EFNEP SSFinal

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

U.S. Department of Agriculture

OMB No. 0524-0044

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

Subject: Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission to Revise and Extend Information Collection OMB No. 0425-0044, Expanded Food Nutrition Education Programs (EFNEP)

A. Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program is the largest single Extension program in the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) budget, funded as a separate line item at more than $60 million a year. The data collected through the Web-Based Nutrition Education Evaluation and Reporting System (WebNEERS) is a significant component of the program that supports the USDA and NIFA Strategic Goal 1: Science – Catalyze exemplary and relevant research, education and extension programs, and in particular to support Sub-Goal 1.1: Advance our Nation’s ability to achieve global food security and fight hunger and Sub-Goal 1.5: Combat childhood obesity by ensuring the availability of affordable, nutritious food and providing individuals and families science-based nutritional guidance. It also supports Strategic Goal 3 - Process: Institutionalize streamlined, effective technologies, policies, and processes.

EFNEP is a unique program that began in 1969. It is designed to reach limited resource audiences – especially youth and families with young children. EFNEP operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and in American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Extension professionals train and supervise paraprofessionals and volunteers who teach food and nutrition information and skills to families and youth with limited financial resources.

The impetus for this data collection resulted from conversations in 1990 with staff from the House Committee on Agriculture who voiced their displeasure with the existing data that was being provided on EFNEP and demanded greater accountability and the ability to show the degree to which the program achieved its objectives. As the development of the evaluation system was nearing its completion, an expert panel was convened to look at the data elements and determine those that would be most critical for use by policy makers. The panel included representatives from other USDA agencies with whom EFNEP partners (Economic Research Service and Food and Nutrition Service), the USDA Office of Budget and Program Analysis as well as evaluation specialists from the Federal Extension Service and its university partners. They identified the most valuable behaviors to measure, which then became the core components of the system. Concurrence was received from staff for the House Committee on Agriculture. Over the years the system has been upgraded to align with technological advancements and to address changes in data collection standards and requirements (e.g., data collection on race/ethnicity, updates to dietary guidelines, etc.). It is consistently reevaluated to ensure that data collected is need to have, not nice to have.

The evaluation processes of EFNEP remain consistent with the requirements of Congressional legislation and OMB and supports reporting requirements requested in the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) (Pub. L. 103–62), the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998 (FAIR Act) (Pub. L. 105–270), and the Agricultural, Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 AREERA) (Pub. L. 105–185). One of the five Presidential Management Agenda initiatives, Budget and

Performance Integration, builds on GPRA and earlier efforts to identify program goals and performance measures, and link them to the budget process. The FAIR Act requires the development and implementation of a system to monitor and evaluate agricultural research and extension activities in order to measure the impact and effectiveness of research, extension, and education programs. AREERA requires a performance evaluation to be conducted to determine whether federally funded agricultural research, extension, and education programs result in public goods that have national or multistate significance. EFNEP data is also available to the public via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

The general purpose of the Web-Based Nutrition Education Evaluation and Reporting System (WebNEERS) is to provide the data needed to assure the quality of the educational program and the alignment of plans, budgets, and results with program policies and expectations. The system provides a variety of reports that are useful for federal, institution (institution refers to 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities) and local management purposes, including the ability to provide diagnostic assessments of participant needs, summarize data for institution and federal assessment of the program’s impact, and to prepare strategic plans for the upcoming year. The specifications for this system were built from the previous system, the Nutrition Education Evaluation and Reporting System (NEERS). When WebNEERS was designed, through a Cooperative Agreement with Clemson University, NEERS was thoroughly reviewed by a team consisting of EFNEP Federal Leadership, Clemson University IT and Programmatic staff and a committee of NEERS users. The committee, led by the Clemson University Program Coordinator, and was comprised of representatives from states and territories. Efforts were made to be as inclusive and diverse as possible. They worked over the span of several years to carefully deliberate the pros and cons, benefits and burdens of each component part of the system. The aim was to provide the greatest opportunity for enhanced management of EFNEP operations and capture the strengths and successes of EFNEP, while providing flexibility and minimizing reporting burden. Input received by the EFNEP Program Specialist between FY2006 – FY2012 from institution and local level NEERS users was also collated and incorporated into the specifications for the WebNEERS.

At the federal level, the data is critical for assuring program accountability. WebNEERS reports include demographic, outcome and impact data on program participants and staff as well as program plans, budgets and qualitative program impacts. As the reports are submitted from each 1862 and 1890 Land Grant Institution, they are reviewed in the federal office for completeness, accuracy, and adherence to EFNEP programmatic and fiscal policies. Specific feedback is given to each institution on the quality of its program results, program plan, and the appropriateness of its budget statement. Among the items that may be questioned for program results are low rates of completion by program participants, changes in the number of participants reached, or a drop in program impact. For program plans, appropriateness of the audience, the geographic reach, and the methodology for programming may be questioned. Efforts are also made to ensure strong use of networking and partnerships to increase programmatic reach and that specific, measureable, action-oriented, reliable, timely long-term priorities are set and tracked. For budgets, items are questioned if they are not allowable, allocable, reasonable, and in direct support of programming. The comments shared support program management decisions.

