[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71587-71588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25527]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; AmeriCorps Program Life Cycle Evaluation--Climate Change 
Bundled Evaluation

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service, operating 
as AmeriCorps, has submitted a public information collection request 
(ICR) entitled AmeriCorps Program Life Cycle Evaluation--Climate Change 
Bundled Evaluation for review and approval in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the individual and office 
listed in the ADDRESSES section by December 23, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of this ICR, with applicable 
supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling Jehyra Asencio 
Yace at AmeriCorps at 202-956-9736 or 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;
     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 August 17, 2022 at 87 FR 50613-50614. This comment 
period ended October 17, 2022. Six public comments were received for 
this notice. Most of the comments included concerns and suggestions 
related to the broad research questions included in the 60-day notice 
that are addressed in the more detailed full evaluation plan and 
instruments. For example, one commenter suggested including 
environmental justice, vulnerable communities' involvement, and 
barriers, which are included in the surveys and interview and focus 
group protocols. In response to comments suggesting directly 
confronting recruitment, living allowances, and match, those questions 
have been added to the instruments. A full summary of comments and 
responses is available in the www.regulations.gov docket.
    Title of Collection: AmeriCorps Program Life Cycle Evaluation--
Climate Change Bundled Evaluation.
    OMB Control Number: 3045-NEW.
    Type of Review: New.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Grantee organization project director 
and staff, national service members, partner organization staff.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 611.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 235.
    Abstract: The purpose of this evaluation is to provide insight on 
the implementation of the climate change bundle programs and explore 
variation in activities for education and training, disaster response, 
conservation, wildfire mitigation, and energy efficiency. It will 
explore the ways in which the programs influence community resilience. 
It will also examine changes in attitudes and behaviors toward civic 
engagement among national service members and the development of job 
skills, including skills for green jobs. Finally, it will examine how 
the programs are serving vulnerable communities and at-risk 
populations. The research questions for this evaluation are:
    1. How do programs/members connect their work to climate change?
    2. To what extent does the program include opportunities to 
increase equity?
    3. To what extent is the program operating as intended?
    4. What are some promising practices and challenges in implementing 
the climate change grant programs?
    5. What were the barriers and facilitators to meet the intended 
outcomes of the program?
    6. What are the lessons learned that can inform the field or be 
useful for practitioners that work in this space?
    7. What is the likelihood that the program will be sustained beyond 
the grant?
    8. How were the communities and community members impacted by 
climate change prior to the program?
    9. What types of communities are being helped by the climate change 
grant programs?
    10. To what extent are programs focused on vulnerable populations 
and communities?
    11. What are the demographic characteristics of national service 
members (e.g., gender, age, race, ethnicity, education)?
    12. What partner organizations are involved (i.e., community 
organizations,

[[Page 71588]]

local agencies)? What are their roles in the program?
    13. What is the breadth (number and type of partnership), quality, 
and quantity of the partnership(s) (number and frequency of joint 
activities and the strength)?
    14. How were partnerships built and maintained?
    15. How do grantee and sponsor organizations work with partners to 
build community resilience?
    16. To what extent do the climate change grant programs: (a.) 
improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy 
sources? (b.) help communities prepare, respond, and recover from 
natural disasters and other climate change effects? (c.) preserve 
public lands and waterways and protect or restore biodiversity? (d.) 
increase community members' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors around 
climate change? (e.) build capacity of the community to be resilient?
    17. How do the climate change grant programs lead to increased 
civic engagement?
    18. In what ways does participation in the climate change grant 
programs influence national service members' job skills development 
toward green jobs?
    19. To what extent does participation in the climate change grant 
programs: (a.) increase national service members' functional and 
technical job skills? (b.) increase national service members' interest/
willingness to pursue a career in a green job? (c.) lead to a job after 
their service? (d.) lead to a career in a green job after their 
service?
    This bundled evaluation of grantees is being conducted by ICF 
through a contract with AmeriCorps; it will have an explicit emphasis 
on activities related to addressing climate change. By bundling, this 
evaluation combines a group of state commissions with similar program 
approaches into a single evaluation. Spanning 32 months, the evaluation 
includes up to 30 grantees to examine program design, implementation, 
and outcomes using surveys, interviews, and focus groups with a wide 
range of stakeholders including grantee staff, partner organizations, 
national service members, and community members. This is a new 
information collection.

Mary Hyde,
Director, Office of Research and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 2022-25527 Filed 11-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P