Steps in forming a professional association of evaluators in the Missouri River Basin Region:

• November –December 2007
  
  • Evaluators from Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center identified a need to explore networking with fellow program evaluators in their region.
  • MMI's Interdisciplinary Center for Program Evaluation convened a focus group of stakeholders and consumers of evaluation.
• February–June 2008
  Convened with evaluators from other campuses within the University of Nebraska system to:
• Determine interest in affiliating with AEA;
• Draft mission and intended outcomes.
• A consensus was reached to extend invitation to evaluators beyond the University and the state of Nebraska.
• July-September 2008
  AEA executive director contacted and affiliate guidelines reviewed
  
• The name Midwest is too broad as it might be construed to encompass Indiana or Illinois
  
• After the organization has established bylaws and elected officers, then it can move to become an AEA affiliate - "Starting an organization and becoming an affiliate are two separate actions, the first must precede the second."
• MMI learned that there is precedence that would allow the organization to exist under the fiscal umbrella of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, thus avoiding the daunting and expensive task of forming a new 501c3.
• October 2008
  Discussion at Midwest LEND Meeting
  
• Midwest LEND (Maternal and Child Health Leadership in Education in Neurodevelopmental & Related Disabilities)  representatives from South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas
• Midwest LEND's parent organization, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (UCD) hosts a Council on Research and Evaluation, which has at least one member from each of the eight Fertile Territory states.
  
• November 2008-January 2009
• Poster presentation at AEA 2008 in Denver (see poster and flyer below)
• AEA Learning Circles Project
  
  • 15 members of the AEA at large went through an application propcess to participate in an online professional development project. 
    
  • During Phase 1 of the AEA Learning Circles project the selected Learning Circle Fellows participated in a pre-conference workshop to learn about Learning Circles to launch their own participation in a virtual Learning Circle over the next six months.
    
  • In Phase 2 they are charged with facilitating another Learning Circle with a project of their own choosing
  • Dr. Bob Pawloski has chosen to focus his Learning Circle project on exploring the feasibility, governance and benefits of this regional organization with representatives from the states listed as Fertile Territory for New Affiliate
  • Selected invitations to participate will go out to a list made up from:
  1. Original group of University of Nebraska collaborating evaluators
  2. Members on UCD's Council on Research and Evaluation from eight targeted states
     
  3. Evaluators listed on AEA online Member Directory
  • One or two participants from each state will be selected using as criteria the goal of creating a broad and diverse representation
  • The outcomes of this Learning Circle will be documented on the MO River Basin AEA Affiliate? Google Group, and a summary of emerging consensus will be posted on this web site

• June 9, 2009
  A meeting was held on June 9, 2009 to consider forming an organization of the states with the region known as the Missouri River Basin.  The meeting was held immediately following a full day workshop presented by Dr. Brian T. Yates at the Nebraska Children's Home Society in Omaha, Nebraska.  Notes are available tat the bottom of this page and also from within the ENMRB Google Group.
• December 2, 2009
  Article of Incorporation are filed in Nebraska creating the nonprofit corporation Evaluation Network of the Missouri River Basin.
• December 17, 2009
  AEA December Newsletter announces that the Evaluation Network of the Missouri River Basin has been granted local affiliate status.