2 Senior Corps Staff Aurvey

Case Study Interviews Protocol for Program Staff

Thank you for agreeing to speak with us today. As (CNCS) may have told you, we work for a research company called ICF, and Senior Corps leadership has asked us to help them better understand how their programs are working at all stages. To that end, we are talking with former CNCS personnel, program sponsors, Senior Corps volunteers, and other partners to learn about their experiences and perspectives. In particular, we’re interested in hearing your thoughts on [name of the relinquished SC project], including why you relinquished this program, how it has affected your organizations’ operations, and what effect it has had on the community you serve. We prepared a number of discussion questions, but please feel free to offer any additional thoughts you have about your experience, even if they’re not a direct response to our question. We anticipate that these questions will take no more than 20 minutes of your time.

PROJECT DIRECTOR

Attributes of Relinquished Grants (RQ A)

1. Please describe the administrative structure and staffing that was in place for the former grant.

2. What was the first year that you received Senior Corps funding?

3. Were you a first time Senior Corps grantee?

4. What was the main reason your organization relinquished its grant?

Relinquishment Process (RQ C)

5. Who was involved in making the decision to relinquish?

6. Were there any processes or steps your organization went through to attempt to avoid relinquishment? If yes, please describe.

Role of CNCS in Relinquishment (RQ D)

7. Please describe CNCS’s role in the relinquishment process.

8. How did CNCS personnel (e.g., state offices, program officers, area manager) respond to the decision to relinquish?

9. What processes did the CNCS personnel (e.g., state offices, program officers, area managers) use to conduct the relinquishment?

10. Is there anything that CNCS could have done to prevent the grantee from relinquishing?

PROJECT MANAGER

Relinquishment Factors (RQ B)

1. What were the original goals of the program?

2. Were there any organizational changes that played a role in your relinquishment? If so how?

3. Were there aspects of your local community or changes in your local community that played a role in relinquishment? If so, please describe.

4. Were there any aspects of the CNCS grant that played a role in relinquishment? If so please describe.

Role of CNCS in Relinquishment (RQ D)

5. What level of support did the sponsor feel they received from the CNCS personnel (e.g., state offices, program officers, area managers) before and during relinquishment? Did they receive coaching through the relinquishment process?

6. What would need to be different for you to have remained a Sr. Corps grantee, both during project implementation and the relinquishment process?

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Relinquishment Impact (RQ E)

1. How did relinquishment affect your volunteers during the transition to a new sponsor or if there was no replacement of a new sponsor? [SCP and FGP only]

   1. Was there attrition?

   2. Did volunteers continue on with the new sponsor? [SCP and FGP only]

2. If there was a new sponsor, did the number or nature of volunteer positions change because of relinquishment? [SCP and FGP only]

FINANCIAL MANAGER

Relinquishment Impact (RQ E)

1. How did relinquishment affect the program activities supported by the program (e.g., stop completely and left a void, transfer to other organizations in the community network, transfer to a new sponsor)?

2. After relinquishment, did any of the relinquished grant’s program activities continue at your organization?

   1. [If yes] Please describe.

   2. [If yes] What allowed the program activities to continue (e.g., alternative funding)?

3. What were the effects of relinquishment in your organization?

4. Are they any potential barriers that would prevent your organization from pursuing another grant?

SENIOR ORGANIZATIONAL LEADER

Relinquishment Impact (RQ E)

1. Did the relinquishment affect the services community beneficiaries received, if at all?

   1. If there was a new sponsor [SCP and FGP only]

   2. If there was no new sponsor

2. [If there was a new sponsor, for SCP and FGP only]: What role, if any, did you have in the transition to a new sponsor?

3. [If there was a new sponsor, for SCP and FGP only]: Have you had any interaction with a new sponsor that took over the project? [If yes] please describe.

4. Does your organization have a relationship with the new sponsor with the new grant? If so, what does this relationship look like? [SCP and FGP only]

5. How did the relinquishment affect your former partners (e.g., picked up slack, caused burden)?

6. Under different circumstances, would your organization ever consider returning as a Senior Corps grantee? If yes, please describe.

7. Does your organization feel comfortable that you made the right decision to relinquish their grant? Why or why not?

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