0420-0537 Supporting Statement 2

Peace Corps—Office of Public Engagements

Office of University Programs

Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program Improvement Survey

(OMB 0420-0537)

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Section A. Justification

1. Peace Corps Fellows/USA is a graduate fellowship program available to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs). The respondents of this study will be RPCVs who have requested information regarding the Fellows/USA program from our office but who have not enrolled in the Fellows/USA program to date [hereinafter known as “inquirers”]. The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program advances the Peace Corps’ Third Goal, “to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans,” by developing and maintaining educational partnerships that place returned Volunteers in internships in underserved American communities. 22 USC § 2501. The information provided by the inquirers is necessary to identify reasons for the inquirers’ non-participation in the Fellows/USA program and thus make improvements to the program in those areas.

2. Information gathered in this survey will be used internally by Peace Corps Fellows/USA staff to identify areas of the program that need improvement and better meet the educational needs of inquirers. The survey seeks to discover the reasons why inquirers who have taken the time to contact our office for information on the Fellows/USA program have not eventually enrolled. The survey lists 10 possible reasons for inquirers’ non-enrollment, along with an area for responses that fall outside of the 10 given choices.

Once the information has been gathered by the agency from inquirers who have voluntarily responded, Peace Corps Fellows/USA staff members will review the information and note the most frequently cited reasons for non-enrollment. This information will be used to determine if there are additional steps that the agency can take to increase participation by inquirers in the Fellows/USA program, such as expanding program subject areas, geographic availability or additional advertising.

If applicable, some survey results may be provided to program coordinators at participating Fellows/USA program universities to make them aware of the needs and interests of inquirers: especially those that may not be currently addressed.

1. 3. Information will be collected electronically. Inquirers have already contacted the Fellows/USA office and provided their email addresses when requesting program information and email is the most effective ways to contact them with the survey. Since the survey does not ask for the inquirer’s personal information, this method will also allow them to respond anonymously.

2. 4. This survey is agency and program specific. It assesses inquirers’ needs and interests in relation to the Fellows/USA program. Since the inquirers are individuals who have previously expressed interest in the program, there is no similar information available in the agency. Moreover, this survey has passed the Peace Corps internal review process to identify and avoid any duplication within the agency.

3. 5. This information does not involve small business or other small entities.

6. The information to be generated will be specific to the Fellows/USA program. Since the RPCV community as a whole is a dynamic and diverse group of people, it is important to regularly ascertain their program interests and educational needs. This survey is unique as the information gathered will only be from inquirers. The collection will allow the Fellows/USA program to receive feedback directly from the community the Fellows/USA program serves.

As a program that directly serves RPCVs, the Fellows/USA program needs to know the interests of the RPCV community as well as the most effective ways to reach them with information about the program. If the information were not collected, long-range program planning and the ability of the program to adapt to the needs of RPCVs it serves would be negatively impacted. We believe this survey to contain minimal burden on the responder.

4. 7. No special circumstances exist that would require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

8. The agency’s notice was published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2011, 76 FR 25379. No public comments were received during the 60-day period.

9. No payments or gifts are provided to respondents.

10. The survey provides no assurance of confidentiality. There is no collection of personal information associated with the survey.

7. 11. No sensitive questions are asked.

8. 12. This survey will be emailed out to roughly 1,000 inquirers. For each response, it will take an average of 7 minutes to supply the needed information. This includes time for reviewing instructions, completing the survey form, and submitting the electronic survey. The total estimated burden is 117. (1,000 inquires x 7 minutes / 60 minutes = 117 hours)

13. There is no cost to the respondent.

1. 14. The estimated cost to host a survey online via Wufoo is $39.95 for all 1,000 respondents to complete the survey. We estimate 5 hours per week for 4 weeks to tabulate the results, for a total of 20 hours. The average salaried staff (FP-06, step 1) is paid $22.93/hour, thus we estimate $458.60 of their salary for tabulation of the results. This results in an estimated total of $498.55.

15. Change in burden is attributable to the information collection being submitted as a reinstatement.

7. 16. Not applicable. This information will not be quantified or published.

17. Not applicable. The Agency is not seeking approval to conceal or omit the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.

18. The agency is able to certify compliance with all provisions under Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I.

11. Section B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

This collection of information does not employ statistical methods.