Part A CF Participant Outcomes Survey Pilot_July 7 22

Supporting Statement for Pilot Study of Participant Outcomes
Survey for the Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts
Network Community Arts Engagement Grant Program, Part A
Last updated: July 7, 2022

Table of Contents
A1. Circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. ......................................... 3
A2. Purpose and use of the information........................................................................................ 11
A3. Use of information technology and burden reduction. ........................................................ 17
A4. Efforts to identify duplication. ............................................................................................. 17
A5. Impacts on small businesses or other small entities. ........................................................... 18
A6. Consequences of collecting the information less frequently. .............................................. 18
A7. Special circumstances relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.6..................................... 18
A8. Comments in response to the Federal Register Notice and efforts to consult outside
Agency. ......................................................................................................................................... 18
A9. Explain any decisions to provide any payment or gift to respondents. ............................... 19
A10. Assurances of confidentiality provided to respondents. .................................................... 19
A11. Justification for any questions of a sensitive nature. ......................................................... 19
A12. Estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. ......................................... 20
A13. Estimates of other total annual cost burden. ...................................................................... 21
A14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal Government. .................................. 22
A15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported on the burden
worksheet. ..................................................................................................................................... 22
A16. Plans for tabulation, and publication and project time schedule. ...................................... 22
A17. Displaying the OMB Approval Expiration Date.................................................................. 22
A18. Exceptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19. ........................................ 23

Table of Attachments
Attachment A: Participant Outcomes Survey and Other Instruments
Attachment B: Participant Outcomes Survey Source Scales

2

Part A. Justification
A1. 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.
This is a request for clearance for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to conduct
a pilot test a Participant Outcomes Survey to assess individual-level outcomes associated with
the Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network Community Engagement Grant
Program (http://www.maaa.org/creativeforces/). This is a new data collection request, and the
data to be collected are not available elsewhere unless collected through this information
collection. The data collection activities are planned for January through June 2023. The pilot
study will enable the National Endowment for the Arts to test and refine the survey’s
methodology for assessing outcomes and the administration process.
The Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network seeks to improve the health,
well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, and for
their families and caregivers through clinical and non-clinical programs
(https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/creative-forces). Creative Forces is funded through
Congressional appropriation. The Congressional Committee on Appropriation “supports the
NEA’s continued efforts to expand upon this successful program to embed Creative Arts
Therapies at the core of integrative care efforts in clinical settings, advance collaboration among
clinical and community arts providers to support wellness and reintegration efforts for affected

3

families, and advance research to improve our understanding of impacts of these interventions in
both clinical and community settings.” 1
According to the National Endowment for the Arts 2018-2022 Strategic Plan (page 20),
evidence building for Strategic Objective 2.4, Support Access to Creative Arts Therapies and
Evidence-Based Programs in the Arts and Health, involves “the development of a community
engagement research agenda and framework for defining indicators and developing metrics for
measuring the impact and benefits from participation in therapeutic arts interventions and
community-based arts engagement programs aligned with, or complementary to, Creative Forces
clinical program outcomes.”
Beginning in 2022, Creative Forces will award Community Engagement Grants to
support non-clinical arts engagement programming for military-connected populations 2 through
matching grants of $10,000 to $50,000 for emerging (“Emerging”) and established (“Advanced”)
community-based arts engagement projects to serve military-connected populations. The NEA
anticipates awarding approximately 30 awards annually, with the first round of grant-funded
projects taking place after July 1, 2022. The program will support a range of models (e.g.,
ongoing class, drop-in studio, single event) designed to meet local needs. The grant program will
be the largest coordinated effort in the U.S. to provide community arts engagement programming

1

S. Rept. 115-276 - DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED

AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2019. Congress.gov, Library of Congress, 16 November 2021,
https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/senate-report/276.
2

Creative Forces broadly defines the military-connected population as including active-duty service

members, guardsmen, reservists, veterans, military and veteran families, as well as caregivers and healthcare
workers providing care for military service members and veterans.

