reporting value and demonstrating impactreporting value and demonstrating impact - new attendee this...
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Reporting Value and
Demonstrating Impact
Reporting Value and Demonstrating
Impact - New Attendee
This session will cover how all of the various reporting
Land-grant Universities (LGUs) submit for capacity and
competitive grants is used by NIFA to support federal
government budget preparation, Congressional
inquiries, and data information requests from senior
executives in the government, industry, media, and
academia. Participants will also gain an understanding
of how their data is shared with internal and external
audiences to communicate public value.
What we’ll discuss today
• Motivate you to communicate your science
• Help you understand what we are looking for
• Help you craft the message about your
science
• Maximize your communications through NIFA
Ways NIFA Communicates
Impacts
• Annual NIFA Impact Publication
• NIFA Annual Report
• NIFA Communications (NIFA Update, Fresh
from the Field, Twitter, Blogs, News Releases)
• NIFA Web Pages
• Searchable databases (NIFA Data Gateway &
LMD)
• Speeches for Leadership
• Fact sheets, displays, posters, newsletters
NIFA’s Publicity Channels
Sign up and stay informed
Get email updates - bit.ly/NIFAsubscribe
NIFA web page: nifa.usda.gov
NIFA Twitter: @USDA_NIFA
Why Report Impacts?
Congress cares about your
outcomes and impacts!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOhDcUY-
7GA&feature=youtu.be&t=3h35m32s
Which Stories Make the Cut for NIFA
Communications?
• Topics that interest Congress
• Major advancements in the field
• Wow factor
• Pegged to the news cycle
• Human interest – projects that affect individuals’ lives
Projects with well-written, plain language progress
reports are more likely to be communicated
10
Communications
Purpose Highlight the best examples
Relate to public value
Products NIFA Annual Report
NIFA Website, Brochures, and
Social Media
“Impact” Statements
Qualities Anecdotal
Biased due to self-selection
Deliberate story-telling
Feel-good human stories
Requested
Methodology Typically qualitative
Done quickly (on demand)
11
Measurement Communications
Purpose Meet legislative requirements for
data-driven decision making
Demonstrate public value
Highlight the best examples
Relate to public value
Products Report against strategic and
program goals
Performance-based (outcome
measures)
Cost-Benefit analyses
NIFA Annual Report
NIFA Website, Brochures, and Social
Media
“Impact” Statements
Qualities Rigorous and comprehensive
Independent and objective
Meet standards of evidence
Required
Anecdotal
Biased due to self-selection
Deliberate story-telling
Feel-good human stories
Requested
Methodology Quantitative and Qualitative (mixed
methods)
Done over time with deliberate
planning
Typically qualitative
Done quickly (on demand)
How NIFA Uses Reporting Data
Evidence of Performance is Used in:
• The Annual Budget Requests & OMB Inquiries
• NIFA Budget Explanatory Notes / USDA Annual
Performance Report
• Congressional Inquiries
• Audits & Oversight Inquiries (GAO/OIG)
• Other USDA Departmental Inquiries
• Secretary’s Travel and Speaking Engagements
• Scientific Emphasis Area Evaluations
Are we solving the problem?
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
Hatch Act. University of Georgia horticulturists developed
several varieties of blueberries that are specialized as early-
and late-season crops, as well as larger berries at a higher
yield. As a result, blueberry production has increased from
3,500 acres to more than 20,000 acres in recent years. With
annual farm gate values approaching $254 million, the
blueberry has become Georgia’s number one fruit crop. In
addition to improving yield, this research project included
additional mechanical harvesting, reducing commercial
production time to 3 years or less, and developing sound
harvest management practices.
Are we solving the problem?
15
National Program Leaders
• Program Management
• RFA Improvements
• Gap Analysis
PARS• Evaluations, Strategic Planning• NIFA Budget Explanatory Notes
• Systems Improvements, Ad-Hoc Requests
Communications• NIFA Annual Report, Fresh from
the Field newsletter, and more
• Marketing, Promotion, Branding• State Travel Sheets
Office of the NIFA Director
• Presentations/Speeches
• Requests for Additional Funds
• Audits
Congress
• Budget Justifications
• Outcomes Reporting
• Fiscal Planning
Other USDA Offices
• Budget Reporting & Justification
• Progress toward NIFA Goals
• Collaboration and Networking
Who is the audience for Accomplishments and
Outcomes, and what are the Products?
How does NIFA get information
about your projects?
