Request for Proposals: External Evaluation of a Sports-Based Youth Development Program

Coach Across America•New Orleans, LA

1d•Remote

About The Position

Coach Across America is seeking proposals for an external evaluation of its sports-based youth development program. This mixed-methods study will be conducted in the second year of a 3-year AmeriCorps grant cycle. The program aims to use sports as a platform to re-energize economically vulnerable communities by training sports coaches as role models to teach skills that lead to increased physical activity and positive decision-making. The program focuses on engaging community-based organizations, recruiting local adults as AmeriCorps Coach-Mentors (ACM), training them in Sports-Based Youth Development (SBYD), and conducting SBYD activities that promote healthier behaviors among youth and a service ethic among coaches. The evaluation will assess program effectiveness and implementation, including youth outcomes, coach impacts, program determinants, and core implementation outcomes.

Requirements

Experience in designing and conducting evaluations using a mixed methods design.
Experience in conducting studies and program evaluations in the field of sport-based youth development and/or mentoring.
Experience in leading studies and program evaluations using community-engaged and -participatory approaches.
Experience in leading multi-site and -partner studies and/or evaluations.
Strong written and verbal skills in communicating technical and/ or complex findings to non-specialist audiences (especially report writing and presentation skills).
A track record of open, collaborative working with clients.
The ability to prepare, submit, and receive approval from an Institutional Review Board.
A strong track record of working flexibly to accommodate changes as the project is implemented.
Demonstrated capacity to obtain IRB approval.
Ability to analyze and report on quantitative and qualitative data.
Ability to facilitate disaggregation of data by gender, race/ethnicity, and age.
Submission of a letter of interest/cover letter, CV, sample evaluation report, and cost estimate.
Response submitted as a signed form or on official letterhead.

Responsibilities

Conduct a mixed-methods study to assess program effectiveness and implementation.
Examine the effects of program participation on youth outcomes, including social and emotional learning.
Assess coaches’ perceived impacts of the Program, including the quality of their relationships with youth.
Document program determinants, including barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Assess core implementation outcomes (e.g., feasibility, fidelity, appropriateness, and adoption).
Collaborate with the Coach Across America Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RM&E) team to refine study questions.
Analyze and report on all quantitative and qualitative data in collaboration with the Coach Across America’s RM&E team.
Prepare, submit, and obtain approval from an accredited Institutional Review Board.
Develop and confirm a research protocol and data collection tools.
Provide remote training to the RM&E team and other individuals who will support data collection.
Support data collection through regular calls with Coach Across America’s RM&E team.
Produce a Final Study Report including an executive summary, background description, scope, methodology, findings, limitations, conclusions, recommendations, and data/analyses.
Produce a 2-page Impact Brief summarizing the project, objectives, methodology, key findings, and recommendations.
Incorporate feedback from Coach Across America into the final report.
Provide a final presentation on the study report to Coach Across America leadership and key staff.