Each year the federal data is analyzed and used to create impact reports (see http://nifa.usda.gov/efnep-national-data-reports ); identify partners and stakeholders; and respond to congressional questions. It is also used to justify the need for continued and increased funding for EFNEP. Institution data is compiled by tiers and sent to the institutions to allow for programmatic comparisons by funding allocation and to inform program management decisions (see http://www.reeis.usda.gov/reports-and-documents/efnep).

Note: Tiers are established based on funding levels (see http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/efnep-new-coordinator-guide, p.9 for descriptions of funding tiers).

At the federal level the impact data is periodically analyzed in other ways, such as by race and ethnicity to determine the degree to which the program is effective across low-income populations. This analysis has consistently shown that EFNEP participants of all backgrounds demonstrate a significant improvement in dietary quality and food related practices. Data from these analyses have been shared through various federal reports and at national conferences, along with lessons learned in delivering an effective nutrition education program.

At the institution level, university staff generates institution-level reports for institution-level stakeholders and use results to guide strategic planning and program management decisions. Data is exportable for additional analyses and research.

• What information is collected?

The Web-Based Nutrition Education Evaluation and Reporting System (WebNEERS) is an integrated database system that stores information on: programmatic results - A) adult program participants, their family structure, and dietary practices, B) youth group participants, and C) staff; and programmatic plans - D) annual budgets; and E) annual program plans. Each of these sections are described in detail below and screenshots are included in Appendix 6. WebNEERS adheres to OMB standards for maintaining, collecting, and presenting federal data on race and ethnicity and protecting personally identifiable information.  WebNEERS includes USDA Food and Nutrient Databases. This feature allows EFNEP data collection to be standardized and to be consistent with current federal dietary recommendations. Client output reports and institution summary reports match MyPlate food groupings, quantities consumed, and physical activity measures. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) is also calculated for reporting at the regional, institutional, and federal levels. In addition, WebNEERS uses the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Poverty Guidelines to ensure that programming is effectively targeted and to demonstrate that the program is reaching low-income families. The system meets user requests for flexibility, enhanced report writing options at the institution and local level, and alignment with other federal agencies for more consistent and systematic data collection.

1. The Manage Adults Section is broken into five tabs for data entry.

• The Contact Info Tab, Entry Data Tab, and Exit Data Tab are used to enter demographic data on program participants. WebNEERS is password protected to keep participant information secure. Personally identifiable information is not transmitted to the institution or federal levels.

• The Recalls Tab is used to enter food recalls, prepare diagnostic reports for participants, and prepare the diet summary reports of the participants. The system allows a user to search for and select food items from the USDA Foods Database. Once the recall is complete, the system computes the nutrient, food group and Healthy Eating Index values automatically. Output reports reflect MyPlate and U.S. Dietary Guideline recommendations.

• The Checklists Tab is used to capture data on behavior change between entry and exit from the program. When this feature is used for adult participants, institutions must ask the participant 10 core questions (example form can be found at https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/hhs/efnep/Pages/Resource-Evaluation-Adult.aspx, under “Evaluation Group: WebNEERS”). Questions measure Nutrition Practices, Food Safety Practices, and Food Resource Management Practices. Each question includes five response options: Do Not Do, Seldom, Sometimes, Most of the Time, or Almost Always, (No Response or Not Applicable is also permitted). If a Institution chooses, it can collect additional information from participants by selecting any question from an approximately 200 item database which was developed for the institutions to support their sharing of additional questions with each other. Additional questions are optional and not collected by the Federal Office. The additional question types include: 3pt. Likert, 4pt. Likert, 5pt. Likert, True/False, Multiple Choice, 3pt. Numeric, 4pt. Numeric, and 5pt. Numeric. A new feature will allow universities to create their own questions for use in this section.

The required and optional fields for the Manage Adults Section are as follows:

TAB	FIELD NAME	TYPE	OTHER DETAILS
Contact Info Tab	Staff Member	Required	ID code and name of educator providing the lessons
	Enrollment Date	Required
	First Name (or other identifier)	Required
	Last Name (or other identifier)	Required
	Group Name	Optional
	Address	Optional
	City & State or Zip	Required
	Plus 4	Optional	Additional 4 digits of zip code
	Phone	Optional
	Ext	Optional	Phone Extension
	Email	Optional
	Custom ID	Optional	ID code given by regional user to use in the system in place of the system generated ID
Entry Data Tab	Age	Optional
	Gender	Required
	Pregnant	Optional
	Nursing	Optional
	Ethnicity	Required
	Race	Required
	Sub Race	Optional
	Highest Grade	Optional
	Residence	Required	Central city, farm, etc
	Public Assistance at Entry	Optional
	Household Income	Optional	Reported as dollars per month
	Children in Household	Optional
	Others in Household	Optional
	Lesson Type	Required
	Subgroups	Required	Federal subgroup of EFNEP must be selected to categorize data; Other subgroups are optional
Recall Data Tab	Recall Date	Required
	Recall Type	Required	Indicates if the recall was collected at entry or at exit or if it is an additional record
	Is Pregnant	Optional
	Is Nursing	Optional
	Taking Nutrition Supplements	Optional
	Amount Spent on Food Last Month	Optional
	Activity Level	Optional
	One or more Food Item - Meal Type - Portion Size - Number of Portions	Required	Entry of a meal item consists of entering, searching for and selecting the meal item from the USDA Foods Database and then entering the meal type (midmorning meal, noontime meal or snack, etc.), portion size, and the number of portions.
Checklist Data Tab	Checklist Date	Required
	Checklist Type	Required	Indicates if the checklist was collected at entry or at exit or if it is an additional record
	Core questions	Required
	Additional questions	Optional	Used by some universities to collect additional data for their evaluation and reporting purposes
Exit Data Tab	Status	Required	Active, educational objectives met, etc.
	Exit Date	Required
	Number of Lessons	Optional
	Number of Sessions	Optional
	Number of Hours	Optional
	Public Assistance at Exit	Optional

