Child Trends identified evaluated after-school programs in Baltimore that: were 501 c3 organizations; served over 50 children; served children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 16; had an operating budget of $275,000 and higher; and were evaluated. Programs were excluded if they were large institutions such as schools, juvenile detention centers, residential group homes, religious organizations and hospitals.

To compile a list of programs that might meet these criteria, a standardized process was used:

GuideStar Scan: *GuideStar, (the national database of non-profit organizations filing 990s) was used to identify relevant programs based on the criteria specified by Atlantic Philanthropies. A standard set of search terms were used to allow for consistent searching. The search terms used were: children, youth program(s), and child programs. *GuideStar was also searched under the category of “youth development”, “after-school programs”, “promising practices”, and “youth programs”. Once the relevant program information was identified, it was included in the description of the program.

After-School Program Scan: If information in Guide Star indicated that the program had been evaluated, then the program web-site was scanned for relevant evaluation information.

Phone interviews with Community Foundations and Experts: Where individual program web-sites did not yield detailed evaluation information, phone interviews with program sites managers were conducted. In the case of Baltimore, program directors and staff at the Center for Applied Research and Technical Assistance (CARTA), The After School Institute (TASI), Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Adolescent Health, Baltimore Safe and Sound, Open Society Institute Soros, Baltimore Urban Debate League and Junior Achievement were interviewed. 

Web-Based Searches: Internet web-based searches of government and city and state level web-sites were also conducted. In the case of Baltimore, important supplemental evaluation information was obtained from Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore City Police Department, United Way, and Baltimore City Mayor’s Office for Children, Youth, and Families.

National Umbrella Organizations: To obtain additional evaluation information, a series of searches of national umbrella organizations were conducted. These Internet, web-based searches of national umbrella associations included 21^st Century Community Learning Centers, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, and Junior Achievement.  These searches yielded important evaluation studies, often multi-site studies, which may or may not have had Baltimore as a site.

Evaluation Research Databases:  Evaluation information was also obtained from evaluation research databases. These research databases included but were not limited to the Harvard Research Family Project, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, and Policy Studies Associates. Evaluations completed by these three web sites yielded important information for Baltimore.

Peer-Reviewed Journals: We also used several databases containing evaluation research articles to complete an evaluation literature search. The data bases used include PsycINFO, Sociofile, EBSCO, and Web of Science. This literature search allowed us to identify several well-known journals that contained articles on after-school program evaluation. Some of the journals used in this search include Adolescence, Educational Leadership, Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. The evaluation reports used in these articles were identified, sourced, and incorporated into the program evaluation summaries.