Evaluation and Sponsored Research

Institutional data are available for use in research and funding applications at hope.edu/frostcenter. A data request can be made for information not available on the website. These services are available at no cost to all Hope College constituencies.

Frost Center can also directly participate in Hope College externally-funded projects and research by including our involvement and associated costs in the funding proposal. In these cases, Frost Center is involved at least two weeks prior to submission of the funding proposal to ensure the scope of work and direct costs are accurately reflected in the proposal. Direct costs include supplies, software, contracted services, research assistants, and other expenses incurred by Frost Center above our already budgeted professional staff time.

Projects that include Frost Center in external funding

Hope College faculty or staff members completing applications for external funding should first contact the Office of Sponsored Research (sponsoredresearch@hope.edu or 616.395.7316). If it is determined that Frost Center support is needed to reach the outcomes of the project beyond normal institutional research and data services, the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs will refer the faculty or staff member to Frost Center for development of a Scope of Work.

Data needs that are supported

Frost Center staff involvement and the activities provided are based upon a project’s classification as either research or program evaluation. 

Research projects are:

• Used for faculty publications
• Seek to generalize findings to a population
• Aim to answer questions originating with scholars in a discipline
• Contribute to a body of knowledge in an academic discipline or for the common good.

Program evaluation is:

• Used for program improvement
• Does not seek to generalize findings
• Aims to answer questions originating with key stakeholders or users of evaluation results
• Designed to improve program effectiveness.

The first question to be answered in the pre-proposal stage is whether or not activities being completed are considered research. Since research includes investigation to reach new conclusions and usually leads to scholarship, the principal investigator or co-principal investigator completes data collection and analysis. In these projects Frost Center plays a supporting role in the design of the data collection plan, provides institutional data as needed, and Qualtrics training and support. The Principal Investigator (not Frost Center) develops, submits, gains approval, and monitors research requirements from the Hope College Human Subjects Research Board. For projects that are not research and require program evaluation, Frost Center can take on a larger role, including data collection and analysis.

Typical Frost Center Support

	Research	Program Evaluation
Support of data collection design	X	X
Qualtrics Training and Support	X	X
Programming Qualtrics surveys		X
Survey Administration		X
Data Analysis		X
Final Report		X
Raw data in spreadsheet	X	X

Developing the Scope of Work

The Frost Center Scope of Work document identifies activities to be completed. It is prepared after the funding proposal goals and outcomes are collaboratively identified by the faculty member, Office of Sponsored Research and Programs, and Frost Center staff, and prior to submission of an external funding proposal. Frost Center staff work with both the faculty member and Office of Sponsored Research and Programs in developing the Scope of Work. Please allow two weeks for preparing the Scope of Work as this document needs to be completed well in advance of proposal submission.

The Scope of Work identifies the Frost Center role as 1) evaluation only, 2) principal investigator, 3) co-principal investigator, or 4) other personnel. There are financial and documentation implications if Frost Center is involved beyond the evaluation only role, including being identified as a co-author in any scholarship coming from the research. In most cases the role of Frost Center will be evaluation only.

Contact Information

Questions regarding the types of research and program evaluation support that can be provided by Frost Center can be directed to frostcenter@hope.edu or 616.395.7556.

Questions regarding external project or research funding can be directed to Office of Sponsored Research: sponsoredresearch@hope.edu or 616.395.7316.