The Evaluation & Research Group works with local, state, and national organizations to help their program reach its maximum impact. Our evaluation lab conducts evaluations and offers services to help organizations build evaluation capacity through educational training and technical assistance in evaluation, assessment, strategic planning, and program maintenance.
We have experience in a breadth of research methods and tools, which we use to provide sound, efficient, and useful answers to questions that help clients make data-driven decisions about their programs, polices, projects, and services.
Our team works collaboratively with clients to write grant proposals, designs and implements evaluation methodologies, communicates with project staff, reports evaluation results to the organization’s staff and funding agencies, builds evaluation capacity through training and technical assistance, and advances the theory and practice of evaluation by writing peer-reviewed journal articles and presenting/attending evaluation conferences.
The Evaluation & Research Group is housed within the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University and has offices located in Starkville and Canton.
Our Mission
The mission of the Evaluation & Research Group is to conduct rigorous evaluations and support capacity building among organizations’ program assessment and evaluation skills. Our goal is to provide the expertise and/or training so clients can make data-driven decisions to improve their programs and maximize their outcomes.
Our Vision
The Evaluation & Research Group recognize evaluation is a fundamental part of enhancing the economic and social vitality of society. We strive to advance the theory, practice, and use of evaluation through research, education, service and leadership.
The Evaluation & Research Group is Affiliated with the SSRC at Mississippi State University
About the SSRC
The Social Science Research Center (SSRC) was established at Mississippi State University in 1950 to promote, enhance and facilitate social science research and related scholarly activities. The Center offers a superior research environment with an impressive array of research opportunities and options, state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories and support units that enhance and expand both the scope and quality of social science research. The SSRC fosters a rigorous and independent research environment to ensure objective, relevant and unbiased analyses. The SSRC facilitates many research programs designed to collect data on different social aspects such as healthcare, tobacco control, the justice system, family well-being, and more.
About Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University is a comprehensive, doctoral degree-granting institution with a nationally and internationally diverse student body. To individuals, it offers a wide range of opportunities and challenges for learning and growth. A body of energetic researchers, both faculty and other, are assisted by an effective research administration to place Mississippi State among the top 100 universities in the nation in research and development in the sciences and engineering. Campus service agencies similarly are distinguished, earning the respect and support of their varied constituencies throughout the state, as well as in other states and countries throughout the world.