Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Education
What level of education is required to qualify to be a Retooling Fellow? (back to top)
The baisc requirement to meet the education qualifications of the program is a Masters or Doctoral degree.
What if I don't have a graduate degree, but have many years of experience? (back to top)
Eight years of experience in your field and some graduate coursework can be used in place of a Masters or Doctoral degree.
Experience
How many years of experience in my field do I need to qualify to be a Retooling Professional? (back to top)
One must have a minimum of five years of experience following the completion of a graduate-level degree to qualify for the program.
What if I don't have a graduate-level degree? (back to top)
Those without a graduate degree must have 12 years of experience in their field to qualify for the program.
Meaning of Underrepresented
What does it mean to be “underrepresented in the field of evaluation”? (back to top)
The RWJF Evaluation Fellows program is open to applicants from any group that has been historically disadvantaged or underrepresented in program evaluation. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals from ethnic and racial minorities historically underrepresented in program evaluation. It also includes persons of all races and ethnicity who come from groups that have historically been disadvantaged or underrepresented in program evaluation, such as first-generation college graduates and people from low-income communities. These examples are intended to be illustrative, not exclusive. Applicants who do not fall within one of these categories but who believe they are from a historically disadvantaged or underrepresented background should explain their individual circumstances in their application.
Budget
What must my organizationl budget be to meet the program guidelines? (back to top)
An organization/agency must have a total operating budget of a minimum $1 Million to a maxumum of $5 Million to be eligible for the program. The maximum budget must be LESS THAN $6 Million.
Is the budgetary limit in reference to the program budget or total agency budget? (back to top)
The budgetary guidelines are in reference to the total agency budget. NOTE: The only exception tot his rule is where the "agency" is the fiscal agent to a program whose budget meets the program guidelines.
Organization Type
Must my organization provide direct servcies to qualify for this program? (back to top)
To qualify for this program an applicant must be a full-time employee of a non-profit organization, which provides services to a traditionally under-served or underrepresented community as defined above. Organizations whose primary role is research or evaluation are ineligible for this program.
Are employees of and employing government agencies eligible? (back to top)
No, Government agencies and their employees are not eligible at this time?
Qualification
How do I apply for the program? (back to top)
Before applying for the program please check the qualifications and eligibility requirements on the programs website. Please fill out the pre-qualifying questionnaire.
Website
Where is the application on the website? (back to top)
After answering the pre-qualifying questions the online system makes a determination of eligibility. If one qualifies they are sent to a page where they can create an online profile. Once this profile is created and saved a link will appear that says “Start the application.” NOTE: the profile information will not be reviewed during the selection process.
Purpose
What is the goal(s) or purpose of the RWJF Evaluation Fellows Program? (back to top)
The program's goal is to help nonprofit professionals become better internal evaluators of their programs and better consumers of information for decision-making. The program also aims to equip participants with evaluation skills that will help enhance the evaluation capacity of their organizations. Ultimately the program seeks to infuse the evaluation field with well-trained individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to meet the needs of the increasingly diverse programs and communities the the profession serves.
Duration
How long is the fellowship program? (back to top)
The fellowship program will last for twelve months. During the year each fellow will receive approximately 40 hours of training in two 3-5 day workshops.
Funding
How are the grants associated with the program to be used? (back to top)
The non-profit organizations that employ the fellows will receive a $5,000 award and each fellow will recieve reimbursement for travel to workshops for up to $1,500. Additionally, the fellows will receive technical assistance on an internal evalaution project at their organization.
Location
Where will the workshops for fellows be held? (back to top)
During the on-year fellowship, non-profit professionals will be trained in evaluation methodology while workin on a real-world evalution project for their employer. The trainings will be held in Philadelphia, and in various locations in the US.
What topics will be covered in the workshops? (back to top)
During the two workshops, evaluation concepts, evaluative thinking, methods and practical applications, and evaluation project design will be covered.
Who should I contact with additional questions? (back to top)
For more information contact:
Vivian Figueredo
(215) 732-2200 ext. 233
vivian@omgcenter.org
Howard Walters
(215) 732-2200 ext. 276
howard@omgcenter.org
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