Within the Manage Adults Section, there is an optional feature which allows users to verify the adult’s address. Institutions may use this option to gather information on the adult’s county, congressional district, Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Code core based statistical area (CBSA) and latitude and longitude coordinates. This is possible through a contract Clemson University has with Smarty Streets (https://smartystreets.com) to provide a Data Quality Web Service for EFNEP.  Neither NIFA nor the institutions receive the latitude and longitude coordinates (or the other personally identifiable information). Using this service raises no security concerns.  A data string is sent via a secure https: server (not a website) and is 'bounced' against the USPS dataset to verify the location information. This data can be used to illustrate program reach and impact in a targeted way. The actual address data entered at the county level is not exportable or available at any other level.  

2. The Manage Youth Groups Section is broken into five tabs for data entry.

• The Contact Information Tab, Entry & Exit Data Tab, and Demographics Tab are used to enter demographic data on youth groups. This data is collected and entered in an aggregated form so that it cannot be tied back to a specific child or youth. WebNEERS is password protected to keep participant information secure. Personally identifiable information about the group is not transmitted to the institution or federal levels.

• The Leaders Tab is used to capture the primary and secondary leaders (EFNEP staff) working with the youth groups.

• The Checklists Tab is used to capture data on knowledge and behavior change between entry and exit from the program. When this feature is used with youth participants, institutions must use one of for age-appropriate checklists and ask youth all questions on that checklist: Kindergarten – 2^nd grade = 6 questions; 3^rd – 5^th Grade = 14 questions; 6^th – 8^th Grade = 14 questions; 9^th – 12^th = 14 questions (example forms can be found at https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/hhs/efnep/Pages/Resource-Evaluation.aspx). Each child or youth participant completes an entry and an exit survey. A youth identifier is used to match surveys and input them in the system. The identifier is not transmitted to the institution or federal levels and WebNEERS is password protected to keep participant information secure. Checklist answers cannot be tied to youth demographics because demographics are collected and entered in an aggregated form. A new feature will allow universities to create their own questions to collect additional data on youth, if they want to. Additional questions are optional and not collected by the Federal Office. The additional question types include: 3pt. Likert, 4pt. Likert, 5pt. Likert, True/False, Multiple Choice, 3pt. Numeric, 4pt. Numeric, 5pt. Numeric, 6pt. Numeric, and 7pt. Numeric.

  • K-2^nd: Questions measure Diet Quality, Physical Activity, and Food Safety. Each question includes four pictures for children to circle/not circle.

  • 3^rd-5^th: Questions measure Diet Quality, Physical Activity, and Food Safety. Questions types are 3pt or 4pt. Likert scales.

  • 6^th-8^th: Questions measure Diet Quality, Physical Activity, Food Safety and Food Resource Management. Question types are 4pt. Likert, 5pt. Likert, 3pt. Numeric, 4pt. Numeric, and 7pt. Numeric.

  • 9^th-12^th: Questions measure Diet Quality, Physical Activity, Food Safety and Food Security. Question types are 4pt. Likert, 5pt. Likert, 3pt. Numeric, 4pt. Numeric, and 5pt. Numeric.

The required and optional fields for the Manage Youth Groups Section are as follows:

TAB	FIELD NAME	TYPE	OTHER DETAILS
Contact Information Tab	Name	Required	Name of the group
	Mailing Name	Optional
	Address	Optional
	City & State or Zip	Required
	Plus 4	Optional	Additional 4 digits of zip code
	Phone	Optional
	Ext	Optional	Phone Extension
	Email	Optional
	Custom ID	Optional	ID code given by regional user to use in the system in place of the system generated ID
Leaders Tab	Staff Member	Required	ID code and name of educator providing the lessons
	Additional Leaders	Optional	ID code and name of any additional staff or volunteers associated with the group
Entry Data Tab	Start Date	Required
	Program	Required	EFNEP, SNAP-Ed or Other
	Delivery	Required	Club, After school, etc.
	End Date	Required
	Number of Lessons	Optional
	Number of Sessions	Optional
	Number of Hours	Optional
	Number of Graduates	Required
	Subgroups	Optional
Demo-graphics Tab	Number of Youth in 4-H	Optional	Entered in aggregate
	Youth by Gender	Required	Entered in aggregate
	Youth by Residence	Required	Entered in aggregate - Central city, farm, etc
	Youth by Race/Ethnicity	Required	Entered in aggregate
	Youth by Grade	Required	Entered in aggregate
	Youth by Race Subcategory	Optional	Entered in aggregate
Youth Checklist Tab	Checklist Type	Required	Select from K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, 9th-12th
	Youth Identifier	Required
	Checklist Entry Date	Required
	Checklist Exit Date	Required
	Answers to Entry and Exit Questions	Required

As with the adults, with the Manage Youth Section there is the option to verify the youth group’s location. If an institution wishes, it can use this option to gather information on the youth group’s county, congressional district, Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Code core based statistical area (CBSA) and latitude and longitude coordinates. As discussed in the Adult section, this is possible through a contract Clemson University has with Smarty Streets (https://smartystreets.com) to provide a Data Quality Web Service for EFNEP.  As stated previously, using this service raises no security concerns (see Adult section for additional information).

