisfaction analysis utilizes specially designed surveys to gather feedback from clients and then evaluate it to determine their level of satisfaction in any number of areas. These analyses also help determine potential client exit or organizational withdrawal.

Social Network Analysis

Social network analysis looks to understand communities by measuring connections between people (organizations, cities, departments, etc.). SNA allows organizations to answer questions like: how many of our volunteers work in similar organizations? Where do similar organizations get their funding? Or, are we isolated from the groups we want to be connected to?

Quantitative Data Analysis

Quantitative data analysis involves statistical testing or analysis of numerical data. QREM collects these data either through the creation and administration of surveys or from other respected sources such as the Colorado Department of Education, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Current Population Survey, the Denver Regional Council of Governments or independent, respected third-party data sources, such as the Pew Research Center.

Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative data analysis involves non-numerical sources, typically in the form of text, images/video, or audio. QREM begins this process with a thorough review of the adjudicated literature on a given topic.

Geospatial Analysis

Geospatial analysis combines both quantitative and qualitative data to look for patterns based on spatial location. We can create maps which help answer questions like: where are food deserts in this community? Or, what is the relationship between access to recreational areas and children’s health?

Research

Logic Model Development

QREM’s logic models go beyond identifying a theory of change and work to connect an organization’s goals and activities to specific measurable outcomes. They include if-then statements outlining how specific activities contribute to changing outcomes, supporting research from peer-reviewed journals, data collection strategies and related data analysis approaches, data benchmarks, and definitions of key concepts.

Peer Reviewed Research Reports

Our researchers thoroughly examine the peer-reviewed literature to find what academics are saying about the work our clients are doing. These findings often form the backbone of our other evaluation work.

Analytical tool development

Scholarship Selection

QREM develops formulae to help scholarship programs streamline their process of evaluating applicants. The process allows scholarship committees find the types of applicants they are most interested in selecting from a large pool. Additionally, the process allows scholarships to collect data on successful and unsuccessful applicants to determine if they are making the impact they want to.

Algorithm Construction

Algorithms provide a helpful way for organizations to take advantage of many data points in decision-making. QREM works with organizations to craft algorithms that reflect the organization’s goals. This process often requires reviewing and updating the organization’s data collection, storage, and database maintenance strategies.

Focus Groups

QREM staff conduct focus groups to determine attitudes and opinions about your program, your products, or new initiatives you are considering. Focus groups are especially useful when you are attempting to learn about “unknown unknowns” where you are not sure what problems or benefits you might encounter.

Key Informant Interviews

In-depth interviews with key members of staff, clients, or volunteers allow you to get a better understanding of how the people you work with perceive the organization, your impact, possible changes in process, etc. Results from these interviews are often combined with other types of data to build a detailed picture of your organization, your impact, a new process or product, etc.

Survey Design

QREM staff follow the latest research about survey design so we can construct reliable and valid surveys. We are careful to avoid potential respondent bias that often arises in surveys that are not carefully designed or administered. Furthermore, we are careful to limit the length of surveys so that your clients, members, or volunteers can help your organization without giving up a lot of their time.

Though most clients are located in Colorado and the Denver area specifically, QREM has branched out from its home city and now serves clients nationwide. QREM is a member in good standing with the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and conducts all evaluations in accordance with AEA standards and practices.

Client testimonials