RSVP Performance Measures
Performance Measurement

• Performance Measurement is: 

– The ongoing monitoring and reporting of program accomplishments 

and progress

– It explains what level of performance is achieved by the program

• Performance Measures are:

– Outputs used to ensure effective implementation of a program

– Outcomes used to assess the result of the service provided by the 

program

• Theory of Change:

– The mechanism by which programs outline how their programs 

work based on existing research or practice grounded in evidence 

and field experience
Theory of Change (Logic Model)

Community 

Need

Intended 

Outcome 

Intervention/ 

Service Activity
Theory of Change (Logic Model)

Community 

Need

Intended 

Outcome 

Statistics

documenta need 

Evidence

Guides choice of intervention

Supports cause-effect relationship

Intervention/ 

Service Activity
Performance Measures Work Plans

Community 

Need

Service 

Activity Output Outcome 

Data 

Collection 

Instrument and 

Instrument 

Description 

Service Activity 

Description 

Data 

Collection 

Instrument and 

Instrument 

Description 
Performance Measures Work Plans

• Data documenting problem/need should answer 

these questions:

• SCOPE: Who and how many are directly 

affected? How severe is this? 

• SIGNIFICANCE: What makes this a 

compelling need? Is it likely to become 

worse? What will happen if we do nothing?

• CAUSE(S): Why does the need exist? How is 

it perpetuated?

6 

• Community Need: 
Performance Measures Work Plans

• Service Activity: 

– The task that volunteers will perform. 

– The description should include:

• Who the beneficiaries are

• What the volunteers will be doing with them 

• How often volunteers provide service, 

• For how long, and 

• Where the service takes place 
Performance Measures Work Plans

• Outputs: 

– Amount of service provided 

(people served, products created, or programs developed)

• Outcomes: 

– Reflect the changes or benefits that occur 

– Can reflect changes in individuals, organizations, communities, 

or the environment

– Address changes in attitudes/beliefs, knowledge/skills, 

behavior, or conditions
Common Pitfalls

Community 

Need/Problem 

statement

Explains service activities instead of presenting data demonstrating the 

specific issue in the community that the service activities will address.

Turns into a “data dump” with too many indirect or unrelated statistics 

provided.

The community need and intended outcome are not closely related.

Service Activity Description of the design and service (how often, for how long, and 

where the service will take place, and who are the beneficiaries) is 

incomplete.

Outcome Isn’t likely to result from the service activities proposed.

Doesn’t directly relate to the community need.

Statistics Are not relevant, compelling, or current

Do not come from data on program similar to the one proposed (based 

on design and dosage)

Do not make a strong case for the choice of intervention (service

activity)

Sources are not cited
Performance Measures Requirements

• Primary Focus Area

– Disaster Services

– Economic Opportunity

– Education

– Environmental Stewardship

– Healthy Futures

– Veterans and Military Families
• Percentage rules eliminated (no egg!)

• Replaced by cost per unduplicated volunteer in 

outcome-based assignments or in evidencebased programs with health education outputs

• New measures and new service activities

Performance Measurement Requirements
Performance Measurement Requirements

Year 1: For every $1,250 in annual base federal funding, at least one 

unduplicated RSVP volunteer must be placed in work plans that: 