3. The Manage Staff Section is broken into two tabs for data entry. They capture basic information about the professionals, paraprofessionals and volunteers associated with the program.

• The Demographics Tab is used to enter demographic data on staff. WebNEERS is password protected to keep participant information secure. Personally identifiable information is not transmitted to the institution or federal levels.

• The Hours Tab is used to enter the total number of hours spent programming to adults and to youth so that full time equivalents (FTEs) can be calculated.

The required and optional fields for the Manage Staff Section are as follows:

TAB	FIELD NAME	TYPE	OTHER DETAILS
Demographics Tab	First Name	Required	ID code and name of educator providing the lessons
	Last Name	Required
	Address	Optional
	City & State or Zip	Required
	Phone	Optional
	Ext	Optional	Phone Extension
	Email	Optional
	Gender	Required
	Custom ID	Optional	ID code given by regional user to use in the system in place of the system generated ID
	Ethnicity	Required
	Race	Required
Other Data Only for Volunteers	Staff	Required	Staff member the volunteer is assigned to work with
	Age Code	Required	Whether the volunteer works with adults (18 or older) or youth (under 18)
	Current/Former EFNEP Participant	Required
	Role	Optional	Instructional, Advisory Committee, etc.
Hours Tab	EFNEP Adult Hours	Optional	Hours spent programming to adults in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
	EFNEP Youth Hours	Optional	Hours spent programming to youth in EFNEP
	SNAP-Ed Adult Hours	N/A	Not used for this data collection
	SNAP-Ed Youth Hours	N/A	Not used for this data collection
	State Project Adult Hours	N/A	Not used for this data collection
	State Project Youth Hours	N/A	Not used for this data collection
	Other Adult Hours	N/A	Not used for this data collection
	Other Youth Hours	N/A	Not used for this data collection

4. The Manage Budget Files/Justifications Section (annual budgets) captures the budget spreadsheet and the narrative justification of funds. This information was previously collected as a PDF attachment to the Request for Application (RFA) through Grants.gov. The Federal office reviews each budget to ensure universities are following program policy; universities use it as a program planning tool. The budget sheet was previously collected as a PDF attachment to the Request for Application (RFA) through Grants.gov. Including it in WebNEERS reduces the reporting burden for universities because they are submitting all reporting requirements in one place. The budget sheet is still an uploaded form due to the signature requirements, but the justification is inputted into the system which makes it searchable and minable. This is useful for identifying trends and conducting qualitative analyses.

The required and optional fields for the Manage Budget Files/Justifications Section are as follows:

SECTION	FIELD NAME	TYPE	OTHER DETAILS
Budget Sheet	State/Territory	Required
	Institution	Required
	Fiscal Year	Required
	Estimated Carryover	Required
	Current Allocation	Required
	Salaries	Required, if applicable	Number of Full Time Equivalents (FTE) and Amount for Professional, Paraprofessional/Technical, and Clerical & Secretarial
	Travel	Required, if applicable	Amount for Professional, Paraprofessional/Technical, and Clerical & Secretarial
	Equipment	Required, if applicable	Amount for Professional, Paraprofessional/Technical, and Clerical & Secretarial
	Other Expenses	Required, if applicable	Amount for Professional, Paraprofessional/Technical, and Clerical & Secretarial
	Other Sources of Funding	Optional	Number of Full Time Equivalents (FTE) and Amount for Professional, Paraprofessional/Technical, and Clerical & Secretarial for any applicable budget category (salary, travel, equipment, other expenses)
	Director or Administrator Signature	Required
	Date Signed	Required
Budget Justification	File Name	Required
	Fiscal Year	Required
	Salaries and Benefits	Required, if applicable	Narrative explanation of this line item
	Travel	Required, if applicable	Narrative explanation of this line item
	Equipment	Required, if applicable	Narrative explanation of this line item
	Other Expenses	Required, if applicable	Narrative explanation of this line item
	Other Sources of Funding	Required, if applicable	Narrative explanation of this line item
	Explanation of Carryover	Required, if applicable	Narrative explanation of this line item

5. The Manage 5-Year Plans/Annual Updates Section (annual program plan) is broken into ten sections for data entry. These sections capture the institution’s strategic plans for the upcoming year(s), long-term goals, and programmatic results. The program plan is primarily narrative information, but does include some quantitative data. The Federal office reviews each plan to ensure universities are following program policy; universities use it as a program planning and monitoring tool. As above, this information was previously collected as a PDF attachment to the RFA through Grants.gov. Including it in WebNEERS reduces the reporting burden for universities because they are submitting all reporting requirements in one place. It also makes the data searchable and minable because the information is stored as text/characters. This is useful for identifying trends and conducting qualitative analyses. NIFA periodically receives FOIA requests for this data. Collecting it through WebNEERS makes it possible to easily share the information, as needed.

