What does a needs assessment aim to identify?

A needs assessment primarily aims to identify the gaps between current conditions and desired conditions. This process involves evaluating the existing situation, understanding the challenges, and recognizing the goals that need to be achieved. By identifying these gaps, organizations can develop strategies and interventions to address deficiencies or improve outcomes, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to meet specific needs.

In contrast, assessing current skills of evaluators focuses more on the qualifications and competencies of the individuals conducting evaluations rather than identifying the needs of a program or community. Highlighting success stories from previous evaluations provides insights into what has worked well in the past but does not directly contribute to understanding current needs. Evaluating the financial needs of the program emphasizes budgeting and resource allocation, which is an important aspect but not the primary purpose of a needs assessment. The core function remains the identification of discrepancies between what exists and what is desired in a given context.