General Performance Reporting Forms

Grants Performance Reporting Information Collection Request (ICR)

Instructions for the Interim Performance Report Form · August 6, 2024

Grants Performance Reporting ICR

Instructions: Interim Performance Report Form

OMB Control Number = 2090-NEW, Expiration Date = mm/dd/yyyy

OMB Burden Statement: This collection of information is approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. OMB Control Number: 2090-NEW. Responses to this collection of information are mandatory [2 CFR Part 200]. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to be 20 hours per response. Send comments on the Agency’s need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden to Director, Information Engagement Division; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2821T); 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; Washington, D.C. 20460. Include the OMB control number in any correspondence. Do not send the completed form to this address.

Section 0: Introduction

• This document includes instructions for completing the Interim Performance Report Form, which includes five sections: (1) Project Overview; (2) Activities, Dates, Locations, Partners; (3) Outputs; (4) Outcomes; and (5) Financial Reporting.

• If you have any specific activities, outputs, outcomes, or line-item expenditures to report for any specific reporting period (including the final one), please add this information to the Interim Performance Report Form. This way, all your specific reporting information is documented in one form.

• You can use one document to complete each interim performance report during the project period by adding new rows in each section.

• As you complete each section of the form, please review the corresponding instructions in this document. The text includes definitions of key terms as well as explanations and examples.

• Please speak to your EPA Project Officer to confirm that you understand all the reporting expectations for your specific program.

• The information you report should represent the actual implementation of the project activities.

• Use your Work Plan as a reference but do report what was actually done during the reporting period, including any changes and/or additional unplanned activities.

• If you have any questions about how to complete this form, please contact your EPA Project Officer.

Section 1: Project Overview

Project Information

• Provide the following information:

• Project Lead Name: Specify the full name of the individual in charge of the project.

• Project Title: Provide the formal title of the project.

• EPA Grant Number: Provide the unique identifier for the grant, assigned by the EPA.

• EPA Program: Indicate the EPA program that is most relevant to your project.

• EPA Project Officer: Name the EPA Project Officer responsible for overseeing your project.

• Project Start Date: Provide the date on which the project officially commenced.

• Expected Project End Date: Provide the date on which the project is expected to end.

Project Objectives

• State the specific project objectives as outlined in the approved grant work plan.

Interim Performance Report Submission Schedule

• At the start of the project, provide the target submission date for each interim performance report.

• When you submit each report, provide the actual submission date for that report.

Section 2: Activities, Dates, Locations, and Partners

Part A – Activity Log

Date of Data Entry

• Column A: Include the date on which you are reporting the information in each row.

Project Year and Reporting Period

• Column B: Select the project year for which you are providing information about project activities.

• Column C: Select the project reporting period (quarters, semiannual, annual) for which you are providing information about the project activities.

  • Please speak to your EPA Project Officer to confirm which reporting periods are to be used.

Activity

• Column D: List each activity (i.e., specific tasks or actions) undertaken to achieve the objectives of the project; use a new row for each activity. Use the work plan as a reference but do report any changes and/or additional activities undertaken.

Date(s) of Activity

• Column E: List the start date and (actual or expected) end date for the reported activity.

• If the activity is ongoing, list the original start date and list the end date as “ongoing.”

Location(s) of Activity

• Column F: Indicate whether the activity took place in a state, territory, or Tribe/Alaska Native Village. If you need to report multiple locations for an activity, add a new row in the form for each location.

• Column G: Select the specific state, U.S. territory, or Tribe/Alaska Native Village. Note that the options presented in the drop-down menu will depend on the answer you provide in Column F.

• Column H: Select the location data type that best represents either the physical location in which the activity took place or the service area boundary of the activity. If you are not sure what type of location data to report, please speak to your EPA Project Officer.

  • Examples include street address, census block group and tract, zip code, city, county, school district, latitude-longitude, and hydrologic unit.

• Column I: Provide the unique Feature ID (and name) for your selected location data type (e.g., census tract number).

• Note for Programs: Section 2 will include a link to an interactive location reference map and guidance. Grantees will be asked to use this online map to obtain a validated unique identifier for the type of location data that they want to report. OCFO will share the map and guidance for your review at the end of April.

• If you need to report multiple locations for an activity, add a new row in the form for each location.

Communities or Groups

• Column J: Select yes or no to indicate whether the location includes one or more communities that are disadvantaged, marginalized, underserved, and/or overburdened by pollution. If you are not sure, please speak to your EPA Project Officer.

