Formative Evaluation of Foxglove Supportive Housing, Enhanced Health Supported Housing, and Shelter Programs
RainCity Housing
Program Design + Evaluation
RainCity Housing is a non-profit organization providing housing and supports for people experiencing homelessness and complex health and social needs across Metro Vancouver.
In partnership with Fraser Health Authority, RainCity operates Foxglove in Surrey, BC—one of the province’s first enhanced health supported housing sites. Foxglove includes 64 supportive housing units, 38 enhanced health supported housing units, and 31 shelter rooms, supported by 24/7 staffing, overdose prevention, Indigenous cultural services, peer support, and on-site meals and medication services.
Challenge
Following Foxglove’s first two years of operation, RainCity and Fraser Health sought to better understand how the site’s three interconnected programs were functioning in practice.
The evaluation aimed to:
Clarify roles across teams and partner organizations;
Assess program effectiveness and coordination;
Identify opportunities to enhance resident experience; and
Generate learnings to inform BC’s provincial complex care housing evaluation led by BC Housing and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.
RainCity required a formative evaluation that would strengthen ongoing implementation while embedding reflection, learning, and continuous improvement into everyday practice.
Solution
Changemark partnered with RainCity and Fraser Health to conduct a participatory, equity-driven formative evaluation designed to enhance implementation, strengthen collaboration, and improve resident experience.
The evaluation process prioritized inclusivity and learning, ensuring that the voices of residents, peers, staff, and Indigenous partners informed both findings and recommendations.
The project included:
Evaluation Design + Engagement
Co-development of an evaluation framework and data-collection plan aligned with RainCity and Fraser Health’s priorities for complex care housing
Integration of participatory and culturally grounded approaches that centered the lived experiences of residents, peers, and Indigenous partners
Facilitation of collaborative reflection sessions and feedback loops with residents, staff, and leadership to validate emerging findings and co-create recommendations
Implementation + Knowledge Translation
Creation of an actionable implementation roadmap linking evaluation findings to practical service improvements
Preparation of clear reporting tools and summary visuals to support communication and alignment across partner organizations
Establishment of feedback mechanisms and continuous learning systems to track progress and sustain quality improvement over time
Delivery of leadership and staff workshops to translate insights into operational and team-based changes
Results
Changemark delivered a comprehensive formative evaluation and implementation roadmap that improved coordination, strengthened accountability, and enhanced data-informed decision-making across partners.
Impact Highlights:
Provided a shared understanding of Foxglove’s operating model across RainCity and Fraser Health
Improved team communication, resident engagement, and operational processes through collaborative planning sessions
Established mechanisms for ongoing reflection and adaptive program improvement
Positioned both organizations to contribute effectively to BC’s provincial complex care housing evaluation
Through this work, Changemark helped embed a culture of reflection and continuous learning, ensuring that evaluation served as both an accountability tool and a catalyst for long-term system improvement.
Interested in Learning More?
Let’s talk about how we can help you strengthen program implementation through inclusive, evidence-driven evaluation.
