Handbook of Public Administration, 3rd Edition

Chapter 18Evaluating the Performance of Public Programs

Kathryn E. Newcomer

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the demand for systematic data about the efforts and results of public and nonprofit programs has increased due to the convergence of actions by many institutions with stakes in the delivery of public services. In countries across the world, governments at all levels, foundations, funders of international development endeavors (e.g., World Bank and the US Agency for International Development), think tanks, and academics with interests in improving the delivery of services have all called for more rigorous evaluation studies and data to support evidence-based policy and evidence-based management (Kettl, 2005; Pollitt ...