   • The Contact Info, Situation, and Other Inputs sections collect general information and details about the institution’s plans for the program year

   • The Budget Inputs, Program Priorities, and Delivery Sites and Partnerships sections also include plans for the program year, but in addition, they capture some results from the previous year.

   • The Environmental Settings, Sectors of Influence, and Program Impacts sections capture results from the previous year.

   • The Signature section simply captures the signature of the program coordinator’s director to ensure that he/she has reviewed and is comfortable with the plan prior to submission.

The required and optional fields for the 5-Year Plans/Annual Updates Section are as follows:

Section	FIELD NAME	TYPE	OTHER DETAILS
Contacts	Plan Name	Required
	Fiscal Year	Required
	First Name	Required	Program Contact
	Last Name	Required
	Phone Number	Optional
	Fax Number	Optional
	Email Address	Optional
	Program Website	Optional
	First Name	Optional	Extension Director or Administrator
	Last Name	Optional
Situation	Description of Situation	Required
	Geographic Area	Required	Checkboxes with a list of all counties/parishes in a state
	Description of Geographic Area	Required
	Target Audience	Required
Other Inputs	Curricula	Required
	Inter-Organizational Relationships	Required	Select primary type of relationships for list of ten agencies/organizations (none, network, cooperator, etc.)
	Description of Inter-Organizational Relationships	Optional
Budget Inputs	Other Funds Received	Optional	Enter amount and source of funds for Other Federal, Other Public, Other Private, and In-Kind funding
	Description of Other Funds Received	Optional
Program Priorities	Title	Required
	Focus	Required	Select from list of core area and secondary areas
	Description	Required
	Measurement	Required	Select Yes or No to indicate if the priority can be measured quantitatively
	Unit of Measure	Required	For quantitative priorities, select dollar, number, percentage or other; not applicable for qualitative priorities
	Baseline, Targets, and Actual Values	Required	Filled out each year to track long-term progress in achieving priorities
	Comments	Optional
Delivery Sites and Community Partnerships	Regional Checkboxes	Optional	Select which regions' data to include in this table (data can be entered by regional users or at the state level)
	# of Different Delivery Sites/Locations	Required	Enter number for each applicable type of site/location in the list (adult education & training sites, churches, community centers, etc.)
	# of Different Community Partnerships	Required	Enter number for each applicable type of site/location in the list (adult education & training sites, churches, community centers, etc.)
	Description of Delivery Sites and Community Partnerships	Required
Environmental Settings	Short Term Indicators	Optional	Select checkboxes for indicators that apply
	Medium Term Indicators	Optional	Select checkboxes for indicators that apply
	Long Term Indicators	Optional	Select checkboxes for indicators that apply
Sectors of Influence	Organizational Involvement	Optional	Enter total number of organizations involved for the indicators selected (universities, government agencies, business/industry, non-profit agencies, other)
	Short Term Indicators	Optional	Select checkboxes for indicators that apply
	Medium Term Indicators	Optional	Select checkboxes for indicators that apply
	Long Term Indicators	Optional	Select checkboxes for indicators that apply
Program Impacts	Type	Required	Select Program Impact, Environmental Settings Qualitative Example, or Sectors of Influence Qualitative Example
	Title	Required
	Date Occurred	Required
	Focus	Required	Select from list of core area and secondary areas
	People	Optional	Select from a list of staff type & participant type
	Key Words	Optional	Select from a list of key words
	Program Priorities	Optional	Link program impact to a program priority, if applicable
	Background	Required
	Outcomes/Impact	Required
Signature	Director's Email Address	Required	After entering the email address, WebNEERS sends a copy of the full plan to the director for approval, the director simply has to click 'approve' or 'needs revision' upon receipt

• From whom will the information be collected - reported or recorded?

WebNEERS is an integrated data collection system composed of regional, institution, and federal levels. Adult, Youth Group and Staff data is entered at the regional level. It is available in aggregated form at the Institution level in real time. Institution staff generate institution-level reports to report/respond to institution-level stakeholders and to guide program management decisions (as a reminder, institution refers to 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities). Data is not available to the Federal level until the Institution Staff submit it. This process allows for institution and federal assessments of the program's impact. The Federal Data is used to create national reports which are made available to the public.

The annual budget and annual program plan are entered at the institution level (universities did request that delivery sites and partnerships and program impacts could be entered at the regional level and selected at the institution level, so that is possible within the system). Similar to the data, this information is not available to the Federal level until the Institution Staff submit it. Budgets and Plans are used for program management, strategic planning, and for program monitoring.

• What will the information be used for - provide ALL uses?

Each level of users (regional, institution, and federal) prepares reports for their specific needs. It is used at all levels for programmatic oversight; program evaluation, monitoring, and reporting; and strategic planning.

At the regional level, individual reports are shared with participants as part of their learning experience. Data is used as an educational self-assessment tool.

At the institutional level, it is also used to report to institution administrators, state/territory legislators, congress, and other stakeholders. It is also used to develop executable program plans, design budgets, and to track progress on long-term goals.

At the federal level, the information collected is used principally to provide federal programmatic oversight of “all reasonable efforts” by staff and volunteers to reach underserved and minority groups, thus assuring that the program serves the intended audience and the quality of the program is maintained, and funds are used appropriately both statewide and nationally. In doing so, emerging interest and trend analyses can be performed from this information to identify new topics, issues, delivery modes, audiences, etc. for program management. Information from institution reports are also used to evaluate nationwide and statewide impact and identify needed staff development and/or curriculum enhancements. It is also used to determine training needs. Feedback to the universities on their data emphasizes the program’s high level of accountability and has served to redirect or modify program implementation at the institution level.

