[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 158 (Friday, August 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48129-48130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19414]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review, Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has 
submitted a public information collection request (ICR) entitled 
AmeriCorps VISTA Project Progress Report for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, 
(44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, with applicable supporting 
documentation, may be obtained by calling the Corporation for National 
and Community Service, Mr. Robert Cox, at 202-606-6851 or email to 
[email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call 1-800-833-3722 between 8:00 a.m. and 
8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted, identified by the title of the 
information collection activity, to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk Officer for the 
Corporation for National and Community Service, by any of the following 
two methods within 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal 
Register:
    (1) By fax to: 202-395-6974, Attention: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk 
Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service; or
    (2) By email to: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB is particularly interested in 
comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of CNCS, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and
     Propose ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments

    A 60-day Notice requesting public comment was published in the 
Federal Register on February 20, 2014. This comment period ended April 
28, 2014. All comments and the disposition of each are addressed below.
    One set of comments was in regard to the Member Development section 
of the Project Progress Report. One comment expressed appreciation for 
the change in how applicants report information in this section. 
Specifically, respondents are now asked to report the number of hours 
of member development opportunities provided to AmeriCorps VISTA 
members, where previously respondents were asked to report the number 
of AmeriCorps VISTA members that received member development 
opportunities. The commenter stated that counting hours will be less 
burdensome for respondents.
    A second comment regarding the Member Development section suggested 
providing more detailed definitions of the individual member 
development areas. CNCS lists these member development areas (which 
include Community Volunteer Generation/Recruitment, Effective Volunteer 
Management, and Grantwriting) without detailed definition because they 
are broad functions that are reflected in the assignment descriptions 
of VISTA members. CNCS believes their meaning is understandable to 
individuals involved in sponsoring a VISTA project.
    A third comment regarding the Member Development section was a 
suggestion to provide a higher character limit for the ``Other'' line 
than has been allowed in the past. CNCS notes that the character limit 
for respondents to provide professional development information for the 
``Other'' area is higher than it has been in the past in the CNCS 
eGrants system and is of sufficient size to adequately spotlight 
professional development.
    A fourth set of comments focused on the Demographics section of the 
Project Progress Report. One comment noted a lack of clarity on whether 
respondents are being asked to provide information about a duplicated 
or unduplicated count of community volunteers who are recruited and 
managed. Another comment expressed a preference for one combined count 
that reflects community volunteers who are recruited and managed. CNCS 
notes that the measures included in the Demographics section are a 
subset of the CNCS National Performance Measures, which include 
specific definitions and data collection standards for each measure. 
Those standards require that the total number of volunteers recruited 
and managed is an unduplicated count and that respondents control for 
double counting or select the measure that best fits their program 
model.
    To clarify this requirement in the Project Progress Report, CNCS 
amended the Demographics section by creating one response line for 
community volunteers recruited and a separate response line for 
community volunteers managed. CNCS also added language that refers 
respondents to the definitions and data collection standards for each 
measure and thus the requirement to report an unduplicated count.
    Additionally, CNCS also created one line for respondents to report 
the number of hours of service contributed by community volunteers and 
a separate line for respondents to report the number of hours of 
service contributed by community volunteers managed. CNCS also added 
language that refers respondents to where they can find the definitions 
and data collection standards for those measures, as well as every 
other measure in this section.
    The fifth set of comments focused on the Performance Measure 
section of the Project Progress Report. One comment asked whether the 
instructions were requiring respondents to report on data collected for 
performance measures for the project in the aggregate or for each VISTA 
member individually. The CNCS requirement is neither. The CNCS 
requirement is for respondents to report progress with respect to each 
individual performance measure set that the respondent identified in 
their approved application. An individual performance measure set is 
based on the unique combination of a site and a capacity goal and may 
represent the activities of multiple VISTA members.
    To further clarify the requirement, CNCS amended the Performance 
Measurement section to require respondents to enter data for each 
individual performance measure set that was created in the application. 
The CNCS eGrants system will also automatically display each 
performance measure set for which respondents must enter data, further 
clarifying the requirement.
    Other comments regarding the Performance Measure section expressed 
the preference that CNCS require respondents to report data for the

[[Page 48130]]

project in the aggregate rather than at the individual performance 
measure set level and offered an opinion that data reported in 
disaggregated fashion would be burdensome for respondents to provide 
and would not result in meaningful information for CNCS.
    CNCS acknowledges that the level of burden may be higher for some 
respondents to report on individual performance measure sets and has 
increased the burden estimate. CNCS notes that the increased burden 
stems from additional data entry into the CNCS eGrants reporting system 
and is not a burden caused by additional data collection or other 
reporting steps peculiar to reporting to CNCS on individual performance 
measure sets.
    Further, given the unique and complex nature of capacity building 
activities, CNCS believes that the information reported at an 
individual performance measure set level will provide meaningful and 
valuable information about how respondents are using VISTA resources in 
a way that an aggregate cannot.
    The intent of VISTA resources is to build capacity of individual 
organizations and programs to address poverty. Even sites that have 
similar capacity goals and performance measures--as expressed in 
individual performance measure sets--may achieve results at different 
rates, need different levels of VISTA resources to make progress, or 
require different types of service activities from VISTA members. 
Reporting data on individual performance sets is necessary for 
respondents, CNCS, and other stakeholders to monitor this variability 
in resources, aspirations and accomplishments, both to assist in the 
accomplishment of the individual project as well as to support the 
continuous improvement of the VISTA program as a whole.
    Description: CNCS seeks to revise the Project Progress Report, 
which contains the instructions used by AmeriCorps VISTA sponsors to 
report on the use of AmeriCorps VISTA resources and on progress against 
their approved application.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Project Progress Report.
    OMB Number: 3045-0038.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: AmeriCorps VISTA sponsoring organizations.
    Total Respondents: 900.
    Frequency: Four times a year for each sponsor in the first year; 
twice per year thereafter unless performance or nature of the project 
requires more frequent reporting and review.
    Average Time per Response: 20 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 48,000 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None.

    Dated: August 12, 2014.
D. Paul Monteiro,
Director, AmeriCorps VISTA.
[FR Doc. 2014-19414 Filed 8-14-14; 8:45 am]
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