Form 1 FBCO survey

Appendix B: SCF Faith-based and Community Organization Survey

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX

Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

Strengthening Communities Fund, Nonprofit Capacity Building Program

Evaluation Survey

FBCO SURVEY – DRAFT per 01/19/2011

The Urban Institute has been asked by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, to conduct an evaluation of the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) program. The purpose of the study is to assess how well the SCF program is meeting its primary objective of improving the organizational capacity of nonprofit and faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs). The Urban Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy research and educational organization based in Washington, D.C

Your organization was selected to participate in this survey because it received training, technical assistance, or funding (a grant) from a SCF-funded entity to help build your organization’s capacity. We are asking you to complete this questionnaire so we can obtain complete and accurate information from the organizations that received assistance under the SCF program.

_{To take the survey online, please go to the following website:}

_{https://surveys.urban.org/[ADD CODE NAME]}

_{Enter the following username and access code:}

Username: «USERNAME» Access Code: nonprofit

The information you provide will be seen only by Urban Institute staff for the sole purpose of learning about the effects of capacity building services supported through the SCF program. Your answers will be combined with those of other organizations that received assistance through SCF. Results of the study will be reported across organizations. We will not report information that will identify any particular individual or organization.

We appreciate your participation in this survey. You do not have to answer any questions you do not want to answer. While completing the survey is voluntary and refusal to participate will not affect the assistance you receive in any way, you are strongly encouraged to participate so your organization’s unique experience is reflected in the study and the overall findings represent organizations such as yours.

If you have questions or problems completing this survey, please contact us at the UI Survey Hotline at: 1-800-xxx-xxxx.

Notice: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no person is required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The time required to complete this questionnaire is estimated to average 30 minutes to complete this survey, including the time to review instructions and complete the information collection.

Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. We will treat your information in a private manner and will not identify you or your organization to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX

Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

Strengthening Communities Fund, Nonprofit Capacity Building Program Evaluation Survey

FBCO Survey

About Your Organization

1. What are the main services your organization provides? (Check all that apply)

• Advocacy and legal services

• Children and youth services

• Elder services

• Employment and Training

• Financial management and asset building services

• Food/Meal services

• Housing assistance, including homeless services

• Information and Referral services

• Other (specify) _______________________________________________

2. About how many paid staff members do you have working at your organization (include Americorps or VISTA members)? If none, enter zero. (Count part-time employees as full-time equivalents, e.g., two half-time employees = one FTE): _____________

3. On average, about how many volunteers do you have working at your organization in a typical month? (If none, enter zero). _______________ (If zero, go to Q5)

4. Do any of your volunteers work directly with your SCF-related activities?

• Yes, how many?

• No

5. Overall, approximately how many people does your organization serve in a typical month? (If you serve the same person more than one time per month, count this individual as one.)

____________ (number)

• We do not provide direct services to individuals or families

About the SCF Program

6. About how many months did your organization receive SCF capacity-building services? _______ (number of months)

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX

Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

7. How did your organization learn about the SCF program and its services, such as training or technical assistance (TA)? (Check all that apply)

• Announcement in local newsletter or other publication

• Announcement on a website:

• Announcement sent by mail

• Announcement sent by email/listserv

• Meeting or orientation specifically about SCF

• Conference or other gathering of faith-based and community organizations

• Personal/professional network (e.g., word of mouth)

• Social networking site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.)

• Other (Specify)

8. Has your organization provided new services or expanded existing services in any of the following areas as a result of the SCF program?

New Service Expanded Service Didn’t Do This

Job readiness   

Employment training   

Employment support services (e.g., child care,

counseling, transportation)   

Assessment of “green needs”   

Training for “green jobs”   

Information/counseling for recovery-related

benefits or programs, including EITC   

Conduct workforce assessments   

Other (specify)  

9. Before receiving SCF capacity-building assistance, approximately how many people did your organization serve in a typical month? (If you served the same person more than one time per month, count this individual as one.) ___________ (number)

• We do not provide direct services to individuals or families

10. How would you rate the helpfulness of the assistance/service you received under SCF?

Excellent Good Fair Poor N/A

One-on-one customized technical assistance (TA)     

Training through workshops or conferences     

Funding or a grant received from SCF     

Other (specify) ___________________________     

10a. If poor on any of the above, why did you say that?