4

for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, and for their families and caregivers. The
Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program is conducted in partnership with MidAmerica Arts Alliance (M-AAA).
During development of the Community Engagement Grant program, the NEA
commissioned literature reviews and an evaluation of Creative Forces community engagement
pilot programs 3 and convened a working group with subject matter experts. Collectively, these
activities 1) documented the needs of military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, and of
their families and caregivers, 2) identified goals for community arts engagement programming
and four outcomes for participant, 3) produced logic models and measurement frameworks for
the grantee and national program levels, 4) contributed to grant guidelines, and 5) evaluated
methodologies and instruments for data collection. Exhibits 1 and 2 show the Creative Forces
Community Engagement Grant Program Logic Model for the grantee and national levels,
respectively. The grantee logic model shows the outcomes for the military-connected program
participants and the grantees, and the resources (inputs), program activities, and products
(outputs) that lead to those outcomes. The national logic model provides the same information
from the perspective of the national grant program, comprehensively.

3

For information about the initial Creative Forces Projects and evaluation findings, see

https://www.creativeforcesnrc.arts.gov/our-impact/community-engagement-findings

5

Exhibit 1. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program Grantee Logic Model
PROGRAM GOAL: Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S.
Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that seeks to improve health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as
well as their families and caregivers.
GRANTEE PROGRAM GOALS: Creative Forces Community Arts Engagement promotes the health, well-being, and overall quality of life for military and veteran
populations exposed to trauma, and their families and caregivers, through support of arts engagement activities designed to cultivate creative expression, increase
social connectedness, improve resilience, and support successful adaptation to civilian life.

INPUTS

Emerging and Advanced Tier
• Funding
• Program plan
• Existing organizational assets
Advanced Tier Only
• Established arts engagement project
for military-connected populations
• Military cultural competency

ACTIVITIES

Emerging Tier
Develop and implement new or
emerging arts engagement programs
Advanced Tier
Support or advance established arts
engagement programs
Both Tiers participate in Technical
Assistance activities

OUTPUTS

Emerging and/or Advanced Tiers
Data, documents, or materials
reflecting:
• Understanding of needs of the
local military-connected
community
• Grantee capacity and partnerships
• Understanding of military culture
• Arts engagement project
• Participant satisfaction
• Community and military
understanding of the value of arts
engagement
• Sustainability plan
• Evaluation tools

OUTCOMES

PARTICIPANT OUTCOMES
•
•
•
•

Enhanced creative expression
Increased social connectedness
Improved resilience
Successful adaptation to civilian life

GRANTEE OUTCOMES
• Networked grantee and partner
organizations
• Strengthened capacity
• Increased understanding of the value
of the arts Military and non-arts
partners

RATIONALE
• There is a documented need for programs that improve health and well-being of service members, veterans, families, and caregivers, and community arts
engagement programs are well-positioned to address these needs by providing opportunities for creative expression, increased social connections, and building
resilience.
• Locally-developed programs are best situated for identifying and addressing the specific needs of the local community.
• Partnerships among key organizations/individuals, including program participants, arts organizations, and military-connected services/providers, are more likely
to deliver high-quality, culturally-sensitive opportunities to engage in art.
ASSUMPTIONS AND EXTERNAL FACTORS
• While community arts engagement programs may be therapeutic, they are not intended to provide clinical therapies.
• Participants seek community arts engagement activities for a wide range of reasons – to socialize and build community, for personal expression, to hone a specific
artistic skill, etc.
• Participants possess assets and strengths which they bring to these programs.
• A strengths-based approach benefits all participants, regardless of needs and goals.
• Participants benefit more from consistent and continuous participation than from single events.
• The need for and implementation of community arts engagement programs for targeted military populations will be affected by external factors such as U.S.
military actions or public health crises.

Exhibit 2. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program National Logic Model
PROGRAM GOAL: Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S.
Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that seeks to improve health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well
as their families and caregivers.
GRANTEE PROGRAM GOALS: Creative Forces Community Arts Engagement promotes the health, well-being, and overall quality of life for military and veteran
populations exposed to trauma, and their families and caregivers, through support of arts engagement activities designed to cultivate creative expression, increase social
connectedness, improve resilience, and support successful adaptation to civilian life.

