Appendix B - Survey Communication Materials 2018-08-27

Appendix B - Survey Communication Materials

Overview of Survey Communications

The initial survey outreach will be targeted to state- and territory-level TANF administrators. Initial contact will be made via email using names and contact information acquired from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Introductory emails will be sent to all TANF administrators, requesting participation in the survey and providing instructions for assigning content modules to appropriate staff. Administrators will be asked to make survey assignments within ten business days. Reminder emails will be sent when there are five business days remaining in the task completion window, and when there is one business day remaining. Reminder emails will only be sent if assignments have not yet been made. An overdue notification email will be sent to administrators who have not submitted assignments one business day after the requested deadline. Subsequent communication, if necessary, will be handled over the phone, with a call being placed three business days after the deadline. Once the content survey modules have been assigned, an email confirming receipt of the assignments will be sent to the TANF administrator within two business days.

The next phase of communication will be directed toward identified respondents, as assigned by the TANF administrators in Phase I. Phase II disseminates the seven survey modules meant to gather information about the TANF agency’s data needs and current capacities. Invitations to complete the survey modules will be sent within two business days of receipt of survey assignments. Identified respondents will be asked to complete their assigned module(s) within 15 business days. If a single individual has been identified as the respondent for more than one module, all assignments will be included in a single email notice. Reminder emails will be sent when there are five business days remaining in the module completion window, and when there is one business day remaining. Reminder emails will only be sent if assigned module(s) have not been submitted. An overdue notification will be sent to respondents with outstanding modules one business day after the deadline. At this time, an overdue notification will also be sent to TANF administrators. Subsequent communication, if necessary, will be handled over the phone, with a call being placed to assigned staff three business days after the module completion deadline. Once a module is received, an email confirming receipt of the completed module will be sent to the respondent within two business days.

A final communication will be sent via email to the TANF administrators of states with outstanding modules when there are five days until the formal close of the survey data collection period. We anticipate survey data collection will formally close approximately eight weeks from the launch of Phase II survey dissemination.

Phase I: Survey Assignment

Initial contact

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

I am seeking your help in identifying the right individuals in your TANF agency to respond to a survey about TANF data use.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) intends to support states’ efforts to use data on TANF programs through the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) project [webpage link]. TDI’s goal is to substantially expand the use, integration, and analysis of TANF and other human services data to improve program administration and outcomes for participants.

On behalf of HHS, the TDI team¹ is conducting a needs assessment survey to collect firsthand information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, as well as desired areas of technical assistance. The survey contains seven modules focusing on different areas of TANF data usage. Each module is designed to be completed by the subject matter expert on the topic and should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.

Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

As the primary administrator of {{State Name}}’s TANF program, you are positioned to select the most appropriate respondent(s) for each of the survey modules. Please find the module assignment form at the following link:

[module link]

You may return to this form and resume your responses at any time prior to submission.

I ask that you complete the survey assignments within 10 business days. Identified respondents will then be asked to complete the modules within 15 business days. If you anticipate that either of these timelines will present difficulties to you and your staff, or if you have any questions, please contact the research team at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for participating in this phase of the TDI project. A summary of findings from the needs assessment across all states will be shared with you when the analysis is complete. We look forward to working with your agency in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Goerge

Senior Research Fellow, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

Principal Investigator, TDI Needs Assessment

¹ The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Reminder email 1

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

I’m writing to remind you to please complete the module assignments for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey by {{Return deadline}}.

This needs assessment survey is designed to collect accurate and current information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, including your priorities for technical assistance. The survey contains seven modules focusing on different areas of TANF data usage. Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

Our team will disseminate the survey modules to the identified respondents once we receive your assignments. Your timely response is sincerely appreciated.

Please find the module assignment form at the following link:   

[module link]

If you are not the person in {{State Name}}’s TANF program best suited to assign the survey modules, or if you have additional questions, please let me know.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Reminder email 2

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

I’m reaching out again to remind you that the module assignments for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey are due by {{Return deadline}}.

This needs assessment survey is designed to collect accurate and current information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, including your priorities for technical assistance. The survey contains seven modules focusing on different areas of TANF data usage. Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

Our team will disseminate the survey modules to the identified respondents once we receive your assignments. Your timely response is sincerely appreciated.