• REEport: Non-technical Summary (What);
and Accomplishments (How, Who, and How
Much)
• Plan of Work: Annual Report & Outcomes
• Direct communication with you: impacts,
success stories, photos, press releases, web
articles, tweets, etc. #NIFAImpacts
• Your university communications office
1. Issue: Answer the “so what?” question. What is
the project aiming to accomplish and why? (Non-
Technical Summary)
2. Action: What did you do about it?
(Methods/Progress)
3. Output/Results/Progress Field: What was
learned or produced (Progress/Products)
4. Accomplishments/Outcomes: What is the
value of the results?
How to Construct Your Message
A Clear Non-Technical Summary Non Technical Summary
Pasture Based Swine Management is an alternative approach for rearing
swine outdoors using pastures as a major source of nutrients, particularly
for gestating sows or finishing pigs. (PROBLEM/ISSUE) To date, relatively
little has been reported on the effects of the rearing environment and its
possible effects on pig carcass composition and meat quality.
(PROPOSED IMPACT) If successful, the proposed project will enable
Alcorn State University and ASU's Cooperative Extension Program to fill a
technical assistance gap in the region by providing technical information
and assistance to limited-resource farmers interested in the production,
processing and marketing of pork and pork products from hogs reared
under an alternative production (pasture-based swine management)
system. (PROPOSED ACTION) The purpose of this study is to first
determine if free range housing of pigs in southwest Mississippi is cost
effective in terms of feed utilization and growth rate, but of greater and
more practical interest is the determination of what effects, if any, could be
found on meat quality traits.
Accomplishments in REEport and the
Outcomes in the Plan of Work are Really
Important!• Write for the audience
– Layperson, Congress, Not experts
• Be Concise
– Problem or Situation
– What happened? What has been done?
– Results!! What difference do the results make?
What is the public value?
• Ask yourself: Why is the project or
program important to the public?
Measures in the Accomplishments sectionThere has been a renewed interest in pasture pork production and
marketing by the producers. It is expected that the project would result
in the increase in the number of limited -resource producer adopting
the alternative pasture methods when the training and demonstration
are set up at Alcorn facility. Results showed that 83% of the producers
were willing to adopt pasture pork production system, in contrast to
17% who showed a lack of interest. The unwilling participants
indicated that they want to adopt a wait- and- see attitude in order to
access how the willing participants faired in terms of financial
assistance availability. The results also show that the farms likely to
adopt pasture pork production were located in Adams, Claiborne,
Covington , and Jefferson Counties. Some producers have requested
the assistance of our center to assist them in setting up their farms.
The project survey activities have increased the participants' interest in
pasture pork production and marketing. Participants attendance at our
annual field days and workshops has also increased.
How to Define/Demonstrate Change
There are three types of “change” that NIFA uses
to classify outcomes:
1. Change in Knowledge
2. Change in Action / Behavior
3. Change in Condition
What Makes an Outcome an Outcome?
• Outcomes are “stories” that demonstrate a
change in something (action) because of
your program or project.
• Outcome Stories can be told in 3-6
sentences.
• You can report short-term, intermediate,
and long-term outcomes.
Short Term Outcome:
• An Output from your activity,
– Not just how many came to your program,
but also what should they have learned
from the program?
• Example
– 231 youth learned about how to grow and
prepare new specialty crops with a higher
nutritional value, that they never tried
before.
– Short term can be directly tied to intervention
Changes in Knowledge that lead to changes in
Attitude, or Behaviors – intended changes or
motivation to change
– Intermediate outcomes are measured within
months of the program end and include
actions based on learning.
Number of teens that quit smoking at 6 months after
program
– Long term are less directly attributable
Reduction in the smoking rate among teens in a city,
county, state, or region.
Short vs. Intermediate vs. Long Term Outcomes
What are Impacts?
Impact is the reportable, quantifiable difference, or potential
difference, your program/project makes in people’s lives. It
reports payoffs and benefits to society. The focus is on
public – not private, internal, or personal – benefit. It is the
answer to, “What’s in it for Us?!” Key areas include:
Economic Environmental Productivity Social Health and
well-being
What are impacts?
Change in condition; long-term changes – can
be direct or indirect changes:
- New varieties of drought resistant wheat accounted for
21% of the Wheat Crop in Kansas. Those farmers
increased their yield by 5%.
- Farmers incorporated the new guidance for Integrated
Pest Management saving an average of $20,000
compared to prior years, by reducing chemical
insecticide applications which also helps increase water
quality in the watershed.
Tips for Telling Your Success Story
• Make sure your “story” flows by connecting
these three “areas.”
• In the “what has been done section,” you
should make sure to mention what
methodologies that were used to
collect/measure data.
• The results of the measured data that show a
change in knowledge, action, or condition
should be part of the “results” section.