The data is also used at the federal level to report the impact of the program to agency Administration, agency and institution colleagues, congressional staff, groups and task forces of interest, other federal agencies and the public. Examples of how the data is reported can be found at http://nifa.usda.gov/efnep-national-data-reports. A sample of the USDA NIFA EFNEP FY 2014 Program Impact report is included in Appendix 1.

• How will the information be collected?

Information is currently collected using the Web-Based Nutrition Education Evaluation and Reporting System (WebNEERS). WebNEERS is a secure system designed, hosted, and maintained by Clemson University. It is hosted on an https:// secure server which is password protected. System users can only access the system they are assigned to (regional, institution, or federal) and within that system, their user rights/permissions can be customized. The system is user-friendly, provides powerful filters for aggregating the data, complies with OMB standards for collecting race and ethnicity data, and protects personally identifiable information. It also improves the quality of data on dietary improvements by incorporating MyPlate recommendations, the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and the USDA Food and Nutrient Databases. More information on this software can be found at www.nifa.usda.gov/webneers.

• How frequently will the information be collected?

Information is collected by the federal office on an annual basis. The WebNEERS data, Preliminary Budget/Budget Justification, and EFNEP Program Plan (5-Year Plan or Annual Update) are due every year on November 1^st. A Final Budget/Budget Justification may be required if institution allocation amounts change significantly from projections provided at the beginning of the fiscal year. This is relevant on years where there is a continuing resolution and budget estimates are provided and subsequently updated when a final federal budget is passed.

All deadlines for WebNEERS are clearly established and do not change from year to year. They are posted on our website - http://nifa.usda.gov/efnep-reporting-requirements and reminders are sent over our listservs to make sure all universities are aware of what is due and when.

• Will the information be shared with any other organizations inside or outside USDA or the government?

Aggregated federal data is shared via hard copy and web-based reports to the agency Administration, agency and institution colleagues, congressional staff, groups and task forces of interest, other federal agencies, and stakeholders. Versions of federal data impact reports are also available on the EFNEP website at http://nifa.usda.gov/efnep-national-data-reports. Institution data is compiled by tiers and sent to the institutions so they can see how their results compare to institutions with similar funding levels (see http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/efnep-new-coordinator-guide, p.9 for descriptions of funding tiers). These reports are also publically available on NIFA’s website - http://www.reeis.usda.gov/reports-and-documents/efnep. Program plans and budgets are not shared with other organizations at this time with the exception of programmatic impacts. These qualitative accounts of program success are downloaded from WebNEERS for inclusion in NIFA Communications’ Impacts Database. Select examples are highlighted in the program impact report and can be used for other Agency reporting. EFNEP data is also available to the public via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. To complete these requests WebNEERS has an export function which allows Federal users to download raw data files for external analyses (regional and institution level users also have this capability). Raw data files do not include personally identifiable information (PII), the PII is stripped from the data before it is exported.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

WebNEERS is utilized electronically. Data is stored on a secure server and users must be logged in to enter, analyze, download, review, or submit data. Screens have been simplified to improve the data entry process. Data can be entered from any computer, tablet, or device with an internet connection which also reduces burden. Data is available to users in real time, again improving the system’s ease of use. As regional users enter data, institution level users can see the aggregated results. Federal users cannot see the data until it is submitted, but the process has been simplified and it simply requires a few clicks of a button which reduces the burden to the institutions and supports the Paperwork Reduction Act. Once data is submitted, the federal office can then securely log into WebNEERS, review the data, and send feedback to the universities (see Appendix 3 for information on reduced burden).

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

With WebNEERS, institutions have an easier way to track caseloads, staff hours, volunteers, etc. All of this information is maintained in the system and thus reduces the number and types of forms that would have normally been required to maintain all of this data. The various reports that are available through the system are only generated as needed. These include: Adult Summary Reports, Diet Summary Reports and graphs, Behavior Checklist Reports and graphs, Youth Summary Reports, Youth Checklist Summary Reports, Professional and Paraprofessional Summary Reports, Volunteer Summary Reports, and Program Plans. At the local county level, additional reports can be generated at the user's request. For example, staff can generate a one-day recall report for program participants related to their dietary intake or their food-related practices. This is a useful teaching tool and helps program participants see what practices are desirable and where they may want to learn more. WebNEERS is flexible and has user-friendly, on-demand reporting capabilities. The institutions have indicated these features are desirable and needed for program management and to have the option to provide feedback to the program participants.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-I), describe any methods used to minimize burden.

Small businesses are not impacted by the WebNEERS data collection.

6. Describe the consequences to federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted, or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

It would be extremely difficult for the federal office to compare, assess, and analyze the effectiveness and the impact of EFNEP without the annual collection of data. Also it would be difficult for the federal office to provide appropriate guidance and leadership without having an awareness of the institutions’ programming efforts and effectiveness, their program plans, and they projected budgets. The institutions and counties use this data on a year-round basis, and find it to be a time saving and valuable support for their educational programs.

