Methods to evaluate your communications activities need to be in place before you begin communicating. That means evaluation should be at the top of your checklist for the spring season. The It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air Web site Download Center has the tools to help.

The Resource Toolkit chapter on Evaluation provides a primer on program evaluation, including answers to frequently asked questions. Sections of the chapter cover how to use research to plan, monitor, and evaluate your program. In the Research Section of the Download Center, tools are provided for benchmarking and tracking your activities and results that reflect the objectives of the It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air initiative.

• A process evaluation tool is provided to help you document your objectives and track progress toward recruiting partners, distributing materials, placing paid and free ads, and securing positive media coverage.
• A professionally developed and tested questionnaire is provided for pre- and post-program evaluations using telephone surveys. This saves you the time and expense of questionnaire development. A version of the questionnaire has been annotated, providing the rationale for each question.
• Another version of the questionnaire is designed to be a self-administered questionnaire. This two-page questionnaire is a great tool to use in a presentation about transportation and air quality. It provides an outline of the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air messages for discussion purposes or it can be used to measure group's awareness and attitudes before or after a presentation. You can also use it on your Web site or in public venues, like shopping centers, to get a snap shot of public awareness and attitudes.
• The Community Assessment chapter of the Resource Toolkit includes information on how to conduct focus groups, which can help you select the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air ads that resonate best with your target audience(s).

Research and evaluation are keys to a well executed, sustainable, and effective communications program. Please take advantage of the resources provided for your convenience. If you have questions or need more advice, please post your inquiry on the Demonstrating the Benefits of Your Program section of the Exchange.