1. COMMUNITY Needs Assessment Overview
Office of Volunteerism and Community Services
Virginia Department of Social Services
June 9, 2015
Office on Volunteerism and Community Services, Virginia Department of Social Services

3. Reminder of the regulations
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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Steps to conduct a community needs assessment
Plan
Gather data
quantitative data
qualitative data
Analyze findings
Prepare report

8. Creating a workgroup to guide the process is a huge benefit!!
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)

9. Determine the scope of the assessment Determine the geographic focus
1. Plan
Determine the scope of the assessment Determine 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?

10. 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

11. 2. Gather Data 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?

12. 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 are reliable sources for the data?
How can you get it?

13. COLLECT QUALITATIVE DATA
Future training
Likely to use
Surveys
Interviews
Forums
Focus groups
Determine
Who
How
When
How many
Data integrity and management
Data analysis
Tomorrow’s Session at 1:30
Ramona Chapman
Dept. of Housing and Community Development

14. COLLECT QUANTITATIVE DATA What do you want to know
COLLECT QUANTITATIVE DATA What do you want to know? What are reliable sources for the data?
Using U.S. Census Bureau Data
Tomorrow’s Session at 1:30
Ally Burleson-Gibson
Data Dissemination Specialist for Virginia
U.S. Census Bureau

16. Example

19. 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

20. 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?

21. 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?

22. 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:

23. Community Needs Assessment
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

24. TIMING

25. S.P. process with Board and Staff from July 2016 – May 2017
Strategic Plan
To be completed by June 2017
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
S.P. process with Board and Staff from July 2016 – May 2017
Community Needs Assessment complete by April 2016
Community Needs Assessment complete by April 2019
Needs Asmt
Update 2020
Needs Asmt
Update 2021
Needs Asmt Update 2017
Needs Asmt Update 2018
Needs to start by July 2015

26. S.P. process with Board and Staff from July 2016 – May 2017
Strategic Plan
To be completed by June 2017
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
S.P. process with Board and Staff from July 2016 – May 2017
Community Needs Assessment complete by April 2016
Community Needs Assessment complete by April 2019
Needs Asmt Update 2017
Needs Asmt Update 2018
Needs to start by July 2015
Thoughts?

27. Are there training and technical assistance needs
Are there training and technical assistance needs? Where can we be most helpful?

28. Some resources on community needs assessment