Table of Contents

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Monitoring of the Community Needs Assessment

As you work through the assessment process, consider how State CSBG Lead Agencies may monitor a Community Action agency’s Community Needs Assessment report. Ask yourself:

  • What will the monitor be looking for when they read my Community Needs Assessment report?
  • What elements should my CNA report contain?
  • Is my CNA report “comprehensive and complete”?

NASCSP developed a Community Needs Assessment Monitoring Checklist to assist State monitors in determining if a Community Action agency met each Organizational Standard related the community assessment. The following is a summary of this checklist to help you as you complete your CNA report.

CNA Monitoring Checklist

The checklist includes three sections:

  1. Organizational Standards in the Community Assessment category.
  2. Organizational Standards associated with community assessment but located in other categories such as Strategic Planning, Customer Input and Involvement, and Community Engagement.
  3. Other elements of a comprehensive report that are not included in the Organizational Standards but are helpful to monitors as they review assessment reports.
1. Community Assessment Org. Standards

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

The date of the previous report is no later than three years prior to the date of the current report.

The CNA report is shared with the community and agency stakeholders to ensure the results are shared with partner organizations, other sectors, and the community at least. The report can be issues a number of ways, including but not limited to: on the agency website or social media pages, sent via email, or distribution of hard copies.

OS 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).

Find reliable resources to obtain the data noted in the Standard here. Focus on data specific to the geographic area detailed in the assessment report. CAAs should also include data from their internal program reports to compare to other data sources.

Find reliable resources to obtain the data noted in the Standard here. Focus on data specific to the geographic area detailed in the assessment report. CAAs should also include data from their internal program reports to compare to other data sources.

Find reliable resources to obtain the data noted in the Standard here. Focus on data specific to the geographic area detailed in the assessment report. CAAs should also include data from their internal program reports to compare to other data sources.

The monitor should have a clear understanding of the community(ies) that is/are included in the report. Identification of the community being assessed should include nearby municipalities or counties as well as smaller geographic areas such as neighborhoods or census tracts.

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

Quantitative data is statistical or numerical data and is gathered to reflect the scope of the needs in the community. Quantitative data should be relevant to the community assessment and connected to the identified community. It is important to include national data, local data, and data from the CAA’s own services within the CNA report.

Qualitative data is descriptive or narrative data, often opinions or observations that help provide insight into the depth and breadth of an issue. Qualitative information can be gathered in a variety of ways such as through surveys, interviews, community meetings, or focus groups.

Qualitative data must be presented and reported using the actual words of respondents. If qualitative data is summarized (i.e. “X number of people said that rent for apartments is too high.”), then it actually quantitative data.

The monitor should be able to understand who completed the data analysis, what method of data analysis was used, that both quantitative and qualitative information was discussed and analyzed, and there was an effort to look at the similarities and differences between what the numerical data says and what the people are voicing. It is best to summarize all of this information in a Methodology section within the report.

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

The CNA Report should include a section that clearly states that the agency determined the key findings from their analysis of the data and have identified needs. Also important is to identify needs by level: family, agency, or community.

Keep in mind that cause of poverty can be defined as a “negative factor that creates or fosters barriers to self-sufficiency and/or reduces access to resources in communities in which low-income individuals live” while condition of poverty is defined as a “negative environmental, safety, health and/or economic condition that may reduce investment or growth in communities where low-income individuals live.”

OS 3.5- The governing board formally accepts the completed community assessment.

Documentation of the date the governing board approved the CNA should be included within the report.

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2. Org. Standards related to Community Assessment

OS 1.2- The organization analyzes information collected directly from low-income individuals as part of the community assessment.

Information collected from low-income individuals (surveys, meetings, focus groups, etc.) should be described within the CNA report. A Methodology section within the report is ideal to complete this requirement.

Refer back to OS 3.3 above for more information on data collection and analysis.

OS 2.2- The organizations utilizes information gathered from key sectors of the community in assessing needs and resources, during the community assessment process or other times. These sectors would include at minimum: community based organizations, faith-based organizations, private sector, public sector, and educational institutions.

You should obtain information during the assessment data collection process from representatives within community-based organizations. Note that the Standard indicates this information can be derived at other times outside the assessment process. It is possible to collect this information throughout the year as a part of your ongoing work in collaborations and partnerships where data is discussed.

You should obtain information during the assessment data collection process from representatives within faith-based organizations. Note that the Standard indicates this information can be derived at other times outside the assessment process. It is possible to collect this information throughout the year as a part of your ongoing work in collaborations and partnerships where data is discussed.

You should obtain information during the assessment data collection process from representatives within the private sector. Note that the Standard indicates this information can be derived at other times outside the assessment process. It is possible to collect this information throughout the year as a part of your ongoing work in collaborations and partnerships where data is discussed.

You should obtain information during the assessment data collection process from representatives within the public sector. Note that the Standard indicates this information can be derived at other times outside the assessment process. It is possible to collect this information throughout the year as a part of your ongoing work in collaborations and partnerships where data is discussed.

You should obtain information during the assessment data collection process from representatives within educational institutions. Note that the Standard indicates this information can be derived at other times outside the assessment process. It is possible to collect this information throughout the year as a part of your ongoing work in collaborations and partnerships where data is discussed.

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Note that information from these five sectors is the minimum requirement to meet this Standard. Information from other sectors is also welcome.

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3. Additional elements related to Community Assessment

The CNA report should not only include the identification of needs, but also the resources that are currently available, being developed, and in threat of being lost in a community. This way gaps in services can be ascertained.

A Methodology section within the report is important to describe the process used to conduct the community assessment. It is important that the assessment is conducted by more than one person at the CAA; the process should be overseen by an assessment team. This team should be involved in all aspects of the assessment including making decisions on what data to collect, the methods used to collect the data, analysis of the data, and the content and format of the final report.

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