The on-going nature of the data collection allows all levels of users to quickly detect undesirable changes in program outcomes or audiences reached, thus facilitating corrective action sooner. It also allows for the introduction of new program emphases, such as the need for increased physical activity to prevent obesity, when federal concerns are identified.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

• requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;

Only annual reporting is required for annual data and program plans. The budget sheet and justification may be required two times per year if there is a continuing resolution. When there is a continuing resolution, a preliminary budget is prepared based on last year’s allocation. Then, when the final budget passes and we know each institution’s actual allocation amount for the year, the preliminary budget is updated with the actual amount and submitted as a final version.

• requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

All deadlines for WebNEERS are clearly established and do not change from year to year. They are posted on our website - http://nifa.usda.gov/efnep-reporting-requirements and reminders are sent over our listservs to make sure all universities are aware of what is due and when. The only item that varies year to year is the final budget. It is contingent on the Federal Budget being passed and the allocation amounts for each institution being calculated. Even so, universities are given 45 days to respond and are kept informed through updates to the listserv when the requirement is coming/due.

• requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;

No documents are required or permitted. Institutions click a button within WebNEERS to submit their data, plans and budgets. Everything is done electronically through an https:// secure server. No paper copies, email versions, or additional copies are required.

• requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

Respondents are encouraged to maintain records for three years, as per the Administrative Manual for the Smith Lever Act, or to follow their own institutional record disposition system, if longer.

• in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

Institutions have the option of providing data on a sample of their clients; however they are required to work with a statistician to assure that the sample is representative of the total population reached. The "universe of study" is the population reached.

• requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

This collection does not impose this requirement.

• that includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use;

At the county level, staff are entrusted with personal information about the program participants with whom they work. Information such as the types of public assistance they receive, who they are, where they live, and their personal behavior in regard to nutrition, food resource management and food safety is kept confidential. Only personnel with a “need to know” should have access to the individual records. WebNEERS is password protected to maintain security and confidentiality. Personally identifiable information is not accessible at the institution nor at the federal level and it is removed from export data files (raw data downloaded from the system).

• requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

No proprietary or confidential information is collected by NIFA.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

NIFA’ notice and request for public comment was published in the Federal Register (Vol. 80, FR 38432 on July 6, 2015. One comment was received from the public.

• Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

As described above, multiple groups were formed to assist in developing WebNEERS and to provide input. Members were comprised of representatives from each region and represented diverse audiences. For example, a team of institution partners was actively involved in testing the new software, contributing to the screen design and system setup, and identifying training needs so institution needs could be met. This resulted in a bottom-up approach that recognized that data quality is improved when the person responsible for supplying the data receives a benefit for their effort.  Over the years, the system has grown in response to user needs.

It is important to note that neither WebNEERS nor it preceding system was designed to solely to meet federal needs. The federal data needs were incorporated in this process, but were developed to be in concert with what would be needed locally, and to have data only flow to the point of need.  For example, all personal identifying information is retained only at the county level and only those users who need this information can access it through the secure https://, password protected site. This assures confidentiality and security of the data.  The personally identifiable information is not available to institution or federal users and it is not included in export files that download raw data for additional analyses from the system. Institution level data is used for statewide management and oversight and to report to stakeholders within the University and the state.  At the federal level, reports are prepared for the nation as a whole, for regions, or to respond to specific requests for data on subgroups of participants such as Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. This helps demonstrate the effectiveness of the program and assure program quality.

Throughout the process a constant principle for data collection has been to make sure only data which is needed is collected. No data fields are added unless they serve a broad need. Also, required data must feed in to one or more standard output report.  Instructions and training modules were developed and posted to the internet (see www.nifa.usda.gov/webneers, links toward the bottom). These are updated as often as needed based on feedback from users. NIFA places great importance on clarity and usability of WebNEERS and its related resources.

There are a number of standard reports available within the system to meet user needs.  Report writing functions are streamlined, so it only requires a few clicks of the mouse to prepare a report.  This reduces the overall reporting burden, since there is no need to do extensive external data analysis (although that capability is available for those who want to do so). Examples of these standard reports are: feedback or diagnostic reports that the nutrition assistants use with their clients to show how their diet and food practices compare to federal guidelines; reports to quickly scan the records and detect possible data entry errors; and summaries for each nutrition educator which can be used as part of performance evaluations or assessment of training needs as examples. 

One additional principle which also played a significant role in the design of the system was the need for flexibility.  EFNEP is in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the 6 US territories and the number of participants, amount of resources and the skill level of staff can differ widely.  Thus many fields in WebNEERS are optional, but can be used if desired. Also, there are different ways institutions can collect and enter data, such as allowing institutions to add additional checklist questions to their survey instruments. Institutions can choose which method will best serve their needs without compromising the ability to collect and aggregate meaningful data nationally.

WebNEERS data is available via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Since the release of the Web-based system, FOIA requests have increased to about 4-5 per year. It is anticipated that this may increase even more as more people learn about it.

• Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every three years even if the collection of information activity is the same as in prior years. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

Constant consultation between the federal office and the institution coordinators has occurred since the inception of WebNEERS. As stated in the response to question #2, representative committees were formed consisting of institution coordinators and WebNEERS users, and all of their feedback, as well as their needs were considered before changes were made to the system. The software testers were also able to provide input on the functionality of the system. With the launch of WebNEERS NIFA held a series of teleconferences in which system users and the federal office discussed questions, concerns, and possibilities in using the software. Institutions shared special requests or “wish lists” for the future, and the federal office provided updates and other information that was important for the users to know. NIFA leads a team of beta testers. This team consists of approximately 12-15 Data Managers from universities across the country who meet monthly throughout the year with NIFA to provide input on the system and potential changes/new features and help test changes. This team helps NIFA stay abreast of what’s happening in the field and the needs of users on an ongoing basis.

