Question Guide, WIRED

OMB Approval No. 1205-0436

Expiration Date: 5/31/2010

Evaluation of Generation I Regions of the

Workforce Investment Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative

Summary of Site Visit Questions

The site visit questions are organized by the 12 key topics laid out below. The first section includes only the overarching questions for each topic. The second section includes more detailed questions and/or probes, as well as the interview respondents for whom each question is appropriate.

1. Context

   1. What are the characteristics of the region’s population and economy?

   2. What part do you or your organization play in the WIRED Initiative?

2. Goals

   1. What are the goals of the WIRED Initiative?

   2. How were goals developed for the WIRED proposal?

   3. What does it mean to have "transformation" as the ultimate goal of the WIRED Initiative?

3. Planning

   1. What was the proposal-writing and planning process for the WIRED grant?

   2. What was the process by which the region was defined?

   3. What kind of analysis of regional assets and gaps did you engage in prior to putting your program plans together?

4. Structure

   1. Who is the WIRED grantee?

   2. What organization houses the project manager?

   3. Has a steering committee or other oversight body for the WIRED grant been established? If so, which organizations or individuals are members of this body?

5. Partnerships

   1. Who are the key partners in the region’s WIRED Initiative? (e.g., workforce investment system; state, county, and local government agencies; local elected officials; Tribal nations; universities and colleges; K-12 schools and districts; employers; business and industry organizations; private training providers; labor organizations; banks and other investors; philanthropists; providers of business services such as accountants, law firms, etc]; economic development organizations; entrepreneurs; representatives from the arts community; the media)

   2. What are the roles of the various partners in the WIRED Initiative?

   3. Have the partners changed since the proposal was submitted or as the WIRED Initiative is being implemented?

   4. Have WIRED partners developed a shared vision of the Initiative and its goals?

6. Collaboration

   1. How do the partners in the WIRED Initiative work together towards achieving the goals of the initiative? Who is in charge of directing the collaborative’s work?

   2. Does the partnership currently have mechanisms in place to support or increase collaboration? To stimulate and reward collaborative work? What partnership agreements, protocols, and/or policies have been established to date? What organizational development activities have taken place to date?

   3. How are project staff and partners communicating the initiative's issues and goals among and to key stakeholders, business and industry, potential funders, the media, etc.?

   4. (Social Networking) Has there been a change in who you interact with in the areas of economic development, workforce development, education, etc., as a result of the WIRED Initiative? What new partnerships have you developed? What new cross-profession or cross-industry networks or linkages have you developed as a result of the WIRED Initiative? Have there been changes in your relationships with individuals or organizations with whom you interacted prior to WIRED?

7. Activities

   1. What workforce training and retraining strategies have been launched to achieve the goals of the WIRED Initiative? How have representatives of existing industry and emerging industries provided inputs and influenced the content and delivery of these programs?

   2. What efforts have been launched to educate parents, teachers and young people about the new economy and the skills required, as well as increase those skills?

   3. What efforts have been launched to assist existing enterprises to secure new customers or upgrade technology or attract investment?

   4. What efforts have been launched to encourage and support entrepreneurship (if applicable)?

   5. What efforts have project staff and partners made to build a new sense of the future among institutions and citizens?

   6. What efforts have been launched to address infrastructure issues that may affect your ability to achieve economic transformation?

   7. In what other capacity-building activities has the region’s WIRED Initiative engaged?

8. Funding

   1. Has the region secured funding or other resources for the WIRED Initiative beyond the DOL grant? If so, what are the sources and value of these funds?

   2. Have any pre-existing funds in the region been refocused as a result of the WIRED Initiative? If so, what are the sources, purposes, and value of these funds?

   3. How are the region's WIRED funds being budgeted?

   4. What plans has the region made to secure additional funds in the future to support the goals and activities of the WIRED Initiative?

   5. Has your WIRED Initiative awarded any subgrants or executed any subcontracts? With whom, and for what? Are there applications for WIRED subgrants or subcontracts that are currently in progress? Please describe.

   6. Has there been formal or informal leveraging of funding or resources beyond those of each individual partner's networks? Please describe.

9. Challenges

   1. What are the most significant challenges to the progress of your WIRED Initiative that you have encountered to date?

   2. How successful have you been in meeting the challenges faced by the WIRED Initiative?

   3. Please describe any issues for which you have received or requested technical assistance.

   4. What do you consider to be the WIRED Initiative's greatest successes to date? Why?

10. Innovations

    1. How do WIRED partners and staff define innovation?

    2. What innovations has the WIRED Initiative accomplished or supported?

    3. How does the project support adoption of innovative strategies or technologies by partners?

11. Evaluating Success

    1. How is the region assessing the success of its efforts? Do you utilize standard measures such as the common measures, educational indicators, economic indicators, measures of increased R&D, job creation measures, etc.?

