On this screen, you will enter information about the capacity building aspects of each of your proposed project sites for the project year. If you are applying for Summer Associate resources (as indicated in the Sites section), you will also provide information about your proposed Summer Associate programming on this screen.
If you are not applying for Summer Associates, you can now skip to section “Capacity Building” below.
If you are applying for Summer Associates, you will see the question “Are you creating this Performance Measure for” along with a drop-down menu next to it that says “Select VISTA Type”.
The drop-down menu includes two selections from which you must choose one:
Full Time – VISTAs/Leaders serve for a year-long term of service (i.e, “Full Time”). Choose this option if you wish to create performance measures related to your programming involving VISTAs/Leaders (not Summer Associates). You can now skip to the instructions in section “Capacity Building” below.
Summer Associate- Summer Associates serve for a summer-long term of service. Choose this option if you wish to create performance measures related to programming involving Summer Associates (not VISTAs/Leaders).
If you selected Summer Associate, you will see a new drop-down menu labeled “Summer Associate Service Type”. The “Summer Associate Service Type” drop-down menu includes two selections from which you must choose one:
§ Direct Service – Select this option if the Summer Associates you are requesting will primarily be doing direct service. Direct service refers to any form of assistance provided directly to the individuals, targeted groups and communities that make up the beneficiary population. For example, Summer Associates who spend most of their term repairing houses, tutoring children, or providing financial coaching to individuals would be doing direct service, not capacity building. Once you select “Direct Service”, the fields on the screen will change to allow you to enter performance measure data for direct service. Proceed to the instructions in section “Direct Service” below.
§ Capacity Building - Select this option if the Summer Associates you are requesting will primarily be doing capacity building. Once you select “Capacity Building”, proceed to the instructions in section “Capacity Building” below.
Capacity Building
For each site that will directly benefit from the capacity building efforts of VISTAs (or Summer Associates, if applicable), you will provide information about the capacity goal you hope to reach at the site, the number of VISTAs (or Summer Associates) you are requesting at the site and the focus of their service activities, and at least one capacity building output and at least one capacity building outcome. You will also provide information about data collection plans.
[Note for applicants requesting Summer Associates: You will create separate performance measure set for Summer Associates separately from VISTA performance measure set, even if both VISTAs and Summer Associates will be doing similar work at the same site.]
[Note for applicants requesting Leaders: You may either include information about Leaders in a performance measure set with VISTAs, or you may create a separate performance measure set for the Leaders.]
Select a Site
You will see a list of sites in a drop down menu. The list includes any site that you entered into eGrants in the section “IV. Sites” and identified as a Performance Measurement Site or Both. You will not see sites that you identified as a Placement Site.
In the context of performance measurement module, the term “site” reflects the organization that will most directly benefit from the efforts of the VISTA (or Summer Associates).
You will need to complete performance measure information for each site in the list, one at a time. Select a site to begin.
Select a Capacity Goal from the list.
CNCS defines capacity building as a set of activities that expand the scale, reach, efficiency, or effectiveness of programs and organizations. Activities may also increase the ability of the program or organization to leverage resources. For example, capacity building activities may expand services, enhance delivery of services, or generate additional resources. These activities achieve lasting positive outcomes for the beneficiary populations served by CNCS-supported organizations.
For this particular site, what is your capacity goal?
Choose the goal that best reflects your intent at this site. There are several capacity goals from which to choose:
• Scale/reach – you aim to increase your organization or program’s ability to serve more people, serve new groups of people, or provide new or expanded types of services
• Effectiveness – you aim to increase your organization or program’s ability to achieve better outcomes for beneficiaries
• Efficiency - you aim to increase your organization or program’s ability to provide improved outcomes for beneficiaries with the same level of resources, or to improve or maintain consistent quality of services with fewer resources
• Leveraged Resources - you aim to increase your organization or program’s ability to generate additional resources or assets, such as funding, volunteers, in-kind support, and partnerships
If none of these goals represent the capacity you aim to build at this site, you may create your own capacity building goal by checking the last box in the list and entering your goal in the text box. If you have multiple capacity goals at this site, you will create a separate performance measure set once you are done with this one.
Select Project Year (1, 2, 3, etc.)
Select the year that reflects the upcoming project year for which you are requesting VISTA (or Summer Associates) resources at this particular site, for this specific capacity goal.
If this site has never received VISTA (or Summer Associates) resources for this capacity goal, select “1”.
Select Service Activity
What is the focus of VISTA (or Summer Associates) activities for this site and this capacity goal during the proposed project year? (See table below for descriptions and examples of Service Activity categories).
