Letter from the Executive Director
Lori Wingate

This past year at The Evaluation Center was one of steady progress and meaningful achievements. From refining our mission, vision, and values to celebrating national recognition for our staff, advancing the Evaluation Lab, hosting professional gatherings, and publishing new scholarly work, we strengthened our local and national contributions to the field. Even amid shifting federal funding priorities, our team remained dedicated to service, collaboration, and advancing evaluation. Continue reading to learn how we carried our work forward in 2024-25.

2024-25 Activities

2024-25 Grants and Contracts
These projects are worth nearly $14 million over their total award periods. Projects active in this fiscal year are listed below. The award values reflect the overall value of these grants and contracts, not necessarily the amount received in 2024-25.
Title | Sponsor | Investigators | Start Date | End Date | Total Award |
EvaluATE 4.0: Evaluation Resource Hub for Advanced Technological Education | National Science Foundation | Lyssa Wilson Becho and Lori Wingate | 1/15/2019 | 12/31/2024 | $6,407,856 |
EvaluATE 5.0: Evaluation Resource Hub for Advanced Technological Education | National Science Foundation | Lyssa Wilson Becho, Megan Lopez, and Lori Wingate | 1/1/2024 | 12/31/2028 | $6,211,812 |
Faculty Online Learning * | National Science Foundation | Melissa Dancy | 10/15/2021 | 9/30/2026 | $256,320 |
Evaluation of the Smart Space Project | U.S. Department of Education via Indiana State University | Brad Watts | 10/1/2018 | 9/30/2024 | $350,000 |
Evaluation of the Health Centers Careers Training Program | Michigan Primary Care Association | Brad Watts | 10/1/2023 | 10/31/2024 | $43,734 |
Evaluation of the Access, Climate, and Equity Project * | National Science Foundation via Missouri State University | Kelly Robertson | 8/1/2024 | 5/2/2025 | $70,000 |
Evaluation of the Center for Sustainable Plan Innovation and Resilience Through International Teamwork | National Science Foundation via Michigan State University | Brad Watts | 5/12/2025 | 12/31/2025 | $12,870 |
Evaluation of Conflict Resolution Programming | Grand Rapids Urban League | Kelly Robertson | 4/24/2025 | 9/30/2025 | $29,000 |
∗ These projects ended prematurely due to decisions by Federal agencies.

Evaluation Lab
The Evaluation Center is home to the Evaluation Lab. Launched in January 2024, the lab serves the Kalamazoo community while training WMU undergraduate and graduate students in program evaluation.