Please find the module assignment form at the following link:   

[module link]

If you are not the person in {{State Name}}’s TANF program best suited to assign the survey, or if you have additional questions, please let me know.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Overdue notification

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

Our team has not yet received module assignments for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) needs assessment survey from {{State Name}}. We were hoping to collect assignments by {{Return deadline}}, so that we can complete our data collection efforts in a timely fashion.

These module assignments are a critical first step in the survey process. Our team needs them to disseminate the survey modules to the appropriate subject matter experts in your agency, and without them we will be unable to represent your state’s perspectives and experiences in our plans for training and technical assistance. I ask that you, or a designee, please provide the requested assignments at your earliest convenience.

Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

Please make the requested assignments using the following link:

[module link]

You may return to this survey and resume your responses at any time prior to submission.

If you are not the person in {{State Name}}’s TANF program best suited to assign the survey, or if you have additional questions, please let me know.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Phone call

If on the phone: Hi [first name],

If leaving message: This message is for [job title] [last name],

This is [your name] with the TANF Data Innovation project, and I’m calling in regard to our needs assessment survey.

You should have received a few emails from us about the TDI survey, which focuses on TANF data use. We’re asking for your help with the first phase of the survey, which is to identify content area experts in your agency. I’ll note that participation in the survey is voluntary and the information you provide will be kept private.

If on the phone:

Is now a good time to discuss those assignments, or is there another way we should collect them?

If leaving message:

I wanted to check in and see if you’ve been receiving our emails, if you are experiencing any technical issues with the survey, or if you have any other questions or concerns we could address. If you aren’t the correct person to complete this task, please direct me to someone in your agency who would be better suited.

You can reach me at [phone number].

Again, this is [your name] from the TDI needs assessment survey. Thank you for your participation!

Assignment confirmation

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

Thank you for assigning respondents to the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) needs assessment survey modules.

You can view the survey assignments and confirm when the modules are completed on this page: [state specific dashboard link].

Survey invitations will be emailed to the identified respondents within two business days. If any of the listed assignments are incorrect, or if you wish to make changes, please contact me as soon as possible.

We will send email reminders to respondents who have outstanding modules as the submission deadline approaches.

Thank you again for your participation.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Phase II: Survey Dissemination & Completion

Initial contact

Dear {{Full Name}},

I am seeking your help to complete a survey about TANF agency data use. Your agency’s leadership has recommended your participation given your organizational role and knowledge.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) intends to support states’ efforts to improve and analyze TANF data through the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) project [webpage link]. TDI’s goal is to substantially expand the use, integration, and analysis of TANF and other human services data to improve program administration and outcomes for participants.

On behalf of HHS, the TDI team¹ is conducting a needs assessment survey to collect firsthand information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, as well as desired areas of technical assistance. The survey contains seven modules focusing on different areas of TANF data usage. Each module is designed to be completed by the subject matter expert on the topic and should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.

Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

You have been recommended by {{TANF Administrator}} to complete the {{Content Module(s)}} module[s] for {{State Name}}.

{{Content Module Details}} {{Intended Recipient Description}}

[Repeat as necessary for multiple modules]

If you believe [this assignment/any of these assignments] to be in error, please let me know at your earliest convenience.

Please complete the module questions to the best of your ability. The information collected in the survey will be used to assess the current capacities and data needs of TANF programs nationwide.

Please find the {{Content Module}} module at the following link: [module link]

[Repeat as necessary for multiple modules]

You may return to a module and resume your responses at any time prior to submission.

I ask that you please complete the module[s] within 15 business days. If you anticipate that this timeline will present a problem, please let me know. A summary of findings from the needs assessment across all states will be shared with you when the analysis is complete. Thank you for participating in this phase of the TDI project.

Sincerely,

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment team

¹ The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Reminder email 1

Dear {{Full Name}},

I’m writing to remind you to please complete the {{Content Module(s)}} module[s] for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey by {{Return deadline}}. Each module you are assigned should take only 10-15 minutes of your time.

The needs assessment survey is designed to collect current and accurate information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, including your priorities for technical assistance. The survey contains seven modules focusing on different areas of TANF data usage. Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

You have been asked to complete the {{Content Module(s)}} module[s]. {{Content Module Details}}

Please find the {{Content Module}} module at the following link: [module link]

[Repeat as necessary for multiple modules]

Your timely response is sincerely appreciated.

