G-1608-001 NEW_Implementation Evaluation 1_Grant Recipient Staff Web Survey 30 Day 07052024

Implementation Evaluation: Grant Recipient Staff Web Survey

Introduction

The purpose of this survey is to learn more about U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (CIGP): [Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services (CINAS), the Refugee and Asylee Assimilation Program (RAAP), and the Refugee and Asylee Immigration Services (RAIS)]. Our records indicate that your organization received a [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] grant. Your site is included in this program evaluation. We will ask you questions about your experiences for grants awarded in fiscal years (FY) 2018 to 2021. For consistency of data collection, please focus on the experiences during those grant periods only, even if you participated before or are currently a CIGP grant recipient. Your participation is voluntary, and your responses will have no impact on any pending interactions your organization has with USCIS. We would appreciate your thoughtful and candid responses to this important survey. USCIS and Optimal Solutions Group, LLC will maintain the confidentiality of your responses, as applicable by law. No individual or organization responses will be identified in the final report.

The Office of Management and Budget Control authorized this survey under OMB Survey control number 1615-NEW, which expires [MM-DD-YYYY]. For more details on OMB authorization, please visit the following website.

DHS Privacy Notice

AUTHORITIES: USCIS is collecting the information requested on this survey, and the associated evidence, under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sections 8 U.S.C. § 1443(h) (section 332(h)), Section 538 of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. No. 114-113), Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (‘Evidence Act’), (Pub. L. No. 115-435, 132 Stat.5529), Program Management Improvement Accountability Act of 2016 (PMIAA), (Pub. L. No. 114-264, 130 Stat. 1371), Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), (Pub. L. No. 103-62, 107 Stat. 285), and Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA), (Pub. L. No. 111-352, 124 Stat. 3866).

PURPOSE: The primary purpose for providing the requested information on this survey is to assess the degree to which USCIS programs are meeting their overall goal of integrating immigrants and refugees into American society. The study encompasses data collection of program participants (refugees and lawful permanent residents who enrolled in a program offered by one of the grantees between FY 2018 and FY 2021) using two mechanisms: surveys and virtual interviews of program participants and consists of two evaluations: implementation of the grant programs and outcomes from the grant programs. The implementation evaluation will seek to examine the overall structure, offerings, and suitability of the programs for meeting their stated goals of citizenship and English language instruction, naturalization eligibility screenings, and integration. The outcome evaluation will seek to assess the degree to which the grant programs facilitated participants’ ability to integrate into society and obtain citizenship.

ROUTINE USES: DHS may, where allowable under relevant confidentiality provisions, share the information you provide on this survey and any additional requested evidence with other Federal, state, local, and foreign government agencies and authorized organizations. DHS follows approved routine uses described in the associated published system of records notices [DHS/ALL-002 DHS Mailing and Other Lists System and DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 - Alien File, Index, and National File Tracking System] and the published privacy impact assessments [DHS/USCIS/PIA-056 USCIS Electronic Immigration System, DHS/USCIS/PIA-066 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, DHS/ALL/PIA-069 DHS Surveys, Interviews, and Focus Groups, and DHS/USCIS/PIA-089 USCIS Outreach and Engagement Program ] which you can find at www.dhs.gov/privacy. DHS may also share this information, as appropriate, for law enforcement purposes or in the interest of national security.

DISCLOSURE: The information you provide is voluntary. However, failure to provide the requested information, and any requested evidence, may prevent USCIS from assessing the degree to which these programs are meeting their overall goal of integrating immigrants and refugees into American society.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing, and submitting the form.  Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Evaluation Branch, 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Mail Stop # 2130, Camp Springs, MD 20588-0009. OMB No. 1615-NEW.  Do not return the completed form to this address.

1. Please confirm whether your organization was a recipient of a [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] grant awarded in FY 2018-2021.

• YES

• NO (skip out of the survey)

Outreach

2. What types of outreach activities and locations were the most and the least effective in recruiting your intended groups?

Outreach Activities	Ineffective	Somewhat effective	Very effective	Not Conducted
Informational sessions conducted by [THIS ORGANIZATION]
Other in-person events or meetings in the community
Virtual events
Word of mouth (via friends, family, etc.)
Websites (including blogs, forums)
Emails (including e-newsletters)
Print media (including flyers, posters, newspapers, magazines, or newsletters)
Phone (including calls, text messages)
Social media (including apps)
Radio
TV
Multilingual outreach activities
Other activities, please specify _____________
Locations
Schools (public/private school, community college, university)
Library
Community-based organizations
Faith-based places of worship
Local businesses
Health, medical centers, or clinics
Social service agencies
Other locations, please specify _____________

3. What type of outreach activities and locations would your organization like to try in the future? Select all that apply.

Outreach Activities	Would like to try in the future
Informational sessions conducted by [THIS ORGANIZATION]
Other in-person events or meetings in the community
Virtual events
Engage former participants and community leaders
Websites (including blogs, forums)
Emails (including e-newsletters)
Print media (including flyers, posters, newspapers, magazines, or newsletters)
Phone (including calls, text messages)
Social media (including apps)
Radio
TV
Multilingual outreach activities
Other activities, please specify_____________
Locations
Schools (including public/private school, community college, university)
Library
Community-based organizations
Faith-based places of worship
Local businesses
Social service agencies
Health, medical centers, or clinics
Other locations, please specify   _____________

4. At any point during the grant, did you have to adjust your outreach strategies for [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction and naturalization assistance services to better reach certain groups or communities? 

