Advance Letter

APPENDIX D

ADVANCE LETTER

Greetings:

IMPAQ International, a research company in Columbia, Maryland, is conducting an important survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor about people who applied to participate in the Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (GATE) program. You have been identified from lists of people who applied for a program in your area. About six months ago, you received some information about this study and agreed to participate in it. We told you that we would contact you in about six months to see how you are doing. Your experiences with self-employment and self-employment services over the past six months are unique, and we would like you to take part in the study.

We will be conducting a telephone survey with participants that includes questions about your self-employment experiences, including questions about any loans you have received, your earnings from self-employment, and the average monthly sales, expenses, and payroll of any business you may have. In order to answer these questions more accurately, you may want to review your records before the interview. The survey takes about 40 minutes to complete. You will receive $15 if you complete the survey.

Your participation is important, but voluntary. Your participation in the survey can lead to improvements in programs to help people succeed in self-employment. Your answers will be kept strictly confidential, and you will never be identified in any report based on the survey. Participating in this survey will not affect any benefits you get now or will receive in the future. No one will attempt to sell you anything or ask for a donation because you participated in this study.

Since we are interested in hearing about your opinions and experiences, please call us as soon as you can to participate in this survey. Please call us (toll-free) at 1-800-XXX-XXXX, and ask for [NAME]. There is no charge for the call. If your telephone is unlisted or has changed in the past six months, we ask that you call the toll‑free number mentioned above to tell us where you may now be reached.

Thank you for your cooperation in this interesting and important study. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Jacob Benus

Executive Director and Vice President

IMPAQ International

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to this collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Sample members' obligation to reply to this survey is voluntary. Public burden for this survey is estimated to average 40 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the necessary data, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

OMB Control Number: 1205-0444

Expiration Date: 12/31/2006

Privacy Act Statement

In compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the following information is being provided to you: The evaluation contractor, IMPAQ International and its subcontractors Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. and Battelle Memorial Institute, will use the information you provide to study the effects of the GATE program, and to recontact you later. Your Social Security Number will enable us to collect information from the GATE program and the Unemployment Insurance agency about your receipt of Unemployment Compensation and your earnings. Your Social Security Number will not be used for any other purpose, and providing it is voluntary. The information you provide will not affect your eligibility for any federal, state, or local government program or receipt of benefits from such programs. The information you provide will be kept confidential and the answers you give will not be identified as yours in any published material.