Fast-track Template Post-service Focus Group

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 3045-0137)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Focus Groups to Aid in Understanding the Value of Service in Participants’ Experience and Outcomes

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this data collection is to gather information from participants who have served in programs funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS believes that by improving its service delivery, participants will have a satisfying and positive service experience, and ultimately will find satisfaction, meaning, and opportunity through our programs. This data collection is specifically designed to solicit feedback from participants who served with CNCS in the past, in order to understand their satisfaction with CNCS programs and how various aspects of the service experience relate to participant satisfaction.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The respondents in this data collection will have recently completed serving as members within CNCS. Military veterans and individuals from disadvantaged circumstances (IDAC) who have participated in CNCS service programs will be recruited for some of the focus groups. Each participant included in the data collection will have personal experience serving in a program funded by CNCS.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[x] Focus Group [ ] Other:

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: Scott Richardson, Office of Strategy and Special Initiatives

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected?

[ ] Yes [X] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974?

[ ] Yes [X] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published?

[ ] Yes [X] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants?

[ ] Yes [X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Individuals	24	60 min	16-24 hrs
Totals	24	60 min	24 hrs

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [X] Yes [ ] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

Focus group participants will be identified from Corporation records of recent alumni who served as members of CNCS programs. The specific individuals asked to participate in the focus groups will be identified based on the program in which they served (e.g., NCCC, VISTA, State and National, RSVP, Senior Companions, FGP), lifecycle of their service (i.e., recent alumnus), and their population (i.e., veterans, disadvantaged background, or general members).

Please see the attached documents titled Focus Group Composition and Focus Group Sampling Strategy for additional information.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[X] Telephone

[X] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

For focus groups in which identified participants are geographically diverse, telephone focus groups will be used to lessen burden on participants by eliminating the need to travel.

For focus groups in which identified participants are located in the same geographic area, in-person focus groups will be convened.

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [X] Yes [ ] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

Instructions for completing Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback”

TITLE OF IDNFORMATION COLLECTION: Provide the name of the collection that is the subject of the request. (e.g. Comment card for soliciting feedback on xxxx)

PURPOSE: Provide a brief description of the purpose of this collection and how it will be used. If this is part of a larger study or effort, please include this in your explanation.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: Provide a brief description of the targeted group or groups for this collection of information. These groups must have experience with the program.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: Check one box. If you are requesting approval of other instruments under the generic, you must complete a form for each instrument.

CERTIFICATION: Please read the certification carefully. If you incorrectly certify, the collection will be returned as improperly submitted or it will be disapproved.

Personally Identifiable Information: Provide answers to the questions. Note: Agencies should only collect PII to the extent necessary, and they should only retain PII for the period of time that is necessary to achieve a specific objective.

Gifts or Payments: If you answer yes to the question, please describe the incentive and provide a justification for the amount.

BURDEN HOURS:

Category of Respondents: Identify who you expect the respondents to be in terms of the following categories: (1) Individuals or Households;(2) Private Sector; (3) State, local, or tribal governments; or (4) Federal Government. Only one type of respondent can be selected per row.

No. of Respondents: Provide an estimate of the Number of respondents.

Participation Time: Provide an estimate of the amount of time required for a respondent to participate (e.g. fill out a survey or participate in a focus group)

Burden: Provide the Annual burden hours: Multiply the Number of responses and the participation time and divide by 60.

FEDERAL COST: Provide an estimate of the annual cost to the Federal government.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents. Please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them. If the answer is yes, to the first question, you may provide the sampling plan in an attachment.

Administration of the Instrument: Identify how the information will be collected. More than one box may be checked. Indicate whether there will be interviewers (e.g. for surveys) or facilitators (e.g., for focus groups) used.

Submit all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

6