OMB has announced several government-wide efforts related to the role of program evaluations as part of the fiscal 2011 budget process.
According to OMB memo M-10-01, the government has invested significantly in evaluations but many important programs have yet to be formally evaluated, and federal budget priorities and agency management practices to not adequately reflect the evaluations that have been done.
As part of the budget process OMB said it would work with agencies to expand the information about program evaluations that they make public in order to make researchers, policymakers, and the general public aware of studies planned or underway that examine whether a program is achieving its intended outcomes, or that study alternative approaches for achieving outcomes to determine which strategies are most effective.
In the coming weeks, OMB also will issue a budget data request regarding the public availability of program evaluation information.
The memo invites agencies– on a voluntary basis – to submit additional information and request additional funding for high-priority evaluation activities.
In the fiscal 2011 budget, OMB will allocate a limited amount of funding to support up to 20 rigorous program evaluations across the federal government or to strengthen agency evaluation capacity.
Agencies wishing to be considered for additional funding should provide their submissions to OMB using a template included in the memo no later than November 4.