    2. How do you use the data you collect to document WIRED’s success?

    3. What, if any, signs of progress do you see?

12. Sustainability

    1. What plans does the region have for long-term sustainability of the goals of the WIRED Initiative?

Evaluation of the WIRED Initiative

Site Visit Questions

Context of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What are the characteristics of the region?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
What are boundaries of the region?	X
What are the governmental entities included in the region? (states, counties, cities, Tribal nations)	X
Is the region urban or rural, or both?	X
What is the size of the region? How many people live in the region? What are the region's other demographics, e.g., ethnicity, education levels, income levels, age, recent population shifts, etc.	X
Are there any other notable geographic or demographic characteristics of the region (e.g., interstate highways, major waterways, ports, mountains, etc.)?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What are the major industries in the region? What are the current conditions in both the dominant and targeted industries (market share, economic health of businesses)	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What types of workers are needed? What skills/education are needed? What wages are needed?	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What related initiatives (e.g., economic development projects) are already taking place in the region?	X	X				X	X	X		X	X				X
To what extent are other policy initiatives competing for the attention of the partners?	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Context of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What part does your organization play in the WIRED Initiative?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
What is the role of your organization in the WIRED Initiative (e.g., grantee, administrative or fiscal entity, member of governing body, advisory group, etc.)?	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
How does your organization's mission relate to the mission of the WIRED Initiative?	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Describe your organization's experience with workforce investment and/or economic development.	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Describe your organization's experience with partnership efforts in the region.	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
When and how did your organization become involved in the WIRED Initiative?	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Was there general support for your participation in the WIRED Initiative, or was there opposition? If there was opposition, how was this resolved?	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What obstacles, if any, did your organization face when deciding to participate in the WIRED Initiative? How were these obstacles resolved?	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What is your title/position?	X	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What is your role in the WIRED Initiative? (Ask of each respondent. Probe on roles, responsibilities, understanding of the partnership)	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
When and how did you become involved with WIRED?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
How does your background relate to your role in the WIRED Initiative? Please describe your personal experience with workforce investment and/or economic development.	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Please describe your personal experience with partnership efforts in the region.	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Goals of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What are the goals of the WIRED Initiative?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
What are the region's goals and objectives for the WIRED Initiative?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
How were goals developed for the WIRED proposal?	X	X	X
When the WIRED Initiative was first being developed, were most partners in agreement about what the goals should be? How were disagreements resolved?	X	X	X				X	X	X	X	X	X
Did proposal writers and/or partners create a logic model that maps connections between goals, objectives, strategies, and desired results?	X	X	X
Did you reassess the Initiative's goals between the proposal and the implementation plan? Why or why not?	X	X	X
Were the Initiative's goals modified for your implementation plan? Why or why not?	X	X	X
If the Initiative's goals were changed between your proposal and your implementation plan, what was the process for doing this? Who was involved? Were most partners in agreement about how the goals should or should not be changed? How were disagreements about goals resolved?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Has the region made other changes to the WIRED Initiative's goals (subsequent to the implementation plan)? What goals changed, and why? Were most partners in agreement about how the goals should or should not be changed? How were disagreements about goals resolved?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Are future reassessments of the Initiative's goals planned? Who would be involved in doing such a reassessment?	X	X	X				X

