Our Blog
For the latest evaluation news
Being a resource to our clients and future clients is important to us. Through our blog we share information on evaluation, grants, and just some otherwise interesting “food for thought.” The blog is a two way street. Do you have a question or want more information on a topic? Send it along and we’ll address it.
Happy Pi Day!
March 14, 2018I love celebrating Pi Day largely because it’s such a gloriously geeky thing to do! What makes it even “geekier” was the cool Pi pen holder (using about the first 300 digits of Pi) The Rucks Group team made through additive manufacturing (3D Printing) to celebrate a team member’s birthday. Why? We have the pleasure […]
Read moreActive Listening: A Way to Change the World
February 21, 2018If I could do one thing to change the world, it would be to teach a critical mass of people how to engage in active listening. Active listening is when an individual is fully engaged to the verbal and nonverbal points that a communicator is sharing. It means not preparing what you are about to […]
Read moreCelebrating 10 Years!
January 17, 2018This year is exciting for many reasons: 250th anniversary of the publication of the Britannica, 50th Anniversary of Mister Rogers, the 23rd Winter Olympics (yay, Curling!), and the 10th anniversary of The Rucks Group! Considering that the firm was started in 2008 just months before the economy went off a cliff, that’s the milestone I […]
Read moreReporting Help: Calculating Nearest Person Month
July 14, 2017(Note: This blog was originally posted in August 2014. We still receive similar types of questions, so we’re reposting. Happy Reporting!) We periodically receive questions on evaluation, as well as related topics such as reporting issues. Here’s an exchange that we thought would be useful to a wider audience:
Read moreSeeking a Research and Evaluation Associate to Join Our Team!
November 18, 2016Position The Rucks Group is seeking a Research and Evaluation Associate to join our team who will reflect our mission, vision, and core values. Through a collaborative team approach, this individual will be a key contributor to the full range of research and evaluative activities on small and/or large-scale evaluation projects. Requirements A Master’s degree […]
Read moreUsing Logic Models to Navigate Projects
January 28, 2016Starting a new project is a lot like going on a road trip to a new place. We know what our destination is, it’s just the actually getting there that’s a bit fuzzy. That’s why we use GPS (or maps, if you prefer the old-fashioned route!) I like to think of logic models as the […]
Read moreResearch and Evaluation: Presentation from AEA
January 12, 2016If you’ve been working with grants for a while, you have probably noticed that the federal grant funding process is changing particularly as it relates to evaluation. In November of last year, I had the pleasure to work with Dr. Kelly Ball-Stahl and Jeff Grebinoski of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) on a presentation at […]
Read moreNew Team, New Year
January 4, 2016Although we say this every year, it is truly hard to believe that another year has passed. And while I’m still getting use to writing “2016,” I am particularly excited about this year. We will continue to work with lots of great clients and exciting projects some in new domains. To continue to realize our […]
Read moreFrom All of Us Here at The Rucks Group
December 18, 2015Wishing You the Best of the Holiday Season I often tell my children that life won’t stop giving you opportunities to get upset. And I encourage them to reflect on their blessings and everything for which they are grateful. To me, that is at the heart of the holiday season, being grateful for what […]
Read moreNeed to disseminate NSF ATE work? Consider HI-TEC.
December 11, 2015Somehow, it is almost the end of 2015 – time just seems to fly by! As 2015 winds down, I’m beginning to start look at the calendar for 2016. Fast approaching is the submission deadline for what has become one of my favorite conferences of the year: the High Impact Technology Exchange Conference (HI-TEC). Hi-TEC […]
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