Collaboration Hour Video Clips and Cost Analysis Project (CAP) Guidelines

Details:

• Resource Type: Video and guidelines
• Estimated time: 2-3 hours to review the resources and brainstorm data needed to assess the cost analysis of one strategy

Purpose:

• Understand the purpose of cost analysis
• Use your logic model and other resources to identify the data needed in order to conduct a cost analysis for one strategy of your grant work

Directions:

1. Review this clip of Collaboration Hour: Calculating the Cost of an Initiative or read Cost Analysis Standards and Guidelines 1.0 for an introduction to cost analysis. We recommend assigning this as prework before you meet with your sustainability planning team and, if appropriate, your evaluation team
2. Review this three-minute clip of Collaboration Hour: Calculating the Cost of an Initiative
3. Review your logic model. Prioritize one strategy to discuss. Remember: A strategy is a big bucket of work that you identified in your logic model
4. Brainstorm: What types of data do we need to determine the overall cost of this strategy? Consider the resources listed in your logic model as well as the outputs listed. It may be helpful to review Appendices I-III of the CAP Project Cost Analysis Guidelines during this discussion
5. Identify how you will collect this information and who will be responsible for gathering this information.

1. Repeat the data brainstorming process for the other strategies in your logic model.
2. Once you have identified the data needed, begin data collection. The Cost Analysis Project provides multiple resources for collecting and analyzing cost data on their website, including an interview template, event log, facilities calculator, time log, cost analysis template, and travel cost calculator.
3. If you have specific questions related to cost analysis after reviewing materials on the Cost Analysis Project website, you can submit your question to the Cost Analysis Project via a help desk ticket.