Goals of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What does it mean to have "transformation" as the ultimate goal of the WIRED Initiative?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
What does "economic transformation" mean to you?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What does "workforce transformation" mean to you?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What does "successful transformation" mean to you? What do you expect "successful transformation” to look like?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Planning for the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What was the proposal-writing and planning process for the WIRED grant?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
Who was initially involved in putting together the WIRED proposal?	X	X	X
Were you or your organization involved in the initial planning? If yes, how and why did your organization become involved, i.e., what issues informed your decision?	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
If you and/or your organization were not involved in the initial planning, how did you become involved with the WIRED Initiative? Why weren't you involved in planning? Would you have liked to be involved?	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What was the process by which the region was defined? Who decided to define and constitute the region in this way? What factors influenced the definition of the region's boundaries (core opportunities and challenges)?	X	X	X
How were the different partners chosen and/or invited to participate? Who did the choosing/inviting? How was it decided who the lead organization in the region would be?	X	X	X
How did the developers of the Initiative go about getting buy-in from the other partners in the region?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What were the initial planning activities? Were meet-ings held between prospective partners? How often? Where were the meetings held? Who participated in the initial meetings? What level of authority did participants in the planning process represent? Were the meetings successful? Why or why not?	X	X	X
In what kind of analysis of regional assets and gaps did you engage prior to putting your program plans together? (e.g., asset mapping, community audit, SWOT analysis -strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats)?	X	X	X
Were there any negotiations or conflicts during the initial planning process? If so, how were these handled?	X	X	X
Was there general support or opposition for WIRED in your region during the initial planning stages?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What obstacles, if any, did the WIRED Initiative face in the initial stages? How were these obstacles resolved?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
During initial planning, were most partners in agreement about what the strategies should be? Was there agreement as to how to spend the money? How were disagreements resolved?	X	X	X
Did you reassess the Initiative's strategies between the proposal and the implementation plan? Why/why not?	X	X	X
Were the WIRED Initiative's strategies modified for your implementation plan? Which strategies changed and why? Which stayed the same and why? What was the process for developing the implementation plan? Who was involved? Were most partners in agreement about how strategies should/should not be changed?	X	X	X

Structure of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
How is the WIRED Initiative structured?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
Who is the WIRED grantee?	X
o     Nonprofit, governmental agency, for profit?		X
o     Mission		X
o     Annual budget		X			X
o     Relative size of WIRED within the organization		X			X
o     Number and type of staff		X
What organization houses the project manager?	X
o     Nonprofit, governmental agency, for profit?	X
o     Mission	X
o     Annual budget	X				X
o     Relative size of WIRED within the organization
o     Number and type of staff	X				X
o     Number of staff paid by grant and their responsibilities	X				X
o     Employer(s) of WIRED staff	X				X
Has the region established a steering committee or other oversight body for the WIRED grant? If so, which organizations or individuals are members of this body?	X
What are the responsibilities of the steering committee or oversight body?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
o     Size and membership	X
o     Schedule of meetings	X		X
o     “Chain of command”	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X
o     Relationship to project manager	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Are there other organizations that play structural roles within the WIRED Initiative? If so, who are they and what are their roles?	X		X
How does the project's structure relate to its goals?	X	X	X				X	X	X

