ANR CE Program Evaluation

University of California

ANR CE Program Evaluation

Needs Assessment Resources

Why, How, When

A needs assessment is an important part of program planning: to enable setting needs-based priorities. It is a systematic process to determine needs, the measurable gaps between current and desired conditions.

UC ANR TRAINING MATERIALS

Link to 2022 Training Recording. Panel of UCCE academics share their approaches for these program areas: Agronomy, Nutrition, Small Farms.

Other recorded UCCE examples of needs assessments:

4-H example
Livestock and Natural Resources example
Food Systems/Dairy example

Needs Assessment planning exercise

Need assessment worksheet

UCCE Needs Assessment fact sheet

Considerations for Priority-Setting

MORE UCCE EXAMPLES

For focusing and developing extension and research

4-H Needs Assessment Worker

Livestock and Natural Resources Needs Assessment survey and poster Mashiri

Orchard Crops Needs Assessment

Sacramento County Director Needs Assessment Plan

Pest Research Needs Assessment 2011

Collaborative efforts

UCCE Agronomy Program Team Needs Assessment

UCCE Dairy Advisors collaborative needs assessment overview and Dairy Producer Needs Assessment survey and poster Karle

Vertebrate pest "research needs" assessment of CA ag commodities

Lake Tahoe Basin Natural Resources Needs Assessment

Farm and IPM Advisor collaboration with CDFA to identify spray application training needs and survey using Importance-Performance Analysis

Formal reports

San Diego Growers Needs Assessment

Small-scale Livestock Harvesting Needs Assessment

Marin Cheesemaking Needs Assessment

Marin Community Garden Needs Assessment

Surveys and other tools

UCCE Sacramento Needs Assessment Survey March 2012

Money Talks Teen Program Needs Assessment Survey

Needs Assessment Surveys - UC Vet Med

Napa Weeds Needs Assesment Survey

Youth Development In Los Angeles County

Livestock and Natural Resources Needs Assessment Survey

Small Farms Needs Assessment Interview and Observation Data Collection Tool

Fire Science Consortia Needs Assessment interview and focus group Kocher and Stephens

Community asset mapping example

Seaside youth map community assets - UC Delivers

OTHER RESOURCES

IRB approval?
In general, needs assessment surveys do not require IRB approval because they are used for internal program development purposes and not for specific research. However, if you plan to publish your needs assessment effort you will need IRB approval. For additional information see the Human Subject Protocol resources.

Asset-based approach references

Kretzmann and J. McKnight’s book: Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing A Community’s Assets (1993)
Altschuld’s book: Bridging the Gap Between Asset/Capacity Building and Needs Assessment: Concepts and Practical Applications (2015)
Effective Engagement with Latino Youths and Communities
Using an Asset-Based Community Development Initiative to Attract and Retain Young People - JOE_v49_2iw1

Needs Assessments Processess, Methods and Examples ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Journal articles

UCCE Disaster Management Needs Assessment

Needs assessment for cooperative extension dairy programs in CA

What Do Youth Want to Do? A Youth Needs-Assessment Process for Communities

Assessing Volunteers' Needs and Interests to Inform Curriculum Development in 4-H

How can we span the boundaries between wildland fire science and management in the United States? Kocher et al 2012

Baseline Data for Your Program

A Needs Assessment Method for Extension Educators

Using Importance-Performance Analysis to Guide Extension Needs Assessment

Urban Ag Needs Assessment

Tipsheets

Sample size handout