Form 1

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of
Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 3135-0130)

SAA/RAO IDI Questions for Executive Directors and Deputy Directors
Cover Letter for all interviews include the following disclosure:
Information is being collected to assess the feasibility of creating an online system (the
“Portal”) to report Final Descriptive Report (FDR) data to the NEA and NASAA and to
study ways to make the process of FDR reporting more streamlined, robust and timely.
The information will be used to assess whether such an online system is feasible, and if
so, to recommend potential options and specifications for such a system.
For the people whom we contact, we estimate the time required would be a total of
ninety (90) minutes. IF will supply a list of questions prior to the call so interviewees can
familiarize themselves with the topics, requiring around thirty minutes. The questions
would then serve as guidelines for a phone interview that would last about 1 hour.
Participation is voluntary. We do believe there is a benefit for the participating
interviewees and their organizations. The Portal, if implemented, should make
reporting FDR data simpler, faster and with fewer errors. Also, the system might have
additional features that would facilitate the sharing of information internally as well as
with the public once implemented.
The information provided in each interview will be shared with the NEA and NASAA.
IF will likely perform a follow up with an online survey about 30 days after initial
contact. About 60 – 90 days after the initial contact, we will share the findings of the
feasibility study and present the concept for the online system through a web seminar
or similar method. All of the interviewees will be invited to participate and give
feedback, although it is not required.
No sensitive information is being requested.

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New York New York 10013 +1 703.400.6776

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OMB No. 3135-0130
Expires 4/30/2014
Questions for Interview:
Questions will be submitted to the SAAs/RAOs prior to the interview to allow time to
reflect on the questions.
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Could you briefly describe the organization structure at your agency and the
chief responsibilities and roles you have?
Could you provide a brief overview of the FDR reporting process in your office?
The NEA and NASAA are studying ways to improve the FDR reporting process.
The concept presently under consideration is an online “Portal” to allow you to
submit the data into a web-based system instead of sending the information
through e-mail as an attached file or through mail copied onto a disk.
a. Your agency would be given an account on the Portal whereby you could
sign-in and upload the data file you presently mail to the NEA and NASAA.
b. The Portal would perform certain minimum data validation checks and flag
potential errors found in the data. You would be able to review and change
the data as appropriate. You would also be able to view the data in certain
standard tabular formats.
c. Possibly, some data visualization options, such as mapping and bar charts,
could be available to you, if the data met certain validation thresholds.
d. After having a chance to review your data through the standardized
checks, tables and charts/maps, an appropriately authorized user would be
able to submit the dataset to the NEA and NASAA by clicking a button.
e. NASAA and the NEA would then further review the data according to their
own procedures and requirements.
Additional features for the Portal could be incorporated either initially or over
time, but as a minimum configuration, what do you think of such a system?
And what would be your concerns?
How do you use FDR data presently beyond submission to the NEA and NASAA?
How do you use any additional information (beyond just the FDR fields) that
may be kept your grants management system?
How often do you access FDR data? How often do you access other data
residing in your grant management system?
Do issues of reliability and/or accuracy of the data affect how you use the data?
From all the information that you have available to you about your own grants
and about other arts-related activity that your organization supports, what
analysis, report, map, or data visualization has been most helpful to you? How
does this information serve you?
What quantitative information do you keep beyond the FDR fields and how do
you use it?
When/if you share grants and program activity information either externally or
internally, could you be specific about what information is shared and with
which groups? How do those groups use the information?
What information is most needed by you to complete your organization’s
mission but is lacking? How would you put that information to use? How
might that information be collected and presented?

© 2012 Interpersonal Frequency LLC.

All Rights Reserved.

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10. Is there information, analysis or reports you receive from federal or state
sources (either regularly or on occasion) that you find particularly useful in
conducting the affairs of your agency?
11. What are the main reporting requirements of your state, and how does this
compare to reporting requirements for the NEA? Is there much overlap
between the two? What additional categories of information are required by
your state?
12. What additional grants and program activity data (beyond what’s required for
federal or state reporting) do you track and maintain closely? How do you put
this information to work? What systems and/or other resources do you use to
track these data?
13. What information about grants and program activity do you routinely make
public, and what steps does your organization take to remove personally
identifying content from being released?

© 2012 Interpersonal Frequency LLC.

All Rights Reserved.