INPUTS

Grants administration
process
Grantee technical
assistance
Monitoring and
evaluation tools and
process
Learning (existing
evaluation, research,
NRC)

ACTIVITIES

Provide tiered grants
(emerging and
advanced) to
organizations for
community arts
engagement programs
intended to improve
health, well-being, and
quality of life of
service members,
veterans, families, and
caregivers
Support Grantee
Implementation
Monitor and Evaluate
the Grant Program
Contribute to the Field

OUTPUTS

Grants
administration data
Grantee technical
assistance data
Monitoring and
evaluation Data
Learning data

OUTCOMES

AGREGGATED GRANTEE OUTCOMES
Grantees and partners sustain and evaluate programs for
military-connected populations. Partners, practitioners, and
communities support participation of military-connected
populations in community arts engagement programs and
understand the value and impact of the arts for militaryconnected populations. Military and civilian communities
become more connected, and there is communication,
understanding, and engagement among military-connected
populations, communities, and partners.
MONITORING & EVALUATION OUTCOMES
National-level program monitoring and evaluation occurs
according to evaluation cycle, is ongoing, and guides program
improvement and contributes to learning for the agency and
field.
LEARNING OUTCOMES

IMPACT

Military-connected
participants in Creative
Forces community
engagement programs have
increased creative
expression, social
connectedness, resilience,
and successfully adapt to
civilian life.
Grantees become networked
organizations, strengthen
their capacity to effectively
deliver programs, and
grantees and partners have
an increased understanding
of the value and impact of
the arts.

Rigorous evidence documents the impact of community arts
participation for military-connected populations. Knowledge
and resources grow through the learning community,
advancing the field and supporting community arts
engagement outcomes for military-connected populations.
Agencies, organizations, practitioners, funders, and
policymakers understand the value and impact of community
arts engagement for military-connected populations, support
programs and policies, become partners, and advocate for
community arts engagement.

7

A grantee- and national-level measurement framework is aligned with the logic models
and details the measures, metrics, data points, data sources, entity responsible for data collection,
entity data is reported to, and frequency of reporting. The measurement framework guides
program monitoring and evaluation at the grantee and national program levels. Data collection
items and instruments designed for the Community Engagement Grant program are compiled in
separate OMB-approved PRA clearance packages for agency use and summarized in Exhibit 3.
This OMB request is for the following three surveys:
1. Participant Enrollment Form
2. Participant Outcomes Survey
3. Project Director Interview Protocol

Exhibit 3. Data Collection Instruments
INSTRUMENT
DESCRIPTION

ADMINISTERED
BY

COMPLETED
BY

FEDERAL
REGISTER
DOCUMENT #

OMB
CONTROL
#

Collects organization and
program data during
grant application process
Collects grantee program
implementation, output,
and outcomes data at the
end of the grant

M-AAA

Grant applicant

FR Doc. 2021–
03728, 2021-22532

3135-0140

M-AAA

Grantee

FR Doc. 2021–

3135-0140

Collects program
engagement and
satisfaction data at the
end of the program
Collects feedback on
events (exhibitions,
performances)
Collects program
participant contact and
demographic information
to support survey
administration and
analysis
Collects pre/post
outcomes for program
participants
Collects feedback on
survey administration
during pilot test

Grantee

Program participants

FR Doc. 202128515, 2022-04985

3135-0145

Grantee

Audience members

FR Doc. 202128515, 2022-04985

3135-0145

Grantee

Program participants

FR Doc. 2021–
16275, 2022–14462

New

External evaluator

Program participants

FR Doc. 2021–
16275, 2022–14462

New

External evaluator

Grantee project
directors

FR Doc. 2021–
16275, 2022–14462

New

Grantee Forms
Supplemental Application
Form
Final Descriptive Report

03728, 2021-22532

Participant Forms
Program Feedback Survey

Event Feedback Survey
Participant Enrollment
Form

Participant Outcomes
Survey
Project Director Interview
Protocol

Aligned with the Grantee Logic Model, the Community Engagement Participant
Outcomes Survey (see Attachment A) assesses the four participant outcome areas:
Creative Expression: Participants have a better understanding of themselves and others
by creating or engaging with art.
• Social Connectedness: Participants have supportive relationships in their life and a
sense of belonging to a community.
• Resilience: Participants feel they can rebound from stress, unexpected events, or life’s
challenges.
• Independence and Successful Adaptation to Civilian Life: Participants have both an
individual and shared sense of purpose, as well a positive self-worth, that supports
adapting and readjusting to civilian life.
•

Once the outcome areas were established, the NEA worked with a contractor to identify
existing, validated scales to capture the four outcome areas through the survey. No existing
scales aligned with the Creative Expression outcome, so pilot items were developed for this area.
The survey consists of 45 items that use Likert response scales and four demographic items (age,
military connection, race/ethnicity, gender). The Likert items include 13 Creative Expression
items, newly developed by Creative Forces, and 32 items from existing, validated scales. In
addition to the four priority outcome areas, the survey includes two items that target general
health and well-being, which are relevant to the overall goals of Creative Forces. The four
demographic items will enable disaggregation of the data to determine whether there are
differences in the level of benefit by demographic group. Exhibit 4 shows the items and source
scales with the associated participant outcomes for the Creative Forces Community Engagement
grant program. References for the existing, validated scales can be found in Attachment B.

