Facility Manager Leaders Program: Return on Investment Study

Abstract

The National Park Service (NPS), in conjunction with the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University, conducted a Return on Investment (ROI) analysis of the Facility Manager Leaders Program (FMLP) from 2006 to 2017. The study used an adapted form of the Phillips (2003) ROI model to examine: (1) the reaction of participants to the program; (2) the degree to which participants learn over the course of the program; (3) the extent to which participants apply the information learned through the program; (4) the extent to which the application of program concepts impact the Park Facility Management Division (PFMD) and the NPS; and (5) the value of this impact in comparison to the cost of the program.Data from 164 students and 80 mentors in FMLP classes 1 to 11 (2006 to 2017) was collected for the study in addition to data from 164 student control employees and 77 mentor control employees2. Course feedback, student grade, competency, behavior and outcome, retention, promotion, hiring, program influence, and program cost data was collected and used to measure the five levels of evaluation in the ROI model.