Supporting Partnerships to Advance Research and Knowledge

SPARK OMB Package

Appendix G: Instrument 7 – Access to and use of technology

Introduction

Thank you for engaging with Project SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Advance Research and Knowledge) to help your agency adapt to disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of Project SPARK generally is to equip state and local TANF programs with tools and skills to be better users and producers of evidence. We are conducting a series of short surveys designed to: (1) get your feedback about the usefulness of technical assistance you have received through Project SPARK around program operations during COVID-19, and (2) learn about how your agency has adapted to address challenges for both staff and customers during this public health crisis. This is the seventh of seven planned surveys. Each survey begins with the same four background questions, followed by a unique set of themed questions. The average response time for this collection of information is 10 minutes.

Providing information is voluntary, and all individual responses collected will be kept private and confidential to the extent permitted by law. Responses will help us improve the technical assistance we provide to programs—both the type of information we provide and the way we provide it—so please be candid. Should you have any questions about this survey or about Project SPARK generally, please contact Michelle Derr, Project SPARK director, at 202-484-4830 or [email protected] with any questions.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: 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 control number for this collection is 0970-0531 and it expires 5/31/2021.

The following four questions ask for background information about yourself.

1. In what state or territory are you located?

2. How would you describe your organization? (select one)

   1. Government agency (for example, human services, workforce, vocational rehabilitation)

   2. Educational institution (for example, adult basic education, vocational education, community college)

   3. Quasi-governmental (for example, workforce investment board)

   4. Nonprofit provider

   5. For-profit provider or employer

   6. Other (please specify)

3. What is your position within your organization? (select one)

   1. Program manager

   2. Supervisor/lead worker

   3. Program analyst/data specialist

   4. Direct services staff

   5. Other (please specify)

4. How would you describe the community in which your organization operates? (check all that apply)

   1. Urban

   2. Suburban

   3. Rural

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The remaining questions are about performance and accountability within your organization.

5. As of today, what are customers required to do in order to avoid a sanction?

1. Fully engage in federally defined work activities for the required number of hours

2. Engage in available activities, but have flexibility with the number of hours and/or types of activities

3. No requirements, customers are granted “good cause” exemption from usual program activity requirements

6. As of today, how are program requirements enforced?

1. Enforcement is the same as before the COVID-19 crisis began

2. Enforcement is more lenient

3. Enforcement is more strict

7. Since the COVID-19 crisis began, have you or others within your organization sanctioned a customer for nonparticipation?

1. Yes

2. No

8. How do you think the stringency of your program’s requirements (such as adherence to the work participation rate) will change in the next three months?

1. Requirements will become more stringent or will be fully enforced

2. Requirements will become less stringent or will be enforced less

3. Requirements and enforcement will stay the same

4. Don’t know

9. What strategies have worked well during COVID-19 for keeping customers engaged? [OPEN ENDED RESPONSE]

10. Overall, what is your impression of how engaged staff have been in their jobs during the pandemic?

1. Very engaged

2. Tend to be engaged

3. Tend to be disengaged

4. Very disengaged

5. Don’t know

11. What is your impression of how productive staff have been in their jobs during the pandemic?

1. Very productive

2. Tend to be productive

3. Tend to be unproductive

4. Very unproductive

5. Don’t know

12. What is one strategy that has worked well in your organization to support staff productivity during the pandemic? [OPEN ENDED RESPONSE]

13. What is one strategy that has worked well in your organization to assess staff performance during the pandemic? [OPEN ENDED RESPONSE]

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