Partnership Within the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
Who are the key partners in the region’s WIRED Initiative? (e.g., workforce investment system, state, county, and local government agencies, Tribal nations, local elected officials, universities and colleges, K-12 schools and districts, employers, business and industry organizations, private training providers, labor organizations, banks and other investors, philanthropists, providers of business services [accountants, law firms, etc.], economic development organizations, entrepreneurs, representatives from the arts community, the media)	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff		Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors		Other Stakeholders
Who are the key partners in the region’s WIRED Initiative?	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What are the roles of the various partners in the WIRED Initiative?	X	X	X	X
Do some partners take a more active role in the Initiative than others?	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Is there consensus about which roles different organizations play?	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Have WIRED partners developed a shared vision of the Initiative and its goals?	X	X	X	X				X
Do the WIRED partners have, or are they developing, an identity as a region?	X	X	X	X				X
Have the partners changed since the proposal was submitted or as the Initiative is being implemented?	X	X	X	X				X
If new organizations have joined the partnership, how were they identified as potential partners? Why weren't they included in the initial planning? What was the process for incorporating the new organizations into the partnership? Has the inclusion of new organizations affected the partnership?	X	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
If organizations have left, why did they leave? How have these departures affected the partnership? Do partners that left the Initiative still otherwise participate in workforce investment and/or economic development in the region?	X	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Collaboration Within the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
How do the partners in the WIRED Initiative work together towards achieving the goals of the Initiative?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
Please describe in detail how partners work together and communicate with each other. In what forms of collaboration do project staff and partners engage?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
How well do the project partners work together? Is there general agreement as to the activities proposed? Is there general agreement as to how to spend the money? How are disagreements resolved?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Were specific mechanisms for collaboration developed in the proposal or during the initial stages of the partnership? If so, what mechanisms were developed, and how successful have they been? Have these mechanisms changed as the Initiative has been implemented? In what way?	X	X	X	X
Does the partnership currently have mechanisms in place to support or increase collaboration? To stimulate and reward collaborative work? What partnership agreements, protocols, and/or policies have been established to date? What organizational development activities have taken place to date?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Do you communicate more with some partners than others? If so, why? Under what circumstances?	X	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Please describe in detail how partners interact with the larger political and business world. How are project staff and partners communicating the Initiative's issues and goals among and to key stakeholders, business and industry, potential funders, the media, etc.?	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What challenges and opportunities have emerged with the various partners? How do partner relationships affect the work of the partnership? Describe any problems experienced in the roles or relationships among the partners. How have problems been addressed?	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
(Social Networking) Has there been a change in who you interact with in the areas of economic development, workforce development, education, etc., as a result of the WIRED Initiative? What new partnerships have you developed? What new cross-profession or cross-industry networks or linkages have you developed as a result of the WIRED Initiative? Have there been changes in your relationships with individuals or organizations with whom you interacted prior to WIRED?	X	X	X			X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Activities of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What strategies and activities have you developed to achieve the goals of the WIRED Initiative?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
How did you develop the strategies and activities for your WIRED Initiative? How has project staff gone about assessing the resources, demographic and institutional challenges that need to be addressed?	X	X	X	X			X
What techniques are project staff using to accurately assess assets and gaps, vis-à-vis economic/job growth sectors and decline sectors?	X	X		X
How do project staff and partners define their current economy? What do they see as the new approach to growth? What cultural barriers and enablers have project staff and partners identified? What political and institutional enablers and barriers have they identified?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What WIRED activities have begun to date? What activities related to the goal of economic transformation have you launched, invested in, or sought to stimulate?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What workforce training and retraining efforts have been launched? How have representatives of existing industry and emerging industries provided inputs and influenced the content and delivery of these programs?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What efforts have been launched to educate parents, teachers and young people about the new economy and the skills required, as well as increase those skills?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What types of strategies has the WIRED Initiative adopted to develop a regional identity?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X		X
What efforts have been launched to assist existing enterprises to secure new customers or upgrade technology or attract investment?	X	X	X	X		X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What efforts have been launched to encourage and support entrepreneurship? What efforts have been launched to help start-up enterprises?	X	X	X	X		X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What efforts have project staff and partners made to build a new sense of the future among institutions and citizens?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What efforts have been launched to address infrastructure issues that may affect the region’s ability to achieve economic transformation?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
In what other capacity-building activities has the region’s WIRED Initiative engaged?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Funding for the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What are the sources of funding for the WIRED Initiative, and how are these funds spent?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff		Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
Has the region secured funding or other resources for the WIRED Initiative beyond the DOL grant? If so, what are the sources and value of these funds?	X	X	X		X			X
Are any additional funds considered to be leveraged? What funds are they leveraged with? For what purpose(s)?	X	X	X		X			X
If additional resources are in-kind contributions, what type of contributions were made?	X	X	X		X
How are WIRED funds being budgeted?	X	X	X		X
What mechanisms are used to align the Initiative's resources with its goals, strategies, and activities?	X	X	X	X	X			X
Has your WIRED Initiative awarded any subgrants or executed any subcontracts? With whom, and for what? Are there applications for WIRED subgrants or subcontracts that are currently in progress?	X	X	X	X	X
Has the WIRED Initiative adopted specific application procedures for WIRED subgrants or subcontracts? Please describe.	X	X	X	X	X
What plans has the region made to secure additional funds in the future to support the goals and activities of the WIRED Initiative?	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Has the region formally or informally leveraged funding or resources beyond those of each individual partner's networks? Please describe.	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Have any pre-existing funds in the region been refocused as a result of the WIRED Initiative? If so, what are the sources, purposes, and value of these funds?	X	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Are you seeking investment capital?	X	X	X		X			X		X		X	X		X

Challenges and Successes of the WIRED

CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT

Initiative

Project/Program

Leaders / Members of Partnership

What challenges has the region met and what successes has it achieved?

Project Director/ Manager

Director/CEO of Grantee

Board/ Oversight

Project Staff

Fiscal Staff

Govt. Agencies

Local Elected Officials

Workforce & Training

Economic Development

Education (K-12, College)

University/ Research

Business & Industry

Labor

Investors

Other Stakeholders

What are the most significant challenges to the progress of your WIRED Initiative that you have encountered to date?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Is there currently public support or opposition for the WIRED Initiative in your region? Do you currently face any particular obstacles? What is being done to resolve these obstacles?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Please describe any particular challenges your WIRED Initiative has had with regard to:

o     Building a regional identity

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

o     Developing a shared vision and goals

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

o     Securing stakeholders and investors

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

o     Distribution of WIRED funds and resources

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

o    Working with federal agencies

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

o     Measuring progress and outcomes; developing metrics

X

X

X

X

X

o     Other

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Please describe any issues for which you have received or requested technical assistance.