A listserv specific to WebNEERS is used to keep coordinators and institution-level data staff informed of changes, advancements, and issues with the system. The teleconferences, beta team, and the listserv allow for two-way communication and provide the federal office a wealth of information from users. In addition, the agency website includes a WebNEERS webpage (www.nifa.usda.gov/webneers ) which includes user manuals/instructions, supporting documentation, and other useful information. There is also a help-desk through which users can receive technical support, pose a question, or offer suggestions for improving the software. Information regarding software updates and enhancements is posted within WebNEERS and as above, major changes are also announced via the listserv.

To assess burden, nine universities were contacted. The names and contact information for the seven people who responded are below. Please note, two 1890 representatives were contacted, but none responded.

UNIVERSITY	CONTACT INFORMATION
Colorado State University	Dwayne Watson	[email protected]
Cornell University	Michelle Scott-Pierce	[email protected]
North Dakota State University	Megan Ness	[email protected]
The Ohio State University	Korrin Vanderhoof	[email protected]
University of Guam	Clarissa Barcinas	[email protected]
University of Maryland – College Park	Mira Mehta	[email protected]
Virginia Tech	Judy Midkiff	[email protected]

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remunerations’ contractors or grantees.

No payments or gifts have been, are, or will be provided to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

No assurance of confidentiality is made to institution respondents, since the data reported does not include any personally identifiable information on any program participants.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

No questions of a sensitive or personal nature are included in WebNEERS. OMB Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity are followed for the EFNEP enrollment data. Some information gathered from clients at the county level may be considered sensitive in nature; however it is not associated with any personally identifiable information when received by NIFA.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I.

The burden takes into account only the data entry, review, and submission of EFNEP data, program plans, and budgets. NIFA is not including as part of the burden the administration of surveys that occur at the local level. That information is used by the regional and institution levels for their own program management, impact and accountability.

Burden estimates are as follows:

Number of Respondents: 75 reporting

Frequency of Response: 1*

Average Hours/Response: 1,158 hours

Total Annual Burden: 86,826 hours

This data reveals that the new Web-Based Nutrition Education Evaluation and Reporting System (WebNEERS) reduced overall time burden for grantees by 7% (~6400 hours) from that of the previous system. This is particularly impressive because WebNEERS includes two entirely new sections: the EFNEP Program Plan and the EFNEP Budget/Justification. So, even with the inclusion of these reporting requirements (previously submitted as attachments through Grants.gov and via email) universities are saving time and money. Details on how this value was calculated are in Appendix 3.

* Note: there may be two submission points for budgets during the year if there is a continuing resolution, but the burden was aggregated into one burden estimate. For that reason, the frequency of response is listed as one.

• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage categories.

The total annual cost for the respondent’s burden hours is estimated to be $1,634,794. Details on how this value was calculated are in Appendix 4.

13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14). The cost estimates should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life; and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component.

The start-up costs to update the system to a web-based platform were funded by NIFA. After the system launched, universities (aka, the respondents/record keepers) began supporting the maintenance costs - $180,000 per year. Before making this change, NIFA queried the universities and received consensus that the system and the resulting data were valuable and important; as such universities support the cost through the EFNEP Federal Allocation. There are no additional costs to universities because WebNEERS can be accessed from any computer or mobile device and is compatible with all major browsers and system updates are pushed electronically throughout the year.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the federal government. Provide a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

The total annual cost to the federal government is estimated to be $13,145. Details on how this value was calculated are in Appendix 5.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-1.

The estimate of annualized costs to the federal government decreased significantly - by over 75%, because prior to the release of WebNEERS there was no Federal software. Microsoft Access database files were submitted via email and via a secure File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site by each of the 75 universities. NIFA then had to use SAS statistical software to aggregate these 75 databases and analyze the results. It was a time consuming and arduous process. The development of the Federal level of WebNEERS through which the universities can submit their data electronically and by which the data can be aggregated and analyzed has dramatically decreased the burden.

16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.

USDA provides funding for the EFNEP impact reports. Impact reports include a brief synopsis of the federal data including aggregated demographic and food behavior change data. They also include personal testimonies and success stories from selected programs. Copies of the report are shared with the agency administration, colleagues throughout the agency, and various task forces and committees, and decision makers. They are made available to the public via the NIFA, EFNEP website – see http://nifa.usda.gov/efnep-national-data-reports. Key data points for each university is also complied into Tier Data reports. Tiers are established based on funding levels (see http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/efnep-new-coordinator-guide, p.9 for descriptions of funding tiers). This report allows for comparisons by funding allocation and to federal averages which helps inform program management decisions. These reports are sent to our partners via the listserv and made available to the public on our website (see http://www.reeis.usda.gov/reports-and-documents/efnep).

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

NIFA will display the OMB approval number and expiration date on the login screen of WebNEERS as well as on the bottom of all screens of the software once a user is logged in.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act."

The agency is able to certify compliance with all provisions under Item 19 “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act”

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