Measuring the Effects of a Community Economic Development Intervention

The two projects are about community economic development programs that are initiated in different settings and how they affect the societies involved. This essay aims at comparing the methods that the two authors use to measure the impact that results from the implementation of the two programs.

Turner shows the community economic development intervention using religious bodies while Gladstone explores intervention through financial institution. Since different approaches are used, the methods of measuring the effects also vary. In Faith and Community Empowerment Strategies for Crime Prevention and Economic Development, Turner (2010) uses the logic model and implementation plan. Gladstone, on the other hand, employed the management information system to assess the impact of the program on the community.

The approach used by Turner goes to the root of the issues in question such as crime rate, economic opportunities and church influence in the long-term. It also analysed increased awareness, knowledge and skills, access to organizational backing, access to financial resources and settings of communication including websites and newsletters in the short-term. On the other hand, Gladstone used the data that was obtained from the monthly reports to make his measurements. In addition, he projected the number of people who would utilise the program for a long duration, and investigated the knowledge of the population after its exposure.

Turner assesses the impact in terms of access to grants and financial services, and increase in church followings. On the other hand, the study by Gladstone mostly focuses on the access to financial services and financial institutions. Most of the time, both approaches are speeded up through marketing exercises by the involved bodies. While both approaches yield results, the one in which financial services are involved would most likely yield better results.

References

Giloth, R. (1995). Social Investment in Job: Foundation perspectives on targeted economic development during the 1990s. Economic Development Quarterly, doi:10.1177/089124249500900308

James, F. J., (1988). Federal economic development programmes and national urban policy. Economic Development Quarterly. Doi: 10.1177/089124248800200206