COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW

Office on Volunteerism and Community Services, Virginia Department of Social Services

Office of Volunteerism and Community ServicesVirginia Department of Social ServicesJune 9, 2015

2

CSBG Organizational Standards: Community Assessment

Local control of Federal CSBG resources is predicated on regular

comprehensive community assessments that take into account

the breadth of community needs as well as the partners and

resources available in a community to meet these needs.

Regular assessment of needs and resources at the community level

is the foundation of Community Action and a vital management and

leadership tool that is used across the organization and utilized by the

community to set the course for both CSBG and all agency

resources.

Reminder of the regulations

Standard

3.1 The organization conducted a community assessment and issued a report within the past 3 years.

3.2 As part of the community assessment, the organization collects and includes current data specific to poverty and its prevalence related to gender, age, and race/ethnicity for their service area(s).

3.3 The organization collects and analyzes both qualitative and quantitative data on its geographic service area(s) in the community assessment.

3.4 The community assessment includes key findings on the causes and conditions of poverty and the needs of the communities assessed.

3.5 The governing board formally accepts the completed community assessment.

How do they fit together?

Community Needs Assessment

Strategic Plan Community Action Plan

Every 3 years Every 5 years Annual

Identifies community needs

Sets agency priorities and outcomes

Identifies the plan to implement programs and approaches to meet strategic goals and address community needs

Purpose of the Community Needs Assessment

The community assessment is primarily intended to inform CAA

strategic direction and investment decisions.

Done well, it will also influence the direction and strategies of other local service providers and

funders.

Steps to conduct a community needs assessment

1. Plan

2. Gather data • quantitative data• qualitative data

3. Analyze findings

4. Prepare report

1. Plan

Creating a workgroup to guide the process is a huge benefit!!

• Determine the focus and scope of the assessment• Set a work plan and timeline• Determine what information to collect and how• Determine who will be participate in surveys, focus groups,

interviews, etc. • Help analyze the data and draw conclusions. Review reports

• Involve the Board and other partners (e.g. university students; non-profit partners; city or county staff; Head Start parents; teachers and administrators; local foundations and funders)

Determine the scope of the assessmentDetermine the geographic focus

• Poverty and low income• levels, causes, root causes and results of poverty

• Determine community needs • Are they met or unmet? • Prioritize the needs

• Identify barriers to receiving services and to financial stability

• Recommend solutions• How will you treat geographic differences? • What else will you include?

1. Plan

1. Plan Gain Board Approval and Commitment to Participate

Report to the Board:

• goals of the Community Needs Assessment• major tasks and timelines• the methods for collecting data in each county• the plan to solicit help from partners and volunteers• specific Board member responsibilities

Present CNA plan to the Board for approval

• What data and needs assessments already exist?

Sources• Local foundations• United Ways • Universities• Nonprofit hospitals [New Requirements for Charitable 501(c)

(3) Hospitals: conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) and adopt an implementation strategy at least once every three years. ]

• Where else?

2. Gather Data

2. Gather Data: Determine what new data is needed

Qualitative data: • What do you want to know?• How to get it? surveys, interviews, forums, and focus groups

Quantitative data• What do you want to know? • What are reliable sources for the data? • How can you get it?

COLLECT QUALITATIVE DATA

• Likely to use• Surveys• Interviews• Forums• Focus groups

• Determine• Who• How• When• How many• Data integrity and management• Data analysis

•

Future training

Tomorrow’s Session at 1:30Ramona Chapman

Dept. of Housing and Community Development

COLLECT QUANTITATIVE DATAWhat do you want to know? What are reliable sources for the data?

Using U.S. Census Bureau Data

Tomorrow’s Session at 1:30Ally Burleson-Gibson

Data Dissemination Specialist for Virginia

U.S. Census Bureau

http://www.communitycommons.org/groups/community-action-partnership/

Example

http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/

3. ANALYZE DATA

This is where the real work begins. This is the most critical part of the assessment process

because the critical needs that are identified and the key findings will guide the strategic planning.

“It is not about gathering the data but about what we will do with all the data.

Once you have gathered all your data, you are going to need to determine what it all means and answer these questions: How can we use it? How can it help us paint our own future?”

• Community Action Association of Pennsylvania: Community Needs Assessment Toolkit

While analyzing your qualitative data it is important that you continuously ask yourself the following types of questions:

• What patterns and common themes emerge around specific items in the data?

• How do these patterns (or lack thereof) help to shed light on the community? What story are they telling us?

• Do they get to the root of an issue or are they a symptom?

• Are there any deviations from these patterns? If, yes, what factors could explain these atypical responses? If the deviation is good, is there a way to spread it?

• What interesting stories emerge from the data? How can these stories help to shed light on the broader issues?

What are the “whys” behind the data?

• Do any of the patterns/emergent themes suggest that additional data needs to be collected?

• Do the patterns that emerge support the findings of other needs assessments that have been conducted?

• Identify the themes and patterns, but make sure to include the whys.

• It is not enough to say we have a transportation issues. That is just compiling data. • What is really the problem? What did you learn about

transportation from the qualitative portion of the data collection? Why?

4. Write Report: Determine How to Organize Data, Findings and Recommendations in the Summary Report

For example

ORGANIZING DATA BY CSBG SERVICE CATEGORIES such as poverty conditions, employment, education, housing, nutrition, health and transportation.

ORGANIZING DATA BY CAA ROMA GOALS

ORGANIZING DATA BY AGENCY-DESIGNED, ORIGINAL CATEGORIES

Other …

From: http://www.nascsp.org/data/files/CSBG_Resources/Train_Tech_Assistance/Needs_Assessment_FINAL_-_8.22_print_to_pdf.pdf

USE YOUR FINDINGS

Community Needs Assessment

Strategic Plan Community Action Plan

Every 3 years Every 5 years Annual

Identifies community needs

Sets agency priorities and outcomes

Identifies the plan to implement programs and approaches to meet strategic goals and address community needs

TIMING

Strategic Plan To be completed by

June 2017

S.P. process with Board and Staff from July

2016 – May 2017

Community Needs

Assessment complete by April 2016

Needs to start by

July 2015

Strategic Plan To be

completed by June 2022

Annual Action Plan 17/18

Annual Action Plan 18/19

Annual Action Plan 19/20

Annual Action Plan 20/21

Annual Action Plan 21/22

Needs Asmt Update 2017

Needs Asmt Update 2018

Community Needs

Assessment complete by April 2019

Needs Asmt Update 2020

Needs Asmt Update 2021

Are there training and technical assistance

needs?

Where can we be most helpful?

Some resources on community needs assessment

• http://nascsp.org/data/files/csbg_publications/guides-and-manuals/15-csbg-capplanreqs-1.pdf

• http://www.nascsp.org/data/files/CSBG_Resources/Train_Tech_Assistance/Needs_Assessment_FINAL_-_8.22_print_to_pdf.pdf

• https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/operations/docs/CA%20Workbook_v1_final%20PDF.pdf

• http://nascsp.org/data/files/csbg_publications/guides-and-manuals/2015-texas%20-%20commmunity%20needs%20assessment%20guide.pdf

• http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/community-affairs/csbg/guidance.htm