ErgEval – Supplementary Evaluation of The Federal Program “Demokratie leben!”

The ErgEval project is conducting a supplementary evaluation of the federal program “Demokratie leben!” in 2026 on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth (BMBFSFJ). ErgEval aims to examine and assess the work of the existing evaluation network during the third funding period from an independent perspective. The supplementary evaluation thus aims to make a scientifically sound contribution to the reflection on and further development of evaluation practices within the federal program.

The focus is on the conceptual foundations, the set objectives, and the underlying impact models, as well as on the design and implementation of the cross-program evaluation. To this end, ErgEval examines both the evaluation network as a whole, its internal collaboration, and program management, as well as key aspects of the eight sub-evaluations—and can thus make statements regarding the quality, transparency, and conceptual soundness of the sub-evaluations. The project does not replace the work of the existing evaluation network, but rather supplements it with an independent perspective.

The results of the supplementary evaluation will be published in December 2026 in the form of a report.

The ErgEval team consists of staff members from the “Radicalization, Terrorism, and Extremism Prevention” research group at PRIF, as well as staff members from the “Research Center for Extremism Resilience” at HöMS, the “Institute for Research and Transfer” (HöMS), and the “Institute for Criminology and Prevention Research” (HöMS).

ErgEval is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth as part of the federal program “Demokratie leben!” and will run from March to December 2026.