# Presentation: 825243

## Champion Community Regional Training/Round III Outreach Conference

- Online Benchmark Management System

## Quick Review of Benchmarks

- Benchmarks are specific strategies for which you will measure results
- Each community establishes their own benchmarks and is evaluated on its progress in achieving them
- Benchmarks provide a two year projection of goals for your community

## Online Project Management Tool

- What is the  Benchmark Management System?

- Benchmark Reporting System
- Tool for Creating Community Reports
- A peer learning resource
- A “living document” of your community’s progress and development
- Platform for Annual Narrative Reports

## Each Designated EZ/EC or Champion Community will be given their own username and password.

- To Begin you Must Have.......

- Computer with Internet access

- Username

- Password

## For security reasons only one or two people should have access to your community’s password.

- BE CAREFUL.....

- Username

- Password

## To begin........ Login

- http://ocdx.usda.gov

## traincom

- Training ID/Password

- Try out the functions of the Benchmark Management System without using your community’s actual data!  It’s fun and it’s safe!
- No special Software is needed, just an Internet browser

- trn0713

- Your Name

## OCD strongly encourages communities to practice data entry by using the training username.

- Practice entering benchmarks.

- View other communities benchmarks

- Become comfortable moving from    screen to screen, logging on and off.

- By logging in with the training username and password you can:

## Activity Menu

**Select the applicable activity.**

**To Log Off**

**If you are inactive for 15 minutes the system will automatically log you off.**

## Only enter a number

**Only enter a number**
** ****here if you do not **
**want to use USDA’s**
** ****official numbering system**

**Active benchmarks are benchmarks planned**
** ****for implementation in the next two years.**
** ****Completed benchmarks  should not be made**
** ****inactive.   ****An inactive benchmark is one **
**the  community  will no longer pursue.**

## Use the Tab Key to move around.

**The problem as identified **
**in the Strategic Plan. **
** ****Example:  housing, health**
** ****care, education, etc.**

**Select the goals from your **
**Strategic Plan that  you **
**want to focus on for the**
**next two years.  **

## Enter the page number from your Strategic Plant that relates to this Goal/ Objective.

**Enter the page number from your Strategic Plant that relates to this Goal/ Objective.**

**Enter a description of your benchmark.  Describe what you are going to do to achieve your goal.  Select strategies that can be measured, because you will also choose performance indicators for them.**

**Notice**
** ****No Log Off?**

## Log Off is now at the bottom of the activity menu!

**Log Off is now at the bottom of the activity menu!**

**Select the category that best describes your benchmark from the drop down list.**

## If there is no category which applies to your benchmark, contact your State Office contact to see if the category can be added.

- To add another
-  benchmark click here. (Add Benchmark)

- To continue entering
-  information related to
-  the current benchmark click here. (Revise/Update Benchmarks)

## Congratulations!  You have just entered your first benchmark!   

- Congratulations!  You have just entered your first benchmark!

- Now you are ready to get
-  to the  “nitty gritty” of
-  benchmarking!    Click on
-  Revise/Update  Benchmarks.

## You will be taken to the Benchmark Page

- This page displays all the benchmarks for your community.

- And allows access to detailed information . . . .

## And......

## You will be taken to the “Main Menu” for the selected benchmark.

**This “Main Menu” page is the central point for navigating through your benchmark **

## Please Note:. . . . . 

- Please Note:. . . . .

- If you want to show the task as completed you must click on the Edit button first or your changes will not be saved after you log out.

## From the Main Menu . . . . .

- Takes you back to the Benchmark Main Menu.

- Takes you to the Tasks and Projects Page.  Tasks and Projects are the specific actions required to complete each benchmark.  Identify a task leader, projected timelines with start and end dates, and a projected budget for each task.

## Identify all funding for this benchmark, not just EZ/EC funds or USDA Rural Development Funds.

- Measurable outputs that are in addition to the benchmark’s primary unit of measurement.

- Click on Edit to make changes in an existing task.

## Simply place your cursor in the field you wish to change.

- Edit brings you to this screen which contains the information initially entered for the benchmark.

- Be sure to click on Submit when finished.

## This Activity menu will always be present on the left hand side of every screen in the automated system.  

- This Activity menu will always be present on the left hand side of every screen in the automated system.

- If you are lost in the system and cannot get back to the previous page, ........

- Always remember you can navigate to wherever you want to go from wherever you are using the Activity Menu.

## Let’s take a look at some of the detail screens on the Benchmark Management System.

## Slide 25

## Click on Add New Task

## Adding New Task

## If the task is to seek funds, don’t list the amount you seek, just the cost of applying for funding......

- _If the task is to seek funds, don’t list the amount you seek, just the cost of applying for funding_......

## It is important to remember that nothing is saved automatically.  You have to submit, update, or save to keep from losing your work.  

- It is important to remember that nothing is saved automatically.  You have to submit, update, or save to keep from losing your work.

## This page shows all funding and assistance information in the system for the current benchmark.

- Remember, each loan and/or grant must be listed separately.

## Identify all funding for this benchmark not just EZ/EC funds or USDA Rural Development Funds.

- Identify _all_ funding for _this_ benchmark not just EZ/EC funds or USDA Rural Development Funds.

## Tips on Funding

**Tips on Funding**

- If you select the Source as “private sector” or “non-profit” list the name of the organization under the “agency” field.  _Do not leave it blank_.

## Tips on Funding

**Tips on Funding**

- If there are multiple sources of funding from one source enter the name of the agency and the relevant program information, but also add a reference to the _project_ in which the funds will be used.

## Tips on Funding

**Tips on Funding**

- Funds received are those that have been received and are “in the bank.”

- Funds requested are those funds you have actually written applications for and submitted to the funding agency.