Exhibit 4. Source Scales for the Participant Outcomes Survey
TARGET
# OF
SOURCE SCALE
OUTCOME
ITEMS
Creative Expression

10
3

Creative Forces Creative Expression pilot items (CFCE)
Creative Forces Flow pilot items (CFF)

Social Connectedness

6

Canada Social Provisions Scale (5-item version) plus one additional
item (CSPS)

Resilience

6

Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)

Independence and
Successful Adaptation
to Civilian Life
General Health and
Well-being

18

Demographics

4

Enriched Life Scale
Sense of Purpose Subscale (ESPS)
Engaged Citizenship Subscale (EECS)
World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument, Short Form
(WHOQOL-BREF)
Age (from Veterans Administration population data collection)
Military connection (developed by Creative Forces)
Race/ethnicity (from U.S. Census, modified)
Gender (from previously cleared NEA information collection
associated with the Poetry Out Loud evaluation study, 2018)

2

Following cognitive testing, the survey was revised. The pilot study will further test the
survey items and implementation procedures and provide evidence for refining the survey’s
methodology and implementation.

A2. Purpose and use of the information.
Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a
new collection, indicate how the agency has actually used the information received from the
current collection.
A.2.1 Purpose of the Participant Outcomes Survey and Pilot Testing
The purpose of the Participant Outcomes Survey is to determine the impact of the
Community Engagement Grant Program by measuring the extent of change over time (pre-topost) in the four participant outcomes and to inform ongoing program improvement.
Through this pilot test of the survey, the NEA will evaluate the effectiveness of the
survey instrument and the administration process during the first cycle of the grant program.
11

After completion of the pilot, a regular PRA clearance package will be submitted in FY 2024 for
a Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program evaluation study that utilizes this
survey instrument.
A.2.2 Programs for the pilot testing
The pilot test will be conducted on programs that are a part of the first cohort of grant
recipients of the Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program, administered by the
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA), acting as a cooperator for the National Endowment for
the Arts. M-AAA will award approximately 25-30 matching grants for arts-based community
engagement projects that engage targeted military-connected communities.
All participants in the selected programs will be asked to complete the survey at the
beginning (pre) and end (post) of the program. The sample for this pilot test will consist of at
least 350 participants across up to 10 grant projects. Grant projects will be selected for the pilot
test based on the following criteria:
•

Organization provides non-clinical arts engagement to one or more of the following
military-connected populations exposed to trauma: active-duty service members,
guardsmen, reservists, veterans, military and veteran families, caregivers, and health
care workers providing care for military service members and veterans.

•

Organization implements non-clinical arts engagement activities utilizing one of the
following service delivery models: 4
o Ongoing Class/Other Ongoing Engagement: a class group, and/or ensemble
that meets regularly for a distinct time period

4

These service delivery models are supported by the Community Engagement Grant Program.

12

o Ongoing Drop-in Program: ongoing, drop-in programs, such as an openstudio, where participation may or may not be consistent
•

Organization has planned activities during the pilot study implementation period
(January through June 2023).

•

Organization plans to collect enrollment data from participants in advance of the nonclinical arts engagement activities.

Funded activities may be in person, virtual, or offered through hybrid delivery and take
place in a clinical, community, or virtual setting. Projects will be selected to ensure to the extent
possible that a range of artistic disciplines and military populations (i.e., Active Duty Service
Members, veterans, Guardsmen and/or reservists; military and veteran families; and caregivers
and health care workers providing care for military service members and veterans) are
represented within the pilot testing.
A.2.2 Pilot survey administration
A contractor with expertise in program evaluation and survey administration will lead the
pilot testing and will be responsible for coordinating data collection with pilot sites. Institutional
Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained from Solutions Institutional Review Board on
December 23, 2021, to pilot test the survey (Protocol #2021/12/2).
The survey, which takes approximately 10 minutes, will be administered as participants
enter (pre) and exit (post) the program, and pre/post surveys will be matched for each individual
to measure change over time. The survey will be accessed electronically using participants’ own
mobile devices and/or computers. After the post-survey administration, the contractor will follow
up with each program director to obtain feedback on the survey administration process.
13

