Skip to content

Missouri Southern State University: Emergency Management Grant Evaluation

Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) selected Evergreen Solutions to provide grant evaluator services to determine the effectiveness of each component of their Emergency Management for Higher Education (EMHE) Grant program and to guide plans to improve and sustain grant activities. The goal of the program was to promote and ultimately result in an all-campus system-wide change to emergency response. Over the course of the project, MSSU conducted vulnerability assessments, implemented and improved training initiatives, and enhanced partnerships with local emergency responders. Evergreen ensured accountability for fidelity to the project timeline and the achievement of project objectives.

Specific objectives and goals of the grant program that Evergreen evaluated included initiation of a campus-wide Emergency Management Program; development of an “all-hazard” emergency response and crisis management plan; creation of a comprehensive campus-wide Threat and Vulnerability Assessment program; development of a comprehensive Training and Emergency Exercise program; development of a Crisis Communication Plan; and development of a Continuity of Operations Plan. In addition, MSSU will aim to enhance working relationships with all community partners in order to establish effective lines of communication and efficient operation during emergency situations. To validate and sustain the EMHE program, Evergreen ensured that MSSU successfully developed a proactive maintenance plan for their emergency management program.

Evergreen’s approach began with a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the grant and was designed to systematically evaluate grant activities through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Evergreen ensured that project integrity and compliance was maintained during all grant program initiatives. The focus of the evaluation program was to determine the effectiveness of each component of the EMHE Grant program and to guide plans to improve and sustain the program. At the end of the two year evaluation period, Evergreen produced a comprehensive report which detailed outcomes of the evaluation.