• Yes 

• No 

• Don’t know

4a. (IF YES) Please describe these changes: ____________________________ 

Grant Implementation

5. Based on your experience, what have been some of the key barriers and difficulties to program implementation at the following levels and how did you address these challenges?

• Participant level: _______________________________________________________

  • How did you address: _____________________________________________

• Organizational level: ____________________________________________________

  • How did you address: _____________________________________________

• Community/societal level: ________________________________________________

  • How did you address: _____________________________________________

• Policy level: ___________________________________________________________

  • How did you address: _____________________________________________

• Other barriers, please specify: _____________________________________________

  • How did you address: _____________________________________________

6. Consider the following challenges or barriers that your program may have experienced during the implementation of [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction and naturalization assistance services. Indicate whether this was not an issue, minor issue, or a major issue.

Challenge or Barrier	Not an issue	Minor issue	Major issue
Lack of sufficient staff/shift in staffing
Lack of technology/lack of internet access
Program budget issues
Specific cultural challenges of the target population
Language challenges
COVID-19 related challenges
Increases in the number of hours of instruction
Engaging existing partners into grant-related activities
Developing new partnerships
Making referrals to other programs
Cost of living related issues/economic inflation/program fees
Difficult to recruit an eligible population for naturalization (due to ineligibility related to moral character, abandonment, etc.)
Other challenges or barriers, please specify __________

7. How did funding for [CINAS, CARING, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction and naturalization assistance services help to facilitate program implementation? Select all that apply.

• Increased staffing levels

• New programming availability

• Access to new technology

• Facilitated access to other sources of funding

• Overcame some cultural challenges

• Expanded language availability

• Better engagement of existing partners

• Established new partnerships

• Made external referrals more easily

• Improved our reputation or standing in the community

• Other, please specify

8. Please indicate whether support provided by USCIS was helpful for the implementation of the [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction and naturalization assistance services?

Grantee supports	Not at all helpful	Somewhat helpful	Helpful	Not applicable
Communication with USCIS
USCIS program officer provided technical assistance (including webinars and training)
USCIS program officer provided materials
Other support provided by USCIS, please specify________________________

9. In your opinion, what were the important factors impacting whether participants successfully completed [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction and naturalization assistance services at your organization? Choose the three most important factors.

• Conducting English language assessment (including pre- and post- testing tests at the beginning to ensure participants are ready)

• Flexible scheduling of programming

• Staff cultural awareness/competency

• Staff foreign language capacity

• Participant English language capacity

• Proximity of instruction services to target community

• Well-trained staff

• Family/community support for participants

• USCIS scheduling (for example, naturalization interview occurred before class completion)

• Participant motivation and willingness to complete the services

• Other factors, please specify _____________

10. In your opinion, what were the most important factors affecting the likelihood that a participant dropped out of [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction and naturalization assistance services at your organization? Choose the three most important factors.

• Lack of transportation

• Participant moves out of the service area

• Staff availability, turnover

• Work schedule/work demands

• English speaking ability is too low to participate

• Childcare demands

• Frustration with the process

• Application approved or denied before the services were completed

• Shift in family dynamics

• Moral character issues that occur after application submission

• Obtaining required documentation/overall case complexity

• Other factors, please specify _____________

11. What activities did your organization do to mitigate the likelihood of dropouts from [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction services? Choose the three most important activities.

• Define program expectations carefully upfront (for example, time commitment and attendance requirements)

• Special hours to accommodate timing conflicts

• Virtual or remote activities (for example, online services, secondary locations for services)

• Transportation vouchers/services (for example, bus passes)

• Provide laptops, tablets and/or internet connection devices to participants

• Increase instructor capacity

• Smaller classes or other activities to accommodate special learning styles

• Childcare services

• Ensuring classes are held near public transportation

• Contacting students who missed a class

• Other activities, please specify _____________

12. What activities did your organization do to mitigate dropouts from [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] naturalization assistance? Choose the three most important activities.

• Special hours to accommodate timing conflicts

• Virtual or remote activities (for example, online services, secondary locations for services)

• Intensive follow-up services to encourage program participants to continue

• Transportation vouchers/services (for example, bus passes)

• Ensuring services are available near public transportation

• Childcare services

• Nominal fees for our services versus a private attorney

• Other activities, please specify _____________

13. For conducting or scheduling program activities, to what extent were the following considered?

	Not at all	Somewhat	Very much	Not applicable
Ensured that services are in (or close to) the neighborhoods where people being reached by your organization reside
Ensured that services are easily accessible by public transportation
Ensured that services are available during evenings and weekends
Ensured that services are available virtually
Provided accommodation for people with disabilities

Grant Services’ Cultural Competency

14. How often did your organization conduct the following activities for the [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] program?

	Never	Sometimes	Often
Adapted to the shifting demographic composition of the program’s service area (race, ethnicity, primary language spoken, gender, etc.)
Hired staff reflective of the changing needs of your service area (ethnicity, race, language capabilities, etc.)
Considered clients’ culture, race, ethnicity, language, and other factors in developing and implementing outreach and support services
Monitored client service satisfaction,
Engaged at various levels of the community (e.g., residents, leaders, organizations) to develop and implement outreach and assistance services
Other activities, please specify _____________

15. Please specify which, if any, of the following activities were implemented to promote cultural awareness in [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] instruction and naturalization assistance services activities at your organization. Select all that apply.

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training

• Training to enhance knowledge of specific cultural groups

• Provided interpretation services

• Worked to recruit and retain staff matching target populations

• Incorporated culture-specific attitudes and values into our programming

• Other activities, please specify

16. What recommendations do you have to improve the implementation of [CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS] services and activities?