Select as many Service Activity categories that apply to your VISTAs (or Summer Associates) during this project year at this site for the specific Capacity Goal you identified above. In the text box next to any Service Activity category that you selected, provide a brief narrative description of the VISTA (or Summer Associates) activities related to this Service Activity category.
If none of the Service Activity categories in the list represent the activities of VISTAs (or Summer Associates), you may create your own Service Activity category by checking the last box in the list and entering your user created Service Activity in the text box.
|
Service Activity |
Description |
Examples of VISTA Activities |
|
Community Assessment |
Environmental scan of community context and need |
-Help design a community assessment plan -Help complete a survey of neighborhood or a report of need/recommendations based on findings -Help incorporate into program service delivery -Help update community assessment to monitor the most pressing community challenges |
|
Community awareness and engagement |
Expand community knowledge and support of the program effort |
-Help complete a public relations media plan -Help conduct community outreach or organizing meetings -Help develop presentations, newspaper articles and PSAs |
|
Expand/strengthen partnerships/networks |
Initiate efforts with other organizations, for example, through applying jointly for funding, collaborating on programming or referrals, sharing staff and resources, developing training and materials that are shared |
-Identify potential collaborators and plan informational meetings -Help improve communication about community projects among partner organizations -Help establish intra-organization systems (e.g. linked database, common forms) -Help develop commitments among collaborators to the project and formalize partnerships, e.g. MOUs, budgets |
|
Financial resources |
Develop/expand a diversified funding stream |
-Develop fundraising plan -Recruit fundraising committee -Help establish fundraising unit -Identify resources for fundraising - Help develop capital campaign or approach donors -Draft and submit proposals -Plan ongoing fundraising |
|
Material development |
Improvement or expansion of materials that support programming (e.g. toolkits, curricula, worksheets) |
-Assess current materials -Develop or modify materials to strengthen programming -Develop and/or training materials -Develop manuals -Train staff in the use of newly developed materials |
|
Outreach |
Participant recruitment |
-Develop an outreach plan for target beneficiaries/ participants -Help ensure program is relevant to potential participants -Develop/improve presentations, communication tools and methods of conducting outreach to potential participants |
|
Performance measurement |
Assessing results of program offerings |
-Help develop or improve a performance management system for the anti-poverty programming -Help train staff to use performance management system routinely to continually improve measures -Help staff use findings from performance measurement efforts to inform improvements of existing and new program offerings |
|
Program development and delivery |
Improvement or expansion |
-Help expand existing program or develop new program design - Help implementation of new/expanded program |
|
Technology use |
Develop systems for organizational effectiveness |
-Develop, pilot, revise database (volunteer, client) or internal or external knowledge management system -Develop social media tools -Pilot new tools -Train staff to do updates and maintain database or knowledge management system -Develop on-going staff/volunteer/community technology resource |
|
Volunteer recruitment and management system |
Establish or expand pool of volunteers to assist with service delivery |
-Help organization and other stakeholders recognize need for and use of volunteers -Help clarify volunteer roles -Develop volunteer generation plan -Develop partnerships for recruiting volunteers -Develop volunteer unit, volunteer manual/training/curriculum -Recruit/manage volunteers -Develop/pilot volunteer training -Develop volunteer intake/tracking/recognition system -Train staff to manage volunteer plan -Resource plan for ongoing support of systems (recognition, training, supervision) |
Select Capacity Building Outputs
The performance measure module includes a list of Capacity Building Outputs. The CNCS Performance Measurements webpage also lists these Capacity Building Performance Measures, along with definitions of key terms and data collection standards.
Select at least one capacity building output that best reflects the results of VISTA (or Summer Associates) capacity building activities at this site for this project year.
You will collect and report data for any Capacity Building Output you selected (see Data Collection below) in accordance with the definitions and protocols identified for that measure.
You may select more than one output.
If none of the Capacity Building Outputs in the list represent the outputs at this site, you may create your own output by checking the last box in the list and entering your user created output in the text box.
Select Capacity Building Outcomes
The performance measure module includes a list of Capacity Building Outcomes. The CNCS Performance Measurements webpage also lists these Capacity Building Performance Measures, along with definitions of key terms and data collection standards.
Select at least one capacity building outcome that best reflects the results of the VISTA (or Summer Associates) capacity building activities at this site for this project year.
You will collect and report data for any Capacity Building Outcome you selected (see Data Collection below) in accordance with the definitions and protocols identified for that measure.
