Your TL;DR: Whether it’s an NSF ART award or another federally funded initiative, many institutions realize mid-project that evaluation was overlooked. EBHC helps higher ed teams step in midstream, reconstruct baselines, and tell the measurable impact story funders expect.
The launch of any federally funded project, like NSF’s Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program, comes with excitement, momentum, and lofty goals. Proposals promise transformative impact, new partnerships, and measurable change. Then the real work begins. Teams hire staff, form collaborations, and start moving fast.
And somewhere in that whirlwind, evaluation quietly falls off the checklist.
Until one day, the first-year report is due. The team gathers and someone asks: “How are we measuring success?” That’s the moment many institutions call us.
Stepping In Midstream
We’re well-versed in joining projects already underway. We know what it’s like to walk into a moving train, data scattered across spreadsheets, goals that have evolved since proposal submission, and funders now asking for measurable outcomes that haven’t been tracked. Our role is simple: we pick up the pieces and make sense of the story.
We help teams:
- Rebuild baseline data using existing records, proxies, and institutional memory.
- Develop performance metrics that align with federal reporting expectations.
- Establish accountability frameworks that demonstrate progress, outcomes, and value.
- Train faculty and staff to sustain consistent data collection and reporting for future years.
Even when projects are halfway through, we help them meet, and often exceed, funder expectations by creating a coherent, data-driven narrative.
Why This Matters
Federal funding isn’t just about implementation; it’s about impact accountability. Whether it’s the NSF, NIH, DOE, or another agency, they all want evidence that investments are producing outcomes with societal and economic value. Without evaluation, the story remains untold, and opportunities for renewal or expansion can slip away.
The EBHC Way
We believe evaluation shouldn’t feel like an audit. It’s a partnership. A process of learning, reflection, and growth that strengthens institutional credibility and decision-making. When we join a project midstream, we don’t just fix data gaps; we build a sustainable framework for continuous learning and impact measurement. Whether your award is in year one, two, or three, we can help you reconnect the dots between your mission and your measurable outcomes.
Don’t wait until the next reporting deadline. Schedule a consultation with us today to rebuild your evaluation foundation and show funders the full value of your work.
Ready To Take the Next Step?
We assist our clients in locating, applying for, and evaluating the outcomes of non-dilutive grant funding. We believe non-dilutive funding is a crucial tool for mitigating investment risks, and we are dedicated to guiding our clients through the entire process—from identifying the most suitable opportunities to submitting and managing grant applications.