To protect participant identity, the contractor will provide each participant a unique
personalized link via email to access the survey electronically. The surveys will also be coded by
program to permit disaggregation of the data by program variables (e.g., artistic discipline,
service delivery model, length of program, targeted military-connected population). Grantee
organizations will be provided with a standard enrollment form to collect contact and
demographic information on participants; participants will be asked to provide consent to share
this information with the contractor. This information will be used by the contractor to contact
individuals and to conduct non-response bias analysis (see Supporting Statement Part B).
To administer the survey, the contractor will coordinate with staff members of
participating community engagement programs. The contractor will meet with program leaders
at the outset to explain implementation plans and to set up procedures for distributing
information about the pilot test. The contractor will then administer online consent forms and
provide unique links for the pre and post surveys to participants. Once post surveys are closed,
the contractor will follow up with program leaders to debrief survey methodology and
implementation procedures using an interview protocol.
A.2.3 Use of the pilot test results
The pilot study will test the survey’s methodology and implementation procedures.
Implementation issues that arise during the pilot will be assessed and strategies developed for
addressing those issues for future administration of the survey to projects funded by the Creative
Forces Community Engagement Grant Program.
The pilot study will also collect and analyze survey data to evaluate the instrument. The
survey pilot data will be subjected to statistical analyses to determine data quality (e.g., item
analysis, omission rates). The existing scales for Social Connectedness, Resilience, and
14

Independence and Successful Adaptation to Civilian Life have established psychometric
properties, must remain intact, and therefore require limited psychometric analyses. Cronbach’s
alpha will be used to test the internal consistency of the Creative Expression pilot items. The
data will also be analyzed and reported with subscale and item frequencies, analyses of pre/post
change on the four subscales and overall to measure change over time. These analyses will
determine whether participants show improvement in the targeted outcome areas relative over
the period in which they participated in the programs.
Analyses will be conducted using key program variables, such as program length, to
determine their impact on outcomes. The cohort of programs will intentionally include a variety
of artistic disciplines and military-connected populations in order to test administration
procedures and outcomes across different scenarios. Similarly, the types of participant
interactions vary across program. For example, interactions among participants that meet
regularly for a class may differ from those engaged in a drop-in program. Other program
variables (e.g., artistic discipline) will also be analyzed to determine whether they are related to
participant outcomes.
If subgroup sizes are sufficient, outcomes analyses will be conducted for the
demographic variables, including military-connected population subgroups and gender, to
determine if some groups are differentially impacted by participation in the Community
Engagement programs. Creative Forces serves a range of military-connected subgroups,
including those with direct military experience (service members, reserves, veterans) and those
connected to the military through their relationships as family caregivers. The experiences and
needs of these groups differ. For example, veterans, active duty service members, and National
15

Guard/Reserve members differ in health conditions and health behaviors. 5 Veterans transitioning
into civilian life may no longer have ready access to social support or practical support (e.g.,
housing), and family members and caregivers also have distinct needs. 6
Studies have shown gender-related differences in adjustment, mental health status, and
civilian reintegration among service members and veterans, although gaps in the research make it
difficult to draw general conclusions. 7 However, analyses of demographic and economic data by
the Department of Veterans Affairs have indicated that the issues women veterans face in
returning to civilian life and in the services they will need differ from those of male veterans.
According to their 2015 report, female veterans tend to be younger, and characteristics related to
age (e.g., income, health issues) distinguish the groups. Women veterans tend to have a lower
median household income, are less likely to be married, and have a higher percentage of racial
and ethnic diversity. Further, a higher percentage of female veterans have a service-connected
disability, have no personal income, and are in poverty. However, they are less likely to access
the VA health system. 8 Less research exists on the experiences and needs of service members
and veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and/or asexual

Hoerster, Katherine D et al. “Health and health behavior differences: U.S. Military, veteran, and civilian
men.” American journal of preventive medicine vol. 43,5 (2012): 483-9. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2012.07.029
6
Jennifer M. DeLucia, et al. “Military and Veteran Family Needs Assessment and Literature Review:
Considerations for Arts Providers.” Unpublished manuscript.
7
Eichler, M., & Smith-Evans, K. (2018). Gender in Veteran reintegration and transition: A scoping review. Journal of
Military, Veteran and Family Health, 4(1), 5–19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3138/jmvfh.2017-0004
8
National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. “A Women Veterans Report: The Past, Present, and
Future of Women Veterans.” U.S Department of Veterans Affairs,
https://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Women_Veterans_2015_Final.pdf. Accessed December 16, 2021.
National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. “Profile of Women Veterans: 2015.” U.S Department
of Veterans Affairs, https://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Women_Veterans_Profile_12_22_2016.pdf
Accessed December 16, 2021.
5