11. Overall, to what extent did the SCF program address your organization’s capacity-building needs?

 Considerable extent  Somewhat  A little  Not at all

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX

Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

11a. If not at all, why did you say that?

About Capacity-Building Assistance You Received Through SCF

The following sections ask about the areas in which your organization may have received capacity-building assistance. Please answer each question as best as you can.

Financial Management

12. Please indicate the extent to which each of the following was a capacity-building focus area for your organization. Check one box for each focus area. See the key below.

A = Implemented steps to address focus area

B = Developed plans or ideas to work on this, but haven’t implemented them yet

C = Know we should work on this, but we lack the time or resources

D = Not a focus because we were satisfied with our achievement in this area; Not a priority at this time

Focus Area	A	B	C	D
Developing systems that will help manage the organization’s finances more effectively.				
Putting in place a budget process that ensures effective allocation of resources.				

Funding

13. Approximately what is the size of your organization’s operating budget:

13a. This current budget year? $ ___

13b. Last budget year? $ ___

14. Approximately what percentage of your operating budget came from government (federal/state/local, combined)

14a. This current budget year? ________%

14b. Last budget year? ___ %

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX

Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

15. Please indicate the extent to which each of the following was a focus area for your organization. Check one box for each focus area. See the key below.

A = Implemented steps to address focus area

B = Developed plans or ideas to work on this, but haven’t implemented them yet

C = Know we should work on this, but we lack the time or resources

D = Not a focus because we were satisfied with our achievement in this area; Not a priority at this time

Focus Area	A	B	C	D
Identifying and pursuing new sources of government funding.				
Identifying and pursuing new sources of non-government funding.				
Identifying and pursuing new sources of in-kind donations.				
Developing a fund-development plan (including setting fundraising goals).				
Developing or improving grant-writing capacity				

16. Has your organization obtained funding from any new sources since receiving assistance under the SCF program?

 Yes  No (If no, go to Q17)

16a. If yes, what was the source of the new funds?

 Government  Non-government  Both

Leadership and Staff Development

17. Please indicate the extent to which each of the following was a focus area for your organization. Check one box for each focus area. See the key below.

A = Implemented steps to address focus area

B = Developed plans or ideas to work on this, but haven’t implemented them yet

C = Know we should work on this, but we lack the time or resources

D = Not a focus because we were satisfied with our achievement in this area; Not a priority at this time

Focus Area	A	B	C	D
Creating a plan or locating resources to help our executive director and/or other staff improve their leadership skills.				
Providing staff with professional development and training to enhance skills in service delivery.				
Providing staff with professional development and training to enhance skills in administration and management.				
Recruiting, developing, and managing volunteers more effectively.				

Governance

18. Does your organization have a Board of Directors?

 Yes  No, but we have an advisory panel  No

18a. If no Board of Directors, does your organization have plans for establishing a Board of Directors?

 Yes  No

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Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

19. Please indicate the extent to which each of the following was a focus area for your organization. Check one box for each focus area. See the key below.

A = Implemented steps to address focus area

B = Developed plans or ideas to work on this, but haven’t implemented them yet

C = Know we should work on this, but we lack the time or resources

D = Not a focus because we were satisfied with our achievement in this area; Not a priority at this time

Focus Area	A	B	C	D
Researching/finding resources to determine how best to form a board				
Recruiting Board members with diverse expertise or skill sets				
Developing a Board that represents a cross-section of our community				
Providing information to the Board so they can better understand their responsibilities or improve their performance				

Information Technology

20. Please indicate the extent to which each of the following was a focus area for your organization. Check one box for each focus area. See the key below.

