What does an impact evaluation show?

• A. Shows spin-off or secondary benefits for participants in program.
• B. Shows only primary outcomes.
• C. Shows budget efficiency.
• D. Shows no effect.

Answer: (A)

Impact evaluation looks at the overall effects a program has on its participants, including any secondary benefits that arise as spillover effects. This means it captures not only what the program intended to change but also additional advantages that come from participation. That’s why identifying spin-off or secondary benefits is the best answer—the evaluation seeks the net effects on a range of outcomes, not just the primary ones. It isn’t limited to primary outcomes, and it isn’t primarily about budget efficiency; those parts belong to economic analyses. It also doesn’t assume there’s no effect—the purpose is to determine what changes did occur and how large they were, including secondary and unintended effects.