X

X

X

X

X

How successful have you been in meeting the challenges faced by the WIRED Initiative?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

What do you consider to be the Initiative's greatest successes to date? Why?

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X

X

X

X

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X

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X

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X

X

X

Innovations of the WIRED Initiative

CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT

Project/Program

Leaders / Members of Partnership

What innovations has the WIRED Initiative accomplished or supported?

Project Director/ Manager

Director/CEO of Grantee

Board/ Oversight

Project Staff

Fiscal Staff

Govt. Agencies

Local Elected Officials

Workforce & Training

Economic Development

Education (K-12, College)

University/ Research

Business & Industry

Labor

Investors

Other Stakeholders

How do WIRED partners and staff define innovation?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

What innovative strategies were proposed in the initial proposal for the WIRED Initiative, the implementation plan, or subsequent modifications to the plan?

X

X

X

X

Please describe any innovative strategies that the WIRED Initiative has accomplished or that are currently underway.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

How does the project support adoption of innovative strategies or technologies by partners?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Evaluating Success of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
How is the region assessing the success of its efforts?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
What measures have been developed to assess whether specific strategies and activities have been achieved and to insure that impacts of the WIRED Initiative have been measured?	X	X	X	X
What data collection instruments, instructions, and/or analysis plans does the partnership use to evaluate success in achieving the Initiative's goals?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Is other data collected? What kinds of data? At what point in the process is data collected? Are you required to collect data for purposes other than reporting to DOL?	X	X	X	X
What staff are responsible for collecting and analyzing data?	X	X	X	X
In what form is the data currently available? How should our evaluation team go about obtaining these data?	X	X	X	X
Have you generated any reports, proposals, or self- evaluations? How can we get copies of these?	X	X	X	X
How do you use the data you collect? How does the data analysis affect your work?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What other methods do you use to evaluate success in achieving the Initiative's goals?	X	X	X	X
Are there any data that aren't being collected that would help you better measure your success?	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Evaluating Success of the WIRED Initiative	CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT
	Project/Program					Leaders / Members of Partnership
What, if any, signs of progress do you see?	Project Director/ Manager	Director/CEO of Grantee	Board/ Oversight	Project Staff	Fiscal Staff	Govt. Agencies	Local Elected Officials	Workforce & Training	Economic Development	Education (K-12, College)	University/ Research	Business & Industry	Labor	Investors	Other Stakeholders
What signs of progress do you see in partners developing a shared understanding of their problems and opportunities? Provide examples.	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What signs of progress do you see in forming new partnerships that have promise? Provide examples.	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
What signs of shifting emphases in policy issues and priorities do you see? What signs of changing investment priorities? What signs of shifts in what is taught in existing institutions and organizations? Give examples.	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Are new organizations/networks emerging? On what specifically are they focused? How do they measure their progress?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Are new forms of internal and external investments in business development, workforce development, and general education emerging in the region? Provide examples and dollars.	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Have new companies or partnerships been formed?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Has job retention increased and/or business grown in existing industries?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Has the number of job grown as a result of new enterprises or business attraction?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Have average wages changed? How much?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Have changes in the number of professional support firms (such as law and accounting) occurred?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Have changes occurred in how leaders and citizens talk/feel about or describe the region? Examples?	X	X	X	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Sustainability of WIRED Efforts

CATEGORY OF RESPONDENT

Project/Program

Leaders / Members of Partnership

What plans does the region have for long-term sustainability of the goals of the WIRED Initiative?

Project Director/ Manager

Director/CEO of Grantee

Board/ Oversight

Project Staff

Fiscal Staff

Govt. Agencies

Local Elected Officials

Workforce & Training

Economic Development

Education (K-12, College)

University/ Research

Business & Industry

Labor

Investors

Other Stakeholders

How are you planning to sustain efforts begun by WIRED after the grant ends?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Are sustainable new organizations or units within existing organizations in place for the long haul?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Is WIRED facilitating new kinds of partnerships, programs, investment, and funding? Specify and provide examples.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Have regional or state civic institutions and elected officials embraced WIRED, and do they understand the new challenges and opportunities? Describe.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

What plans do you have for transferability of technology and other innovations that the Initiative will have developed?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Are you seeking investment capital? For what activities or products?

X

X

X

X

In your opinion, why are some programs or strategies sustained and others are not?

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

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