iDigBio is in its third phase of NSF funding, in its third phase of project goals and objectives, and in its 12th year of the project. In the past, iDigBio has used the knowledge gained from evaluations led by an internal evaluator to set priorities, assist in decision-making, and create future directions. However, after working in and among the digital collection community and with the public for over a decade, it was decided that a different perspective and approach was needed to evaluate the overall impact and the success of iDigBio’s mission. Inform Evaluation & Research was contracted to design and evaluate how adjacent professional communities have used iDigBio and what the overall impact of the project has been. In April of 2023, they delivered a thorough 45-page report to the Administrative Domain of iDigBio to be disseminated and discussed amongst all 6 domains.
The two main themes that Inform Evaluation focused on:
- What use and benefits has iDigBio provided to participating individuals and institutions?
- What can iDigBio do to best position itself for future growth, sustainability, and impact?
The evaluation was based on data gathered and analyzed from 220 surveys and 38 interviews taken by iDigBio Community members.
This is image was taken from page 2 of Inform Evaluation & Research report that summarizes the major findings:
You may read a full copy of the evaluation report here.