If you are not the person best suited to complete a module for {{State Name}}’s TANF program, please let me know.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Reminder email 2

Dear {{Full Name}},

I’m reaching out again to remind you that the {{Content Module(s)}} module[s] for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey [is/are] due by {{Return deadline}}. Each module you are assigned should take only 10-15 minutes of your time.

The needs assessment survey is designed to collect accurate and current information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, including your priorities for technical assistance. The survey contains seven modules focusing on different areas of TANF data usage. Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

You have been asked to complete the {{Content Module(s)}} module[s]. {{Content Module Details}}

Please find the {{Content Module}} module at the following link:  [module link]

[Repeat for multiple modules as necessary.]

Your timely response is sincerely appreciated.

If you are not the person best suited to complete a module for {{State Name}}’s TANF program, please let me know.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Overdue notification

Dear {{Full Name}},

Our team has not yet received your completed {{Content Module(s)}} survey module[s]. We were hoping to collect results by {{Return deadline}}, so that we can complete data collection for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) needs assessment survey in a timely fashion. Each module you are assigned should take only 10-15 minutes of your time.

Survey completion is vital to understanding the data needs and current capacities of {{State Name}}’s TANF program. Without it we will be unable to represent your state’s perspectives and experiences as we design training and technical assistance. Please complete the survey module at your earliest convenience.

Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

Please find the {{Content Module}} module at the following link:   [module link]

[Repeat for multiple modules if necessary.]

If you are not the person best suited to complete a module for {{State Name}}’s TANF program, please let me know.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Administrator overdue notification

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

I’m writing to provide you with a status update on the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey modules. We had hoped to collected these modules by {{Return deadline}}, but {{number}} are still outstanding for your [state/territory].

The needs assessment survey is designed to collect current and accurate information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, including your priorities for technical assistance. The survey contains seven modules focusing on different areas of TANF data usage. Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

You may view the status of the survey modules for {{State Name}} here:

[state specific dashboard link]

If you need to reassign any of {{State Name}}’s survey modules or have other questions, please let me know as soon as possible.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Phone call – partially completed survey

If on the phone: Hi [first name],

If leaving message: This message is for [full name],

This is [your name] with the TANF Data Innovation Project, and I’m calling in regard to our needs assessment survey.

You should have received a few emails from us about the TDI survey, which focuses on TANF data use. According to my records, you were identified to answer questions about {{Content Module(s)}}. I noticed that you began to fill out the questions, but haven’t been able to complete them yet. I’ll note that participation in the survey is voluntary and the information you provide will be kept private.

If on the phone: Is now a good time to discuss the survey?

If leaving message: I wanted to check in and see if you were experiencing any technical issues with the survey or if you had any questions or concerns we could address. Please call me back and let me know how I can assist you. If you feel that you don’t have enough information to complete the survey at this time or if you are opting out of the survey, please let me know as soon as possible so my team can work with agency leadership to reassign the module.

You can reach me at [phone number].

Again, this is [your name] from the TDI needs assessment survey. Thanks again for your participation!

Phone call – survey not started

If on the phone: Hi [first name],

If leaving message: This message is for [full name],

This is [your name] with the TANF Data Innovation Project, and I’m calling in regard to our needs assessment survey.

You should have received a few emails from us about the TDI survey, which focuses on TANF data use. According to my records, you were identified to answer questions about {{Content Module(s)}}. I noticed that you haven’t accessed the survey questions yet. I’ll note that participation in the survey is voluntary and the information you provide will be kept private.

If on the phone: Is now a good time to discuss the survey?

If leaving message: I wanted to check in and see if you had been receiving our emails, if you were experiencing any technical issues with the survey, or if you had any questions or concerns we could address. Please call me back and let me know how I can assist you. If you feel that you don’t have enough information to complete the survey at this time or if you are opting out of the survey, please let me know so that my team can work with agency leadership to reassign the module.

You can reach me at [phone number].

Again, this is [your name] from the TDI needs assessment survey. Thanks for your participation!

Confirmation email

Dear {{Full Name}},

I want to thank you for completing the {{Content Module}} module for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey. Unless you have been assigned additional modules by your administrator that have yet to be completed, no further action is required.