Helpful Hints
• Remember your audience
• Write clearly and limit technical language
• Why is the project important to people beyond the science
community?
• Avoid jargon, acronyms, passive voice
• Use numbers/statistics to show the magnitude of the issue,
activities, outputs, results, impacts. (“according to CDC, 1
out of 6 people suffer from food poisoning”).
• Include sources for your statistics
When writing outcomes, ask yourself:
• Have I listed at least one or two quantitative outcome measures and
are they actually measurable? If they are, do we have the evaluation
tools in place to perform the measurement? (surveys, other tools)
• Do the qualitative descriptions in the three areas (issues, What’s
done, results) demonstrate impact/public value?
– Do they describe a clear progression of what the issue was, what
was done, and what the results were?
– Is there at least ONE sentence that a reader can hone in on
and say “THAT is why this funding is important”?
• Overall, does the “story” itself effectively combine quantitative
measures with qualitative description to show the value?
– An outcome statement should not just be a listing of data, survey
results, outputs, etc.
Take-home Messages
• Congress and NIFA care about your
projects’ outcomes and want to share them
through our Communications.
• Help us help you! If you give us clear, plain
language descriptions of your work, we can
accurately amplify your message
• Include Measures to show performance
whenever possible.
Acknowledgment of Your USDA
Support from NIFA
Proper acknowledgment of your USDA-NIFA funding in
published manuscripts, presentations, press releases, and
other communications is critical for the success of our
agency’s programs.
https://nifa.usda.gov/acknowledgment-usda-support-nifa
(2 CFR Part 415)
Resources:The following slides are filled with examples from
both from our Explanatory Notes and our many
Communications Products
McIntire-Stennis Outcome
Story ExampleCurrently used wood adhesives are predominately derived from
non-renewable petrochemicals and may contain hazardous
formaldehyde. Oregon State University has successfully
developed an environmentally friendly wood adhesive from
soybean flour. The adhesive is currently used in the commercial
production of interiorly used plywood panels. The emission of
volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants in each
plant has been reduced by 90% by replacing the urea-
formaldehyde resin with this new alternative adhesive.
1890 University Impact Example
Peanuts are the 12th most valuable cash crop in the United States.
Allergies to peanuts are among the most severe of all food allergies,
affecting some 2.8 million people in the United States, including 400,000
school-aged children. Now, however, there is good news from the North
Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) where
scientists have discovered a way to remove up to 98 percent of the
allergens. Researchers found that by soaking roasted peanuts that have
been shelled and skinned in a solution containing food-grade enzymes,
they can virtually reduce or eliminate two key allergens. The process does
not affect flavor, and treated peanuts can be eaten whole, in pieces, or as
flour in various products. The process has been validated at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill through human clinical trials using skin
prick tests. NC A&T officials expect hypoallergenic peanut products to hit
store shelves soon.
Public Value Story
Youth incarceration costs taxpayers between $240 to $407 per person per
day, ($88K - $148K per person per year). A program developed jointly by
the University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Department of
correction promotes child centered family visits between incarcerated
parents, their children, and the children’s caregivers who raise them.
Children of incarcerated parents involved in this program learn how to be
leaders and make healthy lifestyle choices, which helps keep them out of
juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. In 2013, the Missouri 4-H LIFE
program worked with 180 children and 230 of their qualified adult family
members. The 4-H LIFE Program creates an estimated taxpayer savings
of $16,690 in juvenile delinquency costs and $40,195 in adult crime costs
for a total of $56,885 per child in the program (Small and O'Connor, 2007).
Public Value Story
The current decrease in available labor for orchards requires
innovative solutions. Scientists in Pennsylvania showed that
engineering solutions through mechanical thinning of peaches
can be optimized for different production areas and systems
resulting in higher quality fruit and savings of $900 to $1500
per acre for growers. Properly trained equipment operators
increased their income by 150 percent over manual laborers
and the increased return to growers and labor resulted in a
12-fold economic benefit to the community. Moreover, the
cost of the highest quality peaches was reduced by 10 percent
for consumers.
Questions? Contact us!
Laurie Fortis Snow, Program Analyst – Reporting
Planning, Accountability and Reporting Staff
202-401-0249, [email protected]
Falita Liles, Communications Staff;
Impacts Manager, Fresh from the Field Editor,
202-445-5601, [email protected] or
Scott Elliott, Communications Staff; Blogs & Publications,
Senior Editor, 202-720-7185, [email protected]
Get email updates - bit.ly/NIFAsubscribe
NIFA web page: nifa.usda.gov
NIFA Twitter: @USDA_NIFA
NIFA Fresh from the Field:
https://nifa.usda.gov/fresh-field
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