Stakeholder Influences

Stakeholders are any person, group, or organization which has an impact and which is impacted by the existence of an agency or particular program. When evaluating a plan, process, program, or policy, it is important to consider all stakeholders in the evaluation tools (questions, surveys, data, and required data) to help realize what information is needed to provide accurate, relevant, and credible end results. Asking the right questions provides each entity with the information that they need most in order to properly define whether a program is effective, is meeting the goals, objectives, and mission of the agency, and if changes need to be made to provide better solutions.

Different stakeholders have different needs and may include any person who has dealings with the agency; staff members, administrative personnel, policy makers, clients, community members, funding organizations, and many more. It is vitally important to receive input from all participants (no matter what their role within or outside of the organization) to cover the most ground and identify what the needs of the stakeholders are by their own definitions. Without taking into consideration the needs of all, the important questions may never be answered and may fall far short in the development of new projects or refinement of existing programs. Accessing the experiences and information that stakeholders may have in their repertoire severely confines the open-mindedness which permits for fresh, innovative aspects and designs for the programs.

The PEACE Domestic Violence Agency is devoted to reducing the occurrence of sexual assault and domestic violence by providing education and strives to challenge societal averages and beliefs that disregard and prolong violence in the community. The targeted population influences a program plan because one needs to know how many people need services. The targeted population will be a great start when doing a process evaluation. The characteristics