This document was produced by Community Science on behalf of the National Funding Collaborative on Violence Prevention for evaluators and practitioners (i.e., program implementers, technical assistance providers, and trainers) who are involved in comprehensive community initiatives (CCIs). It provides practical guidance on how to approach the evaluation of CCIs. The principles are presented in the hope that readers will build upon the ideas in their own work and share them with others. The principles demonstrate that evaluation can be responsive to community needs and help educate community program staff without losing its scientific rigor.