The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is approved this emergency collection for a period of six months. During this period, ACF should continue efforts implement an electronic collection. If an electronic alternative is not in place by the time this collection is resubmitted, OMB may grant an abbreviated approval.
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
10/31/2010
6 Months From Approved
336
0
0
336
0
0
0
0
0
The Administration for Children & Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is conducting the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) Program Evaluation, a new initiative funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 to enable nonprofit organizations to contribute to the economic recovery and help federal, state, and local governments ensure that the information and services described in the Recovery Act reach disadvantaged and hard-to-serve populations. We now seek OMB approval for program-specific grantee data collection tools.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) requests emergency clearance for information collection requirements associated with the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) grant programs, made up of the Nonprofit Capacity Building program and the Government Capacity Building program. The Strengthening Communities Fund initiative was authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), ACF, Children Families Services Programs, (4) as follows: "(4) $50,000,000 for carrying out activities under section 1110 of the Social Security Act." The purpose of the SCF initiative is to enable nonprofit organizations, through capacity building, to contribute to the economic recovery, and to help state, local and Tribal governments ensure that the information and services described in the Recovery Act effectively reach disadvantaged and hard to serve populations.
OMB approval of the synopses of these two new grant opportunities was obtained on April 30, 2009. Following a full competitive grant review process in the summer of 2009, 84 SCF grants were awarded on September 30, 2009. A task contract for SCF program evaluation was also issued on this date. Since these grants were awarded, ACF has been working with SCF grantees to review and approve their work activity plans, including the first SCF Orientation and Leadership Conference held in late January 2010. This conference was attended by representatives of all 84 SCF grantees. At the conference SCF staff conducted grantee trainings on performance and outcome measurements to address the practical aspects of data collection. An overview of proposed reporting requirements was presented and a discussion took place on ways to minimize the burden associated with the collection of such information.
Since the SCF program was an entirely new initiative created under ARRA, considerable startup time was needed to review these work activity plans from grantees and develop an appropriate data collection tool to assess progress. To gather the necessary information to report on metrics established under the SCF ARRA Implementation Plan published on Recovery.gov, ACF requests an emergency clearance that would allow ACF to collect necessary grantee data. Further, the authorization for this program will not go beyond FY 2010, creating an extremely brief window of opportunity for data collection.
Given this Administration's commitment to transparency and accountability, it would create public harm if the results of this program were not captured and quantified through output and outcome measures as are required for the purposes of Administrative Requirements, Code 2 CFR 215 and Recovery.gov. Failing to collect SCF performance and progress data would prevent the Administration, the Congress, and the public from obtaining any meaningful information about the SCF program. Additionally, without the requested data collection, it will not be possible to completed proper analysis and assessment of the SCF program to determine any benefits to the pubic.
There is a strong preference to collect this data for the 2nd quarter of FY 2010, which would occur after March 30, 2010. Therefore approval is requested prior to April 15, 2010, in order to distribute the data collection tool to capture and report on the 2nd quarter FY 2010 data. By the end of the 3rd quarter of FY 2010 (June 30, 2010), a full cycle of reports could be obtained, as will be due to ACF by July 30, 2010.
Therefore, we request approval for emergency processing under Sec. 1320.13 (a)(2)(i) of the Paperwork Reduction Act based on the likelihood of public harm if normal clearance procedure are followed.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form 1 States and Tribes Capacity Buidling Program
Non Profit Grantee PPR - Transmittal and Instructions.doc
States and Tribes Capacity Buidling Program