Please feel free to contact me with questions about the nature of the survey, or if you wish to report an error. A summary of findings from the needs assessment across all states will be shared with you when the analysis is complete.

Thank you again for your time and participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

Content Module Details

Data Collection and Documentation:

The Data Collection and Documentation module seeks information about the TANF agency's data--what is collected, how, and how it is documented and validated.

Data Infrastructure:

The Data Infrastructure module seeks information about the TANF agency's data infrastructure.

Data Sharing:

The Data Sharing module seeks information about the status of data sharing practices in your TANF agency.

Federal Reporting:

The Federal Reporting module seeks information about the data your agency prepares to submit to HHS as part of the TANF and SSP-MOE Data Reports (ACF-199 and ACF-209).

Research and Analytic Capacity:

The Research and Analytic Capacity module seeks information about capacity to conduct research and analysis using TANF data.

Payment Integrity:

The Payment Integrity module seeks information about how your state uses data to assess payment integrity.

TANF Data Use and Opportunities:

The TANF Data Use and Opportunities module seeks information about the overall climate of data usage throughout your TANF agency, barriers to data use, and opportunities for technical assistance to increase data use capabilities in TANF agencies.

Intended Recipient Descriptions

Data Collection and Documentation:

This module is intended to be completed by the agency's "go-to" data person. This person could be in research, IT, or operations. Ideally the respondent would be someone with good institutional knowledge and perhaps someone who has been in several different roles. The individual would also ideally have direct experience in data collection or in training frontline staff to do data collection.

Data Infrastructure:

This module is intended to be completed by the agency's IT director or someone in a similar role. This person should be familiar with the hardware and software that underlie the agency's data access and use.

Data Sharing:

This module should be completed by the person responsible for managing data sharing agreements and memoranda of understanding with other state entities and with external partners. If your agency does not have anyone who handles these agreements, this module should be answered by someone in agency leadership who is familiar with data sharing requests or agreements.

Federal Reporting:

This module should be completed by the staff member with primary responsibility for those reports.

Research and Analytic Capacity:

If your agency has a research or data analysis team, the leader of that team should complete this module. If not, this module should be completed by someone in your organization who has responsibility for reporting data or policy analysis.

Payment Integrity:

This module should be completed by the staff member who has primary responsibility for identifying or addressing improper payments.

TANF Data Use and Opportunities:

This module is intended to be completed by someone in agency executive leadership (i.e. TANF Director).

Phase III: Survey Close

Final notice (administrators)

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

I’m writing to let you know that data collection for the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey will be closing in five days, and we are still waiting on one or more responses from your state. Any survey modules that remain outstanding at the end of data collection cannot be included in the needs assessment analysis.

The TDI needs assessment survey is designed to collect firsthand information about TANF agencies’ capacities, capabilities, and current use of data, as well as desired areas of technical assistance. Without complete contributions from {{State Name}} we will be unable to represent your state’s perspectives and experiences in our plans for technical assistance and training.

Your participation in the survey is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept private.

You may view the status of the survey modules for {{State Name}} here:

[state specific dashboard link]

Please work with your staff to submit any outstanding modules by {{close date}}. If you are concerned about this timeline, or if you need to reassign one or more of the remaining modules, please let me know.

Thank you for your participation in TDI.

[TDI Staff Member]

[TDI Staff Member Title and Affiliation]

TDI Needs Assessment

The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

State survey completion confirmation

Dear {{Job Title}} {{Last Name}},

I’m writing to confirm that all TANF Data Innovation (TDI) [webpage link] needs assessment survey modules for {{State Name}} have been completed. The TDI team¹ sincerely appreciates your efforts in directing the modules to respondents and in ensuring their completion.

The collected information will inform TDI’s work to substantially expand the use, integration, and analysis of TANF and other social program data to improve program administration and outcomes for participants.

Once the survey data have been analyzed, a report of findings will be disseminated to all participating states and territories. You can also watch for updates on the TDI website [webpage link].

Again, I thank you for your contributions to this endeavor. This would not be possible without your help.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Goerge

Senior Research Fellow, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

Principal Investigator, TDI Needs Assessment

¹ The TANF Data Innovation project is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Office of Family Assistance in the Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The project is led by MDRC, in partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

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