- Do not enter funding requests you are considering.  Rather, wait until a grant or loan request is actually submitted.

- Refer to Instruction Manual page 14, for more information and clarification of funding entry.

## To Add Non Funding Assistance                              Click on “Add Assistance”

## Adding Assistance

- Identify the non-monetary things you have secured.  Be creative.  Start with the resources that are already available.  Identify the partners that can help you.  Then enter the type of contribution and the quantity of in-kind or technical assistance.

## Tips on Assistance

**Tips on Assistance**

- The “Quantity” field will only accept numbers, not text.

- Describe the assistance under the type of contribution in such a way that a number can measure it.

- Example:

- Source - AmeriCorps.  20 volunteers - 8 days, quantity would be 160 days.

## Secondary Outputs page

**Secondary Outputs page**

- In this section you can document additional successes and record comments about your benchmark.

## Secondary Outputs are measurable outputs that are in addition to the benchmark’s primary unit of measurement.  

- Secondary Outputs are measurable outputs that are in addition to the benchmark’s primary unit of measurement.

_**Secondary Outputs**_

## You can choose from the drop-down list.  

- You can choose from the drop-down list.

_**Secondary Outputs**_

## Tips on Secondary Outputs

- You may create as many Secondary Outputs as you need.

- The Secondary Outputs component of the benchmark system is a very important tool to measure the aggregate benefits that have occurred in a community as a result of completing a benchmark.

- # of jobs created

-  # of houses constructed, etc.

-  # of jobs saved

- # of houses rehabilitated

## Tips on Secondary Outputs (Notes)

- This section is very useful for helping communities explain pertinent information about the benchmark, and will make required narrative reporting easier.

- This section can also be used to record information about community meetings or public outreach related to this benchmark.

## How Often Should You Update Benchmarks?

**OCD strongly suggests that every**
** ****community update its benchmarks**
** ****on a monthly basis.**

- This includes updating the outputs to date, task information, funding information, secondary outputs, and relevant information in the notes section.

## Integrating Benchmarks into Community Development 

**Integrating Benchmarks into Community Development**

**Organize Benchmark Subcommittees by Topic**  (ie. Housing, Youth Programs, Infrastructure)
**Make a Calendar of Bi-Monthly Updating**      Identify _who_ will update benchmarks and _when_
**Use Benchmark Reports to Inform       **Feedback to the community board, the basis for periodic community updates,** **to document progress and to keep track of responsibilities

## REMEMBER...........

- Any user with login privileges in the United States  will be able to view your community’s information.

- Only community users have the ability to revise or update information.

## If you change the Category, the system will reset your Activity, Unit of Measurement, Source of Data, Baseline and Target.  You will need to reselect these fields.  

- If you change the Category, the system will reset your Activity, Unit of Measurement, Source of Data, Baseline and Target.  You will need to reselect these fields.

## Likewise, if you change the Activity, you need to re-enter the Unit of Measurement, Source of Data, Baseline and Target.

## REMEMBER...........

- If a budget is listed for the task, update the estimated budget to reflect the actual expenditures now that the task has been completed.

- When you update benchmark information, you should also indicate which tasks have been completed.

- If you have updated your tasks properly, the system will automatically recalculate the percentage of tasks completed.  -

## If you don’t know what information is being asked for, click on the underlined text for an explanation of each field.  

- If you don’t know what information is being asked for, click on the underlined text for an explanation of each field.

## REMEMBER...........

- Prepare your benchmark information ahead of time in your word processing software application.  Then you can review what will be input for accuracy, and “cut” and “paste” the information into the automated system.

**An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!**

## State Office Review

- When a community adds a new benchmark or significantly changes an existing one, an email message will be sent to the Rural Development State Office automatically, and the approval status of the relevant benchmarks will be reset to “Awaiting Review”..

- A significant change is one that changes the nature of the activity or service or its performance measure. . . . . .

## This includes changes to the problem and goal statements from the strategic plan, benchmark, description, performance measure (unit of measurement), source of data for the performance measure, baseline number, and benchmark target number.

- If the budget for a single benchmark changes by more than 15% or $75,000, whichever is smaller, this is also considered a significant revision.

## REPORTING. . . . .

- The Benchmark Management System includes built-in reports that allow you to print out the information in the system.

- And . . . You can adapt them for your special needs!

- These reports are useful for providing information for Board meetings, or providing information to the public.

## REPORT TYPES

- Select Create New Report from the Activity Menu.

- _REPORT TYPES:_

- Benchmark Overview Report
- Benchmark Detail Report
- Partners and Resources Report
- Output To Date Report

## Excellent hand out for board meetings and public meetings to illustrate progress to date on every benchmark.

## Useful in determining the total amount of funds leveraged by a community and is a useful tool for developing articles for a community newsletter or other media. 

- Useful in determining the total amount of funds leveraged by a community and is a useful tool for developing articles for a community newsletter or other media.

## CREATE A REPORT

## You can filter your report in one of two ways, either......

## If you choose this option the system will ignore anything you have selected in the State or Community Type section.

## To select more than one menu item, hold down the “Control” key on your keyboard while you click on items.  

- To select more than one menu item, hold down the “Control” key on your keyboard while you click on items.

## Slide 61

## Slide 62

## Slide 63

## Slide 64

## You will be prompted to give the report a name. 

- You will be prompted to give the report a name.

- Submit the report.

## Slide 66

## You also have the options of . . . . .

## Three last things..........

- The Instruction Manual for the Community Development Benchmark Management System, _Version 4_, June 2000, is your best reference  for data entry into the automated system.

- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

- Practice, Practice, Practice.

- Become proficient as a training user before you enter the “real world” of benchmarking.

## Who To Contact: