The baseline instructions of the Head Start Grant Application Instructions require programs to "provide evidence to demonstrate that the proposed [service] area is the area of greatest need." The community assessment is a reliable source to gather the necessary data as evidence to support the assertion that you have selected the area of greatest need.

Evidence includes facts, information, documentation, or examples that support an assertion. This is where you ask, "How do we know that we know what we know?" The evidence needed to effectively answer this question can be found in several different forms. Anecdotal and testimonial data tends to be a familiar type of evidence for Head Start programs. Head Start programs are also becoming increasingly familiar with collecting and presenting data in a way that provides compelling evidence to support a claim or assertion. There are multiple sources of evidence that are available to demonstrate an assertion.

What evidence will you gather to identify and address your program goals?