Evaluating effectiveness is measuring how effective the plan has been at meeting its stated purpose and goals. The planning team identifies the who, how, and when the plan will be evaluated.

The planning team may develop a list of metrics to evaluate progress toward goals on an annual basis. If a goal is to reduce the number of structures in hazard-prone areas, evaluate how these numbers change over time. The planning team can also evaluate the percentage of actions implemented.

Plan evaluation may not occur as frequently as plan monitoring, but it is an important step to ensure that the plan continues to serve a purpose. Many communities commit to, at a minimum, annually reconvening the planning team to evaluate the plan’s effectiveness and the preparation of a report for their governing bodies to demonstrate progress to date. This information also serves as the basis for the next plan update.