2025 ATE Survey

Start thinking about the ATE Survey at the start of your ATE project and revisit the survey at least once a year. Consider these points to ensure that the necessary information is collected efficiently, accurately, and with minimal disruption. 

• Know the questions asked on the ATE Survey. A draft of the upcoming survey is available on the ATE Survey page of the EvaluATE website by the end of the calendar year. 
• Create a data crosswalk between different reporting requirements — such as your evaluation report, your annual report to NSF, and the ATE Survey — to better coordinate efforts and avoid duplicating data collection efforts. Review our Guide to Reporting in ATE for tips to understanding the reporting requirements.
• Assign roles and responsibilities to ATE project staff to identifying gatekeepers of the data needed for the survey, such as faculty or managers of institutional data (e.g., institutional research or a similar office). Identify who is responsible for collecting data and when. For data requests, see our Guide to Requesting Data from Institutional Research Offices for assistance.
• Facilitate shared knowledge about the survey by discussing survey data needs at the start of the project, and hold periodic meetings to help prevent loss of information due to project staff turnover. 
• Build relationships throughout the year with data gatekeepers by requesting quarterly meetings with them to better understand and discuss data format, the protocol for requesting data, and the availability of data. 
• Discuss with project staff the utility of data beyond completing the ATE Survey to identify information that could be disseminated in newsletters or other project reports. 

Some data might require tracking throughout the year. Other data may be compiled right before the survey launches. 

• Be clear about the reporting timeline of the survey, which covers the calendar year, January 1 through December 31. This may not necessarily be your grant reporting timeline. 
• Monitor data collection by checking in with data gatekeepers to help identify and troubleshoot any potential data collection or reporting challenges. 
• Tap into shared community knowledge, for example: 
  • Consult the ATE Survey FAQ on the EvaluATE website. 
• Elevate the importance of the survey to interest-holders  to build buy-in. For example, highlight why and how the survey matters to them or how it could be used to inform their work. 

Remember these tips for when you are completing and submitting the survey. 

• Reach out to EvaluATE early with questions. We are happy to help! Lee McClure can be reached at atesurvey@evalu-ate.org  or (269) 387-3771. 
• Complete the survey section by section, rather than all in one sitting. 
• Save the copy of the completed survey. This can be downloaded at the end of your survey, after submission. We encourage you to make it accessible to the whole project team in case the PI unexpectedly leaves the project. 
• Meet with your ATE project team after survey submission to reflect on: 
  • The survey process and any questions you were unable to answer to outline strategies for overcoming such challenges next year 
  • The information you reported and to consider how it reflects the work of your project, including possible areas of improvement for the coming year