An analysis of a scholarship program

In 2008, the Jewish Foundation for Education of Women (JFEW) changed its scholarship strategy by moving away from awarding scholarships directly to students, and instead providing grants to universities and institutions. These partners select scholarship recipients based on JFEW’s pre-determined criteria. JFEW asked for a retrospective evaluation of this new grant-making strategy to ensure that scholarships are being put to their most productive use. It also asked for an evaluation plan moving forward. In order to assess JFEW’s impact, the team first conducted an environmental scan and literature review and developed outcomes based on its findings. The team then interviewed the partner universities and alumnae, which helped to inform a survey that was administered to alumnae. As a result of this project, JFEW will understand the impact of scholarships awarded over the past five years, and will be able to use new tools for ongoing assessment and impact evaluation.