SEI Tools and Publications
Whenever possible, SEI makes its tools and publications available in an effort to benefit and strengthen any organization that might benefit from them.
The SEI staff encourages you to review these resources. Please contact us at any time with any questions.
Tools
Research Brief: Revenue Strategies for Tough Times (April 2009) – An analysis of the latest research showing what revenue generation strategies work best during a recession and how to use a recessionary period to position your organization to capitalize on an economic recovery.
Research Brief: Cost and Resource Management Strategies (April 2009) – Diligently controlling costs can be just as important as generating new revenues. This brief offers proven ways to manage costs without having to simply do without.
Sustainability Resources (May 2008) – A compendium of leading research on long-term sustainability of organizations and free or low-cost resources to help succeed with the essential elements of sustainability.
Needs Assessment Focus Group Toolkit (August 2007) – A toolkit with instructions and forms to use in conducting focus groups or other types of forums to gather community input on local needs and assets.
Evaluation Questions and Indicators Tool (April 2009) – An example from a County Children and Families Commission to help frame the key questions to be answered by their evaluation systems and select indicators that are aligned with those evaluation questions.
Information and Referral Tracking Log (April 2009) – An Excel workbook developed for a Family Resource Center to use in tracking information and referral activities at the center. Summary statistics by month and year-to-date are automatically generated from the monthly activity logs.
When Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review is Required (February 2009) – This brief helps to de-mystify the question of when evaluation activities qualify as research involving human subjects that must be approved by an Institutional Review Board.
Client Case Management Vendors and Questions (April 2009) – A tool to help evaluate and select a computerized information system for case management services and other client-level services.
Publications
First 5 Northwest Region Impact Report (April 2009, 2 MB) – A model study showing the impact that First 5 Children and Families Commissions have had across the ten-county Northwest Region of California. For an executive summary of the report, click here: First 5 Northwest Region Impact Report: Executive Summary
Nevada Civil Legal Needs Assessment Report (July 2008) – Statewide assessment of Nevada residents’ need for civil legal services and the extent to which those needs are being met, prepared for the Nevada State Bar Association and used as the basis for strategic planning to enhance civil legal services in the state.
Ready for Life Needs Assessment Report (May 2008) – A research-driven assessment of the needs and conditions facing the most vulnerable youth in Washoe County, Nevada.
Santa Barbara County Oral Health Initiative Sustainability Plan (October 2005) – Example of a comprehensive plan for long-term sustainability of a countywide, multi-agency oral health initiative in Santa Barbara County, California. We are grateful to First 5 Santa Barbara County and the participating agencies for making this plan publicly available; SEI has developed similar sustainability plan for dozens of other organizations since 2005, but the participating organizations typically prefer to keep their plan confidential.