A = Implemented steps to address focus area

B = Developed plans or ideas to work on this, but haven’t implemented them yet

C = Know we should work on this, but we lack the time or resources

D = Not a focus because we were satisfied with our achievement in this area; Not a priority at this time

Focus Area	A	B	C	D
Increasing the number of computers				
Adding or upgrading software
Increasing staff capabilities to use computers or software programs				
Developing or improving information systems				

Performance Measurement and Evaluation

21. Please indicate the extent to which each of the following was a focus area for your organization. Check one box for each focus area. See the key below.

A = Implemented steps to address focus area

B = Developed plans or ideas to work on this, but haven’t implemented them yet

C = Know we should work on this, but we lack the time or resources

D = Not a focus because we were satisfied with our achievement in this area; Not a priority at this time

Focus Areas	A	B	C	D
Developing or improving systems to track services provided to individuals/families				
Developing or improving procedures to collect and record information about individual service recipients’ outcomes				
Developing or improving procedures to collect information on service recipients’ satisfaction with services				
Developing or improving procedures to analyze and use outcome information				

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX

Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

Community Engagement

22. Since receiving services through the SCF program, has your organization undertaken a specific activity (e.g., meeting with constituents, community mapping, needs assessment survey) to gain a better understanding of the needs in your service area/community?

 Yes  No

23. Since receiving services through the SCF program, has your organization raised awareness about your organization to individuals or families in your community/service area by doing any of the following?

Yes No

22a. Created or updated a website  

22b. Developed or distributed written materials (e.g., brochure or newsletter)  

22c. Made presentations to nonprofits or FBCOs  

22d. Used public service announcements or paid advertising  

22e. Other (Specify) ______________________________________

24. Since receiving services through the SCF program, has your organization raised awareness about your organization to potential partners or funders by doing any of the following?

Yes No

23a. Created or updated a website  

23b. Developed or distributed written materials (e.g., brochure or newsletter)  

23c. Made presentations to nonprofits or FBCOs  

23d. Used public service announcements or paid advertising  

23e. Other (Specify) _____________________________________

25. As a result of the SCF program, did your organization do any of the following?

Yes No

24a. Form a new partnership or collaboration  

24b. Join for the first time an existing partnership or collaboration  

Note: If no to both, continue to Q28

26. Were any of these partnerships or collaborations with: (Check all that apply)

Yes No

Government  

Business  

Educational institution  

Secular nonprofit  

Faith-based organization  

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Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

27. What was the purpose of the partnerships or collaborations? (Check all that apply)

Yes No

To receive and make service recipient referrals  

To develop and operate joint programming  

To access new funding sources (funding alliance)  

To participate in advocacy, awareness and education  

To assess community/service recipient needs  

Peer learning (learning circle, study group)  

Other (please specify) _______________

Assessment of the SCF program

28. To what extent did the assistance your organization received through the SCF program help build/improve:

A fair

Considerably amount A little Not at all N/A

Financial management systems and processes     

Fund-raising capabilities     

Board capabilities     

Management and staff capabilities     

Capacity to manage volunteers     

Information technology capabilities     

Performance measurement/evaluation capabilities     

29. To what extent did the assistance your organization received through the SCF program:

A fair

Considerably amount A little Not at all N/A

Improve your organizations’ ability to help

people affected by the recession     

Improve your organization’s ability to continue

operating in the future     

Increase the recognition or awareness of your

organization by others in the community     

30. How confident are you that your organization will sustain the capacity-building improvements acquired through the SCF program?

 Very confident  Confident  Not too confident  Not at all confident  N/A

31. Has your organization developed a plan or taken other steps to sustain the capacity-building improvements acquired through the SCF program?  Yes  No

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Expiration Date: mm/dd/20yy

32. Overall, how would you rate your experience with the SCF program?

 Excellent  Good  Fair  Poor

33a. If poor, why did you say that? _______________

33. If you have any additional comments about the SCF program, please write them below.

Thank you for your time and cooperation in completing this survey.

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