You may select more than one outcome.
If none of the Capacity Building Outcomes in the list represent the outcomes at this site, you may create your own output by checking the last box in the list and entering your user created outcome in the text box.
Enter Data Collection Information
Enter information for any Capacity Building Output and Outcome you identified above. For each measure, select an Instrument from the drop-down list, and then enter a Description. Add the Target Number that you hope to reach for the project year. The Unit of Measure will also appear if you selected a measure from the list. You will need to enter this information if you have user created measures.
For measures you selected from a list, you will collect and report data on future reports in accordance with the definitions and protocols identified for that measure, as identified on the CNCS Performance Measurements webpage.
Number of Requested VISTAs/Leaders (or Summer Associates)
Enter the number of VISTAs/Leaders (or Summer Associates) you are requesting at this site for this capacity building goal for this project year.
Once you have entered all your information capacity building information for this site, click the button Add Anti-Poverty Info to advance to the Anti-Poverty Screen.
Direct Service (Skip this section if you are not requesting Summer Associates that will do direct service activities. This section is only required if Summer Associates are indicated on the Application screen and you selected Service Type “Direct Service” above)
For each site where individuals or the community will benefit from the direct service efforts of Summer Associates, you will provide information about the poverty-related issue you hope to address at the site using Summer Associates, the number of Summer Associates you are requesting at the site and their service activities, and at least one anti-poverty output and at least anti-poverty outcome. You will also provide information about data collection plans.
You may wish to refer to the CNCS Performance Measurements webpage, which lists Anti-poverty Performance Measures, along with definitions of key terms and data collection standards.
Select Site, Priority Focus Area or Other Focus Area from the drop-down menus.
Objective - Select an Objective from the drop-down menu.
Title - Enter a brief Problem Statement describing the poverty-related need for Summer Associates.
Service Activity
Select a Service Activity from the list and enter a brief description that best reflects the activities of Summer Associates. If none of the Service Activity options in the list represent the activities of Summer Associates, you may create your own Service Activity category by checking the last box in the list and entering your user created Service Activity in the text box.
· Anti-Poverty Outputs
The performance measure module includes a list of Anti-Poverty Outputs. The CNCS Performance Measurements webpage also lists these Anti-Poverty Outputs, along with definitions of key terms and data collection standards.
Select at least one Anti-Poverty Output that best reflects the results of the Summer Associates direct service activities at this site for this project year.
You will collect and report data for any Anti-Poverty Output you selected (see Data Collection below) in accordance with the definitions and protocols identified for that measure.
You may select more than one output.
If none of the Anti-Poverty Output options in the list represent the programming of Summer Associates, you may create your own Anti-Poverty Output by checking the last box in the list and entering your user created Anti-Poverty Output in the text box.
· Anti-Poverty Outcomes
The performance measure module includes a list of Anti-Poverty Outcomes. The CNCS Performance Measurements webpage also lists these Anti-Poverty Outcomes, along with definitions of key terms and data collection standards.
Based on the Anti-poverty Output you selected above, a list of Anti-Poverty Outcomes will appear. Select the Anti-Poverty Outcome that best reflects the results of the Summer Associates direct service activities at this site for this project year.
You will collect and report data for any Anti-Poverty Outcomes you selected (see Data Collection below) in accordance with the definitions and protocols identified for that measure.
You may select more than one outcome.
If none of the Anti-Poverty Outcome options in the list represent the programming of Summer Associates, you may create your own Anti-Poverty Outcome by checking the last box in the list and entering your user created Anti-Poverty Outcome in the text box.
· Data Collection
Enter information for any Anti-Poverty Output and Outcome you identified above. For each measure, select an Instrument from the drop-down list, and then enter a Description. Add the Target Number that you hope to reach for the project year. The Unit of Measure will also appear if you selected a measure from the list. You will need to enter this information if you have user created measures.
For measures you selected from a list, you will collect and report data on future reports in accordance with the definitions and protocols identified for that measure, as identified on the CNCS Performance Measurements webpage.
Number of Summer Associates
Enter the number of Summer Associates you are requesting to serve at this site related to these Anti-Poverty Performance Measures for this year.
Once selections have been made, select Complete PM.
Repeat to enter additional any Anti-Poverty Performance Measures for Summer Associates at this site or other sites.
Hint: If you have multiple sites doing similar programming, you can use the “Duplicate” at the chart in the top to create a copy of this performance measure set, and you can change individual fields. This is a short-cut to creating a whole new performance measure set.