Supporting_Statement_for_PRA_Submissions_AmeriCorpsDiversityQuestionnaire_2021-08-24

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSIONS

 

A. Justification

A1. Need for Information Collection

The Corporation for National and Community Service, dba AmeriCorps, awards grants to states, institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, Indian tribes, and U.S. Territories to operate AmeriCorps programs. AmeriCorps State and National makes grants to community organizations to engage individuals, AmeriCorps members, in service activities. The American Rescue Plan provides allocations “to make funding adjustments to existing (as of the date of enactment of this Act) awards and award new and additional awards to entities to support programs described in paragraphs (1)(B), (2)(B), (3)(B), (4)(B), and (5)(B) of subsection (a), and subsection (b)(2), of section 122 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12572), whether or not the entities are already grant recipients under such provisions on the date of enactment of this Act, and notwithstanding section 122(a)(1)(B)(vi) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12572(a)(1)(B)(vi)), by—

(i) prioritizing entities serving communities disproportionately impacted by COVID–19 and utilizing culturally competent and multilingual strategies in the provision of services; and

(ii) taking into account the diversity of communities and participants served by such entities, including racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, linguistic, or geographic diversity.”

To ensure that AmeriCorps State and National is taking into account the diversity of communities and participants in its grantmaking, it needs to collect this information.

A2. Use of Information

The information collected will provide AmeriCorps with data to inform strategies to create programs that represent and serve the full diversity of the nation’s communities, including supporting the advancement of representative leadership and supporting grantees whose leadership represents its community. The information collected will enable AmeriCorps to make inform funding decisions, lead targeted trainings, provide inclusive technical assistance, and conduct outreach to potential grantees that represent and serve the full diversity of our nation’s communities.

 

A3. Minimize Burden: Use of Improved Technology to Reduce Burden

AmeriCorps intends to incorporate these questions into the existing AmeriCorps State and National online application in eGrants.

A4. Non-Duplication

There are no other sources of information by which AmeriCorps can meet the purposes described in A2 (above). AmeriCorps does not already collect this type of information.

A5. Minimizing Economic Burden for Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

This collection of information does not impact small businesses because they are not eligible to apply for grants. There is no economic burden to any other small entities beyond the cost of staff time.

A6. Consideration of Collection

AmeriCorps will use the information collected as part of the decision making to extend the temporary allowance (allowing certain low-income volunteers over the age of 55 unable to serve due to COVID-19 a monetary amount equivalent to their volunteer stipend). AmeriCorps will also utilize the information guide their training and technical assistance to grantees.

A7. Special circumstances that would cause information collection to be collected in the specified ways.

There are no special circumstances that would require the collection of information in any other ways specified.

 

A8. Provide copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the Agency’s notice.

The 30-day Request for Public Comment was published in the Federal Register on August 24, 2021 at 86:47301.

 A9. Payment to Respondents

There are no payments or gifts to respondents.

  

A10. Confidentiality

The information requested does not include any types of personally identifiable information. Purposes and Uses - The information requested will be collected in the aggregate for each grantee and applicant for funding. It will be used to better understand the demographic characteristics of current grantees and potential grantees to further AmeriCorps’ efforts to take into account the diversity of communities and participants in its grantmaking. Routine Uses - Routine uses may include disclosure of the information to federal, state, or local agencies pursuant to lawfully authorized requests. The information will not otherwise be disclosed to entities outside of AmeriCorps. Effects of Nondisclosure - The information requested is mandatory in order to receive benefits.

A11. Sensitive Questions

The information collection does not include questions of a sensitive nature.

 

A12. Hour burden of the collection

We expect approximately 750 respondents. This information will be collected as part of the AmeriCorps State and National grant application to which applicants apply annually for new, renewal, or continuation grants. The survey should be about 30 minutes of effort per respondent. There is no estimated annual hour burden outside of the customary and usual business practices. Total burden for this collection will be 375 hours.

 

A13. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs

The estimated respondent burdens and labor costs are shown in the following table.

Estimation of Respondent Burden
Number of respondents	750
Responses per respondent	1
Number of responses	750
Hours per response	0.50
Total estimated hours (number of responses multiplied by hours per response)	375
Cost per hour (hourly wage)	$45.14
Annual public burden (estimated hours multiplied by cost per hour)	$16,927.50

Note: The cost per hour is based on the average of eight 2021 OPM GS hourly rates (base + locality) for a GS-11, step 1 employee living in our eight regions of operation, plus the 36.25% civilian personnel full fringe benefit rate from OMB memorandum M-08-13. The average cost per hour is $33.13 (average hourly rate) + $12.01 ($33.13 average hourly rate x 36.25% fringe) = $45.14/hour (rounded to the nearest penny).

The 2021 GS-11, step 1 hourly rates for the eight regions of operation are as follows: Austin, TX ($31.57), Atlanta, GA ($32.64), Columbus, OH ($32.06), Concord, NH ($34.49), Denver, CO ($33.96), Kansas City, MO ($31.29), Los Angeles, CA ($35.37) and Philadelphia, PA ($33.67). The average hourly rate is the sum of these hourly rates divided by eight = $33.13/hour (rounded to the nearest penny).

A14. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs

AmeriCorps does not estimate any annual cost burden apart from the hourly burden in Item A13 above.

 

A15. Cost to Government

The estimated cost to the Government is shown in the following table. It is estimated that it will take the Government x hour(s) to review and verify the information contained in each response. This estimate was developed by staff involved in the management of current activity.

Estimation of Cost to the Government
Number of responses	750
Hours per response	0.25
Total estimated hours (number of responses multiplied by hours per response)	187.50
Cost per hour (hourly wage)	$45.14
Annual burden (estimated hours multiplied by cost per hour)	$8,463.75

Note: The cost per hour is based on the average of eight 2021 OPM GS hourly rates (base + locality) for a GS-11, step 1 employee living in our eight regions of operation, plus the 36.25% civilian personnel full fringe benefit rate from OMB memorandum M-08-13. The average cost per hour is $33.13 (average hourly rate) + $12.01 ($33.13 average hourly rate x 36.25% fringe) = $45.14/hour (rounded to the nearest penny).

The 2021 GS-11, step 1 hourly rates for the eight regions of operation are as follows: Austin, TX ($31.57), Atlanta, GA ($32.64), Columbus, OH ($32.06), Concord, NH ($34.49), Denver, CO ($33.96), Kansas City, MO ($31.29), Los Angeles, CA ($35.37) and Philadelphia, PA ($33.67). The average hourly rate is the sum of these hourly rates divided by eight = $33.13/hour (rounded to the nearest penny).

A16. Reasons for program changes

There are no proposed program changes. The information needs to be collected per the American Rescue Plan Act.

 

 A17. Publication of results

Not applicable because the results will not be published. 

 

A18. Explain the reason for seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.

Not applicable.

 

 A19. Exceptions to the certification statement

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

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