white paper on performance management for community ... - FACA

NASCSP 2013
There has not been an analysis of the data to establish standards for each indicator. If
the aggregated number of individuals who secured employment in 2011 is over 100,000,
as identified in the most recent CSBG Annual Report, what does this mean? Is this
number small or large? What is the context for this data?
To the latter bullet, we can and do compare the outcomes from the most recent year with
outcomes for prior years to see if this effort has been maintained (at similar levels given
funding changes in ARRA, etc.) over time. Also, we can and do demonstrate how our actual
outcomes compare to our projections. However, using the current NPIs we cannot describe the
actual change that these employment outcomes have made, either for families or for the
communities in which they live. We cannot compare the effectiveness of different CAAs using
this information because the conditions in each agency are different and these differences in
situation (population, community conditions, resources, etc.) will affect the outcomes.
MEASURING FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Considering the long-term goals of family self-sufficiency and revitalized communities
highlighted in the draft National Community Action TOC, it is important to examine how the
NPIs falling under our current family and community ROMA goals can be adjusted to address
the previously mentioned concerns and begin to track progress toward our long-term goals.
Agency-level outcomes and data collection on professional development and capacity building
are important incremental steps in achieving a long-term goal. This is outlined in the “Systems
Capacity” portion of the Community Action TOC. However, these outcomes will now be
collected and reported in the Organizational Performance Standards. Thus, NASCSP suggests
removing the Agency-level outcomes from the NPIs and moving forward with a focus on solely
the family and community level outcomes. A full listing of the NPIs can be found in Appendix D.
As we begin this discussion, it’s important to note that not all Community Action program
participants receive the same service approach. The Network’s multi-level approach to service
delivery warrants using both a “light touch” and “deep touch” to provide appropriate
assistance. One-time services provided to Community Action program participants are
considered a "light touch" approach, while the provision of a comprehensive set of bundled
services is considered a "deep touch" approach. Recent NPI data, shown in the graph below,
indicates the majority of the Network’s program participants achieve short-term outcomes that
are the result of a light touch approach.
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