• Column K: If you answered “yes” to Column J, list the relevant communities in this column.

• Column L: List the source used to make the determination in Column J. Examples include EJScreen, Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), or other locally available environmental justice screening tools such as state dashboards.

Partner(s) and Contribution(s)

• Column M: List any individuals, organizations, or entities that either collaborated with you to conduct the activity or contributed resources, expertise, or financial support to the activity.

• Please indicate if no partners were involved.

• Column N: Describe the roles and contributions of each partner listed in Column K. Write “not applicable” if no partners participated in this activity.

Comparison with Work Plan

• Column O: Compare the completed activities with the plans presented in the Work Plan. If any changes were made to the planned design or implementation, briefly explain the reason(s) for these changes.

Additional Information (optional)

• Column P: If needed, provide any additional relevant information not captured in the previous columns in this sheet. This may include any specific information requested by your program. Write “not applicable” if you are not reporting any information in this column.

Part B - Supplemental Information

• Column R onwards: Provide any additional general information about the activities in this reporting period that has not been captured in the standard reporting columns. This may include unexpected challenges, innovative practices adopted, or any other pertinent developments.

Section 3: Outputs

Definition of Outputs

• Outputs refer to the products, services, or events that are produced or delivered as part of a project activity.

• Example products include reports and guidance documents; example services including trainings and technical assistance; example events include town hall meetings and launch events.

• Outputs must be measurable during the grant period.

• Where possible, grantees are asked to provide the number of each project, service, or event that was produced or delivered as part of the project activity.

Part A – Output Reporting

Date of Data Entry

• Column A: Include the date on which you are reporting the information in each row.

Project Year and Reporting Period

• Column B: Select the project year for which you are providing information about the output.

• Column C: Select the project reporting period (quarters, semiannual, annual) for which you are providing information about the output.

  • Please speak to your EPA Project Officer to confirm which reporting periods are to be used.

Activity

• Column D: List each activity undertaken to achieve the objectives of the project (one per row).

• This information can be copied from Column D in Section 2: Activities & Locations.

Output Identification Number

• Column E: Assign a sequential identification number to each output for every activity. List each output in a separate row.

Outputs: Products, Services, or Events

• Column F: List the products, services, or events that were produced or delivered as part of the activity.

  • Example products: reports, guidance documents

  • Example services: trainings, technical assistance

  • Example events: town hall meetings, launch events

Provide the number of each product, service, or event that was produced or delivered.

• Column G: OPTIONAL FOR PROGRAMS Where possible, indicate the amount of engagement that the community or group had with the outputs (i.e., the product, service, event, etc.) for the activity over a defined time-period. Examples include:

  • number of users of a product, with start and end dates of the recording period

  • number of users of a service, with start and end dates of the recording period

  • number of attendees at an event

Where possible, report engagement numbers for each community or group that you have listed. If this type of detailed reporting is not available, report the overall engagement numbers across all communities and groups.

Comparison with Work Plan

• Column H: Compare the recorded outputs against any relevant targets or indicators listed in your Work Plan (e.g., number of outputs, target audience, timeline, etc.). Briefly explain any differences noted between the expected outputs and the delivered outputs.

Part B – Supplemental Information

• Column I onwards: Provide any relevant information or updates about the outputs that have not been captured in the standard reporting columns. This may include unexpected challenges, new outputs, innovative measurement of audience engagement with outputs, or any other pertinent developments.

Section 4: Outcomes

Definition of Outcomes

• Outcomes refer to the results of a project activity that grantees have measured, and which should be aligned with the specific project objectives.

• Outcomes represent the level of performance or achievement that occurred because of the activity or services provided by the project.

• Outcomes may be documented in any of the below categories:

  • knowledge, skills, or attitudes

  • decision-making or behavior

  • community or social

  • economic

  • community-level health

  • environmental

• You do not need to report results in all of the above listed categories. Rather, you should focus on documenting and reporting the results that are most appropriate for your project and which are feasible to collect during the project.

• Note: Outcomes may not always be achievable or measurable during the period of the grant. Please speak to your EPA Project Officer to identify the appropriate and relevant outcomes for your project.

Note: Outcomes for specific activities can be added to the performance report form during any reporting period. Thus, results that occur after the activity has been completed can still be documented and reported during the project period. Just be sure to note the date that you are reporting each outcome in Column A.

