The 2026 Grant Cycle Is Closing. Your Evaluator Search Starts Now    

The 2026 federal fiscal year closed September 30, and award announcements are arriving on schedule. Most first-time grantees don't realize until it's too late that the evaluator search should begin now, not after your program has launched.

What to Actually Look For in an Evaluator

Track record with your specific grant type. Specialization in the program's funding agency, reporting system, and measurement requirements specifically. An evaluator who already knows your agency's reporting platform starts working on day one instead of learning it on your clock.

Verifiable results, not just references. Ask for organizations they've taken through a full grant period, start to finish. Including how those programs performed on their federal reporting.

Real responsiveness, tested before you sign. How fast did they respond to your first inquiry? That's usually a preview of how they'll respond mid-grant, when you actually need them.

Fluency with your data tools. Confirm hands-on experience with the platforms your reporting will run through, plus standard analysis and visualization tools (Excel, Tableau, Power BI) for the outcome data you'll need to present.

A track record of adjusting scope mid-grant. Programs shift, funding priorities change, target numbers move, reporting requirements get revised. Ask for a specific example of an evaluator adapting an evaluation plan mid-stream, not just a claim that they can.

Start This Conversation Before Your Program Starts

Choosing your evaluator early means your data systems, reporting responsibilities, and evaluation plan are in place before your program is running — not retrofitted around it after the fact.

Schedule a FREE application meeting to discuss your grant opportunities.

Email rea@reaanalytics.com to be included in this funding alert and receive qualifying grant announcements.

 What to Do After You Receive a SAMHSA Grant 

Your step-by-step guide to getting started, managing requirements, tracking performance and completing reporting

Receiving a SAMHSA grant is a major accomplishment. But the work doesn't stop when the award arrives.

Once your Notice of Award is in hand, your organization moves into implementation, data collection, performance measurement and reporting. One of the first decisions to make is who will manage the evaluation and data requirements. For many programs, bringing on an external evaluator early can make the entire grant period easier to manage.

Step 1: Review Your Award and Reporting Requirements

Start with your Notice of Award, funding opportunity and program-specific reporting requirements.

Identify:

• Required performance measures
• Data collection requirements
• SPARS and GPRA requirements
• Reporting deadlines
• Evaluation requirements
• Required participant or service data
• Evaluation and reporting funds included in the approved budget

This should happen immediately after the award, before your program is fully underway.

Step 2: Determine Who Will Handle Evaluation

Next, determine who is responsible for managing the evaluation process.

Your organization may have internal staff who can handle some of the work. But evaluation often involves more than entering numbers into a reporting system.

Someone needs to establish the evaluation process, determine what data needs to be collected, monitor data quality, analyze results and help prepare required reports.

If you plan to use an external evaluator, bring them on early in the grant period. Ideally, the evaluator should be involved before or as program implementation begins, rather than being brought in just before the first reporting deadline.

Step 3: Set Up Your Data Collection Process

Before collecting participant or program data, establish a clear process for:

• What data will be collected
• Who collects it
• When it is collected
• Where it is stored
• Who enters it into SPARS
• How data quality is reviewed
• How outcomes will be measured

Getting this process in place early helps prevent missing or inconsistent data later.

Step 4: Begin Ongoing Data Entry and Monitoring

SAMHSA reporting is not something to address at the end of the grant period.

Depending on your program, your organization may need to collect participant-level information, service data, performance measures and outcome data throughout the grant.

REA Analytics provides 100% SPARS data entry, along with data quality review, GPRA data collection and reporting support.

Having an evaluator involved throughout the grant allows your organization to identify data problems while they can still be corrected.

Step 5: Evaluate Program Performance

An external evaluator can help determine whether the program is being implemented as planned, whether participants are receiving the intended services and whether the program is producing measurable outcomes.

REA Analytics provides:

• Evaluation design and planning
• External program evaluation
• Process and outcome evaluation
• Needs assessments
• Performance measurement
• SPARS and GPRA support
• 100% SPARS data entry
• Data collection and management
• Data quality review
• Participant and stakeholder surveys
• Outcome measurement
• Data analysis
• Continuous quality improvement (CQI)
• SAMHSA reporting support
• Evaluation reports
• Technical assistance and training

When Should You Bring on an Evaluator?

Don't wait until your first report is due.

The best time to bring on an evaluator is early in the grant period, before or as program implementation begins.

That gives the evaluator time to review your award requirements, establish the evaluation process, set up data collection, clarify responsibilities and make sure the right information is being collected from the beginning.

If your program is already underway, it's still worth bringing in an evaluator. The sooner you establish a consistent process, the easier it is to manage reporting and demonstrate outcomes.

Evaluation Can Be Paid for With Grant Funds

For SAMHSA programs where evaluation and reporting costs are allowable under the approved award, those funds can be used to support evaluation activities.

Review your Notice of Award and approved budget to determine what funding is available for evaluation and reporting support.

Your evaluation doesn't necessarily need to compete with program services for your organization's operating dollars. The grant may already include funding that can support this work.

What to Do This Week

If you recently received a 2026 SAMHSA award, start with these three steps:

1. Review your Notice of Award and reporting requirements.

2. Identify who will be responsible for evaluation, data collection, SPARS and reporting.

3. If you need an external evaluator, bring one on early.

REA Analytics works with SAMHSA-funded organizations as an external evaluator, providing evaluation, 100% SPARS data entry, data management, analysis and reporting support throughout the grant period.

You got the grant. Now let's build the evaluation process show your impact.