ABSTRACT
Evaluation is an approach to understanding how well something is working and why. The process of evaluating a program, policy, or intervention involves a systematic assessment of its impacts through gathering and analyzing data to inform decisions and improve effectiveness. This chapter makes a case for the critical role of evaluation for Food Policy Councils (FPCs). It then posits that there are three different types of evaluation that are important for FPCs: (1) evaluation of the FPC’s network; (2) evaluation of the FPC’s impact on the local food system; and (3) evaluation of the local food system itself. The chapter explains, in three consecutive sections, how an FPC can plan and execute evaluation in all three of these areas. In a Resource section at the end of the chapter, the Rhode Island Food Policy Council’s cornerstone evaluation materials, including the biennial RI Food Policy Council Network Survey and the “RI Food System Dashboard,” are shared.