Part A – Outcome Reporting

Date of Data Entry

• Column A: Include the date on which you are reporting the information in each row.

Project Year and Reporting Period

• Column B: Select the project year for which you are providing information about the output.

• Column C: Select the project reporting period (quarters, semiannual, annual) for which you are providing information about the output.

  • Please speak to your EPA Project Officer to confirm which reporting periods are to be used.

Activity

• Column D: List each activity undertaken to achieve the objectives of the project (one per row).

• This information can be copied from Column D in Section 2 (Activities & Locations).

Outcome Identification Number

• Column E: Assign a sequential identification number to each outcome for every activity.
  List each outcome on a separate row.

Measured or Calculated Outcomes

• Column F: List any results from the activity that you have measured or calculated, which should be aligned with your specific project objectives. Results may be documented or modeled in any of the following categories:

  • knowledge, skills, or attitudes

  • decision-making or behavior

  • community or social outcomes

  • economic outcomes

  • community-level health outcomes

  • environmental outcomes

Note: You do not need to report results in all the above listed categories. Focus on documenting and reporting the results that are most appropriate for your project and which are feasible to collect.

• Column G: Indicate the methodology you used to measure or calculate your outcomes.
  Example methods for each category of outcomes are listed below:

  • knowledge, skills, or attitudes: survey, interview, focus group, etc.

  • decision-making or behavior: survey, interview, focus group, observation, review of records, etc.

  • community or social outcomes: survey, observation, review of national data, modeling, etc.

  • economic outcomes: review of national data, survey, modeling, etc.

  • community-level health outcomes: review of national data, modeling, etc.

  • environmental outcomes: scientific measurement, observation, modeling, etc.

Outcome Timeframe

• Column H: Please indicate whether this is a short-term outcome, an intermediate outcome, or a long-term outcome, based on the definitions provided by your EPA program:

  • short-term outcome = documented within [A months and B months] after the activity

  • intermediate outcome = documented within [C months/years and D months/years] after the activity

  • long-term outcome = documented within [X months/years and Y months/years] after the activity

• Note: Programs will amend the instructions and the form to indicate their preferred timeline covered by each type of outcome.

Communities or Groups

• Column I: Where possible, list the communities or groups whose members were impacted by the reported results.

• Column J: Select yes or not to indicate the communities or groups impacted by the results that are disadvantaged, marginalized, underserved, and/or overburdened by pollution. If you are not sure, please speak to your EPA Project Officer.

• Column K: If you answered “yes” in Column J, list the relevant communities in this column.

• Column L: List the source for the determination made in Column J. Examples include EJScreen, Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), or other locally available environmental justice screening tools, such as state dashboards.

Comparison with Work Plan

• Column M: Compare the documented outcome against any targets or indicators set out in your Work Plan. Briefly explain any differences noted in expected versus actual outcomes.

Part B – Supplemental Information

• Column O onwards: Provide any additional relevant information about the outcomes that has not already captured in the previous columns in this sheet. This may include unexpected challenges, additional benefits realized, innovative measurement of outcomes, or any other pertinent developments.

Section 5: Financial Reporting
OPTIONAL – IF REQUESTED BY PROGRAM

Note: You should only complete the cells that are shaded white. Do not input any information into cells that are shaded green; the content in these cells will auto-populate based on information provided in other columns (see below).

Part A – Budget Utilization

• Column A: Select the project year for which you are providing financial information.

• Column B: Select the project reporting period (quarters, semiannual, or annual) for which you are providing financial information.

• Column C: Select the financial line item for which you are reporting information.

  • The options in the drop-down menu are as follows: Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel, Equipment, Supplies, Contractual, Construction, Other, and Indirect Charges

• Column D: Specify the amount awarded for the selected line item for the project year.

• Column E: Report the rolling expenses for each financial line item. For example, the Year 2 Q3 report should include cumulative actual expenses for all of Year 2 to date.

• Column F - Ending Balance: This column is automatically calculated based on responses provided in other columns. It will display a running balance that reflects prior and current expenses.

• Column G: Report expenses for the specific project reporting period, if requested by your program.

• Column H: If relevant, include any additional relevant information not captured in Columns A-H. This may include any specific information requested by your program.

Part B – Additional Information

• Columns J onwards: Use this section to include any additional information you wish to provide about your budget and finances. This could include any financial challenges encountered and the strategies used to address them.

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