Form 1 SIF Progress Report Instructions

Social Innovation Fund

Performance Progress Report Instructions

What is the Performance Progress Report and how will the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) use the information reported?

The Social Innovation Fund Performance Progress Report (PPR) provides information for CNCS staff to monitor your progress and that of your subgrantees, as well as useful data that can be shared with stakeholders. Program staff will use the information you provide to identify trends and issues that may lead to changes in policies and procedures, allocation of training and technical assistance, or opportunities for peer learning. Some information provided in your PPR (particularly success stories or anecdotal information), may be used by the may be used by the CNCS Office of Public Affairs to promote its programs.

When are PPRs due?

Progress reports are due on a semi-annual basis, per the schedule below.

• October 31 April 1 through June 30

July 1 (or start of award) through September 30

• April 30 October 1 through December 31

January 1 through March 31

What information is required?

The semi-annual PPR submission consists of the eGrants PPR Module and the SIF Data Supplement. You can access the eGrants PPR Module at http://www.nationalservice.gov/egrants/. To access the Progress Report Module, click on the Begin/Continue Working button.

The PPR Module has two sections: Narrative and Summary/Staff Review. Below is a description of the required sections of the PPR. In addition you will submit the SIF Data Supplement to capture ongoing information related to expenditures, match leveraged and other areas over the duration of your SIF project. The SIF Data Supplement Instructions are included in Appendix A.

Section I: Narratives

This section is intended to provide an opportunity for you to inform us of any key developments or accomplishments that will give us a better understanding of the management and implementation of your SIF program.

In this section, describe your activities during the reporting period according to the categories and subcategory descriptions below. Please limit your remarks to 1,500 words or less, approximately 1-3 pages in length for each text box.

1. Program Management

• Program Implementation:

  • Describe the progress you made towards major program implementation goals during this reporting period. Identify any major successes and challenges. Also describe any significant changes.

  • Describe updates related to program and fiscal management infrastructure such as data gathering, staffing, oversight and monitoring of subgrantees.

• Intermediary Match Leveraged:

  • Describe progress toward securing your intermediary match.

  • Describe any new match sources and strategic funding partnerships developed.

• Sustainability:

  • Describe any ongoing plans for or progress towards sustainability of aspects of the SIF program beyond the life of your SIF grant.

2. Subgrantee Selection and Management

• Performance and Progress:

  • Describe the progress your subgrantees made towards major program implementation goals during this reporting period. Identify any major successes and challenges. If applicable, describe any trends or significant changes.

  • Describe subgrantee performance on established requirements or goals. Highlight noteworthy subgrantee progress or activities. If any subgrantees did not meet requirements or goals, explain why and identify the corrective actions implemented to improve performance. If you released a subgrantee during this reporting period, provide the effective date of termination and outline the reason for of the release.

• Selection and Management:

  • Describe the progress you made towards subgrantee selection (new and continuations).

  • Provide updates regarding subgrantee management.

• Scaling:

  • Describe the progress your subgrantees made towards the scaling goals outlined in your scaling plans, subgrant contracts, etc. This may include updates on capacity building efforts, beneficiaries recruited and served, new locations/partnerships, etc.

• Training and Technical Assistance:

  • Describe the training and technical assistance that you provided to subgrantees during this reporting period. Describe how you assessed your subgrantees’ needs, if applicable. Describe how you encourage continuous improvement amongst your subgrantees.

• Subgrantee Match Leveraged:

  • Describe subgrantee progress towards securing match funds. Describe any new match sources and strategic funding partnerships developed.

• Sustainability:

  • Describe any specific developments or steps you or your subgrantees have taken to build their capacity and strengthen their longer-term financial stability. Describe your efforts to ensure the sustainability of your subgrantees’ programs beyond the grant period.

3.  Subgrantee Evaluation Plan Status

Based on your approved submitted subgrantee evaluation plans (SEP), please describe the progress made thus far.  Your responses should include the following for each SEP or UniSEP:

-       Overall Status Confirmation: Is the evaluation following the approved SEP and is it on track to provide evaluation at the level of evidence targeted in the SEP?

-       Evaluation Status: Is the evaluation on track in terms of enrollment of participants, comparison/control group members data collection, sample retention, baseline equivalence of any comparison/control groups, analysis, and reporting?  Please provide specific numbers of each where available.

-       Evaluation Timeline: Are there changes to the timeline that may affect study outcomes?  Please note changes and any revised implementation and reporting dates.

-       Level of Evidence: Have there been any changes to the plan that will affect the level of evidence the evaluation will produce?  If so, please note these changes and what effect is anticipated.

-       Budget: Is spending on the evaluation on track?  Will there be sufficient funds to complete the work?

-       Conflicts/Conflict of Interest: Describe any conflicts/conflicts of interest or other issues that have been noted/arisen that may affect the quality of the results?

-       Other Information:  Include any other information not previously described that would have an impact on your evaluation.

4.  Evaluation Results and Lessons Learned

In addition, the SIF is interested in understanding ongoing results and lessons learned from the evaluation work in your portfolio.  Your responses here should include:

-     Key Findings: What are your key findings to date regarding program implementation, outcomes, and impacts?

-     Lessons Learned: What lessons have you learned and/or what promising evaluation practices have you identified?  How are evaluation findings to date contributing to the mission of your broader portfolio and the mission of the SIF grant?  Do the evaluation findings to date have programmatic implications?

5. Communication

Highlight any instances of press coverage here (for both intermediary and/or subgrantees). Also please discuss any plans and updates for communicating key activities and accomplishments during the grant.

6. Subgrantee Success Stories

Share your great stories. Highlight successful subgrantee activities that reflect the impact the program has in the community or on individual beneficiaries, or which illustrate an innovative or highly successful aspect of program operation. This can include interesting or inspiring stories and anecdotes from your subgrantees’ programming that you feel reflect the value of your program.

7. Other Updates

Provide any additional updates not captured in the sections above.

Section II: Review and Submit

Please review your report carefully before submitting. Your Program Officer will review and provide feedback using eGrants.

Public Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3 hours per submission, including reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing the form. Comments on the burden or content of this instrument may be sent to the Corporation for National and Community Service, Attn: Amy Borgstrom, 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20525. CNCS informs people who may respond to this collection of information that they are not required to respond to the collection of information unless the OMB control number and expiration date displayed are current and valid. (See 5 C.F.R. 1320.5(b)(2)(i).)

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