16

(LGBTQIA). However, there is evidence of higher rates of medical and mental health concerns
among LGBTQIA veterans, relative to the overall veteran population. 9 Other demographic
variables (e.g., age group, race/ethnicity) will also be analyzed to determine whether they are
related to participant outcomes.
Additional details about analyses are provided in Supporting Statement B.
A3. Use of information technology and burden reduction.
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.
The NEA takes its responsibility to minimize burden on respondents very seriously and
has designed this project with that goal in mind. Using an electronic survey reduces labor hours
required to administer, collect, code, and analyze a paper-based survey. Further, the use of
confidential, unique access links creates a de-identified database that is equipped for analyzing
participant-level pre/post change. These electronic methodologies are the most efficient
mechanisms for gathering these data.
A4. Efforts to identify duplication.
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.
No similar data collection effort duplicates the proposed data collection. The Participant
Outcomes Survey in this pilot is the only measure of participant outcomes for this grant program.

9

Jennifer M. DeLucia, et al. “Military and Veteran Family Needs Assessment and Literature Review:
Considerations for Arts Providers.” Unpublished manuscript.

17

The use of a validated outcomes measure across the Community Engagement Grant Program is
necessary for the NEA’s performance monitoring.
A5. Impacts on small businesses or other small entities.
The pilot study will be conducted with grant recipients of the Creative Forces
Community Engagement Grant Program. These grantees may include smaller organizations. To
minimize the burden on these organizations, the pilot study will be coordinated and administered
by a contractor.
A6. Consequences of collecting the information less frequently.
Describe the consequence 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 the burden.
This clearance request is for a one-time data collection to pilot a pre-post survey. This is
necessary to ensure the survey methodology and the instrument itself provide sound data for
evaluation of the Community Engagement Grant Program. Without pilot testing, the viability of
the survey for detecting program impact will be unknown.
A7. Special circumstances relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.6.
The information will be collected in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR
1320.6 (Controlling Paperwork Burden on the Public-General Information Collection
Guidelines). There are no special circumstances contrary to these guidelines.
A8. Comments in response to the Federal Register Notice and efforts to consult outside
Agency.
On Friday, July 30, 2021, a 60-day Federal Register Notice was published in 86 FR
41102 Volume 86, No. 144. No comments were received.

18

Cognitive testing of the Participant Outcomes Survey was conducted in October 2021,
with 9 respondents. On July 7, 2022, a 30-day Federal Register Notice was published in 87 FR
40555 Volume 87, No. 129.
A9. Explain any decisions to provide any payment or gift to respondents.
Respondents will not receive payments of gifts.
A10. Assurances of confidentiality provided to respondents.
To measure change on the four outcome areas over time, the Participant Outcomes
Survey will be administered as participants enter (pre) and exit (post) the program, and pre/post
surveys will be matched for each individual. The contractor will provide each participant a
unique link via email to access the survey electronically.
Respondents’ answers to the survey will be fully confidential. Each survey access code is
unique to the survey and the respondent. The list connecting a respondent’s name to the access
code will be kept in a password-protected file that only the contractor can access. No one
associated with the respondent’s community engagement program or Creative Forces will have
access to the survey responses. In keeping with Human Subjects protection, the survey
introduction and email communications will include a statement to respondents that all data for
the survey will be kept confidential and that data will only be analyzed and reported in the
aggregate. Additional Human Subjects protection stipulations will also be addressed, such as
providing information about the importance of the survey, the use of the data, and notification
that participation in the survey is voluntary.
A11. Justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.
Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual
behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered
private.
19

