Publications
Australian Public Service Place-based Evaluation Guide
This guide is for Australian Public Service (APS) staff who plan, commission, conduct or use evaluations of place-based work.
It explains what makes place-based evaluation different and provides clear principles and practical guidance for leading practice.
Report
State of Evaluation in the Australian Government 2026
This report gives a picture of how evaluation is used across the Australian Public Service (APS). It looks at how well evaluations are planned, carried out, and used, and how evaluation culture is developing across government.
Report
Strengthening Evaluation in the Australian Government – Action Plan 2026–2030
The Strengthening Evaluation in the Australian Government – Action Plan 2026–2030 will promote use of evaluation to:
- guide decisions
- make improvements
- grow accountability
- deliver programs that work.
Report
The effect of online training formats on engagement: a randomised trial
The ACE ran a rapid, mixed-methods evaluation of different online training formats. The evaluation found a 3-minute video was as effective as a 30-minute e-learning module and more effective than a 15-minute podcast.Complete evaluation
Commonwealth Evaluation Maturity Model – Action bank
The Action bank provides examples and templates to help agencies develop action plans based on their maturity assessment. Actions are grouped by domain and dimension and cover both strategic and operational initiatives.
Report
Commonwealth Evaluation Maturity Model – Glossary and FAQs
This resource defines key terms used in the Commonwealth Evaluation Maturity Model. It links to relevant resources and toolkits.
Report
Commonwealth Evaluation Maturity Model – Senior leaders brief
The Commonwealth Evaluation Maturity Model helps agencies assess and improve their evaluation capability.
Use of the model is voluntary. It supports leadership and a culture of evaluation and encourages using evaluation evidence in policy decisions.
Report
Commonwealth Evaluation Maturity Model - User guide
The User guide explains how to use the Commonwealth Evaluation Maturity Model.
Report
Improving on-time submission rates for charity Annual Information Statements: a randomised trial
The ACE worked with the Australian Charities and Not‑for‑profits Commission (ACNC) to see if a simple reminder could help charities submit their yearly reports on time. The trial found that sending an additional reminder email to a charity’s responsible person increased on-time submissions by 5.6 percentage points.Complete evaluation
ACE Training and Capability Strategy
Our priorities and actions to help build system‑wide evaluation capability to mid‑2027.
Report
Evaluating pilot programs
Practical guidance for policy and program staff working on pilot programs. It helps them to develop:
- monitoring and evaluation frameworks
- evaluation plans.
Report
Guidance on economic evaluation methods
Economic evaluation tests whether a program’s benefits to society are greater than its costs. These documents guide you through key methods.Report