G-1608-001 NEW_Outcome Evaluation 2_Grant Recipient Staff Virtual Interviews 30 Day 07052024

Outcome Evaluation: Virtual Interviews with Grant Recipient Staff

Introduction

The purpose of this interview is to learn more about the 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. 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, in accordance with 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).

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 determining whether its programs are effective in 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 45 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.

Interview Questions:

1. How did your organization track and monitor program participants’ progress during your CINAS, RAAP, or RAIS grant period? Apart from USCIS reporting compliance, how did you use this information internally?

2. What challenges did you encounter collecting data and tracking performance outcomes for your quarterly reports? How did you resolve these issues?

3. What additional support and assistance would you request if you received a future CINAS or CARING grant?

4. Based on your experience, what were the keys to success in reaching the intended program outcomes related to:

   1. Measurable changes in English proficiency?

   2. Civics knowledge?

   3. Knowledge and skills required for naturalization?

   4. Submitting the naturalization application?

   5. Passing the interview?

5. Based on your experience, what were the key challenges to reaching the intended program outcomes related to:

   1. Measurable changes in English proficiency?

   2. Civics knowledge?

   3. Knowledge and skills required for naturalization?

   4. Submitting the naturalization application?

   5. Passing the interview?

6. Which services are the most important to help program participants achieve the intended outcome of naturalization? Why? [Probe the following:]

   1. English classes?

   2. Civic classes?

   3. Application assistance?

   4. Naturalization process instruction?

   5. Anything else?

7. What recommendations do you have to improve program implementation and ultimately program outcomes? [[Probe the following: What recommendations do you have…]

   1. To promote motivation to naturalize?

   2. To recruit instructors who are qualified under grant requirements?

   3. To encourage participant to apply for citizenship?

   4. To ensure participants pass the interview and test?

   5. To overcome the burden and (if any) discouraging impact on students of pre- and post-class English testing requirements?

   6. Related to additional resources needed for successful program activities?

   7. For USCIS or other organizations? What else can they do to help?

8. Is there anything else you want to tell me about the program and program outcomes?

Thank you for your time and input.