Creative Forces intends the Community Engagement Grants to improve participants’
Creative Expression, Social Connectedness, Resilience, and Independence and Successful
Adaptation to Civilian Life. As evident in the definitions of these outcomes (see section A2),
these outcomes touch on participants’ perceptions of themselves, their relationships, and their
feelings. To that end, items on the Participant Outcomes Survey ask about the respondent’s selfperceptions, feelings, and adjustment, which may be considered private. The survey specifically
avoids items that address clinical pathology or lifestyle. Demographic data (age group, militaryconnected status, race/ethnicity, and gender) will be collected to assess whether outcomes are
affected by participants’ demographic characteristics. Race/ethnicity survey questions comply
with OMB standards. In the survey introduction, respondents will be informed they may skip any
item or discontinue the survey at any time.
A12. Estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.
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.
Exhibit 5 shows the total estimated burden for piloting the Participant Outcomes Survey
and the affiliated Enrollment Form, and the Project Director Interview Protocol. For participants,
the enrollment form is estimated to take about 6 minutes per respondent, based on calculations
from survey development tools. The total estimated burden for participants is calculated by
multiplying the estimated time (0.1 hours) by the total number of anticipated responses (350, the
total estimated response universe for participants).
The pre-post survey is estimated to take 10 minutes per respondent per timepoint, based
on calculations from survey development tools. Pilot testing will refine this estimate. The total
estimated burden for participants is calculated by multiplying the estimated time (0.16 hours) by
20

the total estimated response universe for participants (350). Actual burden will be affected by
response rate and likely lower than estimates provided here.
Program directors will provide 4.23 hours of support for survey implementation to
coordinate administration with the contractor and to gather and submit participant contact
information. They will also participate in a one-hour debrief interview. Estimated burden hours
for directors is calculated by multiplying the number of hours for each activity by the anticipated
number of directors.
Exhibit 5. Burden Estimates for Participant Outcomes Survey
Participant
Description

Instrument/
Activity

Total
Number
Average
of
Number Number Estimated
Hours
of
Responses
of
Burden
per
per
Persons
(Hours)
Response
Responses
Person

Program
Participants

Program
Enrollment
Form

0.1

1

350

350

35

Program
Participants

Participant
Outcomes
Survey (Pre)

0.16

1

350

350

56

Program
Participants

Participant
Outcomes
Survey (Post)

0.16

1

350

350

56

Support
survey
administration

4.23

1

10

10

42.3

1

1

10

10

10

Project
Directors

Debrief
interview
Total

199.3

A13. Estimates of other total annual cost burden.
Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers
resulting from the collection of information.

21

The estimated cost burden is $6,367.64. This is based on the above figure of 199.3 hours
of respondent burden multiplied by $31.95, which is the average hourly earnings of employees
on private payrolls. 10
A14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal Government.
The total one-time contracted cost to the Federal Government for survey development,
cognitive testing, and pilot testing is $75,000.
A15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported on the
burden worksheet.
There are no program changes or adjustments reported in the burden worksheet.
A16. Plans for tabulation, and publication and project time schedule.
For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation
and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the
time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection
of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.
There are no plans to publish data from this pilot test. The purpose of this clearance
package is to obtain conditional clearance for the pilot test, which will begin after OMB approval
and continue based on an estimated timeline presented below. The pilot testing will collect data
so that the NEA contractor can test the feasibility of the survey and identify any issues with
survey implementation. After the pilot testing, the NEA will provide to OMB the results of the
pilot test, a revised survey instrument (if appropriate), and an updated clearance package to OMB
for full approval, as appropriate. After obtaining final clearance, the NEA will administer the

10
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), Table B-3. Average hourly and weekly earnings of all employees
on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted.
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t19.htm.

22

survey as part of an evaluation study. The NEA will report statistical results from future survey
administrations in reports published on the Creative Forces National Resource Center. The
schedule is provided in Exhibit 6.
Exhibit 6. Estimated Project Time Schedule
ACTIVITY

SCHEDULE

Conditional clearance by OMB to conduct the pilot study
Contractor performs pilot test
Contractor provides report describing the findings of the pilot
test
NEA submits results of pilot study to OMB and an updated
clearance package for evaluation study
NEA conducts evaluation study

November 30, 2022
January 1-June 30, 2023
October 31, 2023
December 30, 2025
December 31, 2026

A17. Displaying the OMB Approval Expiration Date.
If you are seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the
information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
The NEA will display the expiration date of OMB approval and the OMB approval
number on all instruments associated with this information collection.
A18. Exceptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19.
Explain each exception to the topics of the certification statement identified in Certification
for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.
No exceptions are necessary for this information collection. The agency is able to certify
compliance with all provisions under Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I.

23