CCDF Lead Agencies can use research and evaluation to inform their program and policy decisions. Agency staff may do research and evaluation on their own, or they may work with a research partner. In both cases, staff can create or use a research plan to lay out the steps for their project and to inform decisions.

Purpose

This primer aims to help CCDF Lead Agency staff learn what to include or look for in a research plan. It lists the common sections of a research plan and provides tips and ideas about the types of information to put in each section. The primer includes resources to help staff create content for each section of a research plan. It also highlights why agencies should engage partners in their research project to advance equity and how they can do so.

Key Highlights

Agency staff can use the primer to think about each phase of the research process. The primer outlines the sections of a research plan, including

• the research behind and purpose of the research,
• plan to engage partners,
• research questions,
• study design,
• plan to collect information,
• plan to analyze the data,
• plan to communicate findings,
• timeline, and
• references.

Working with key partners at each of these stages can help make research findings more useful for families served. A research plan can help agency staff identify those partners and figure out how best to work with them.

Methods

This primer is based on a review of resources outlining steps of the research process. It is also informed by the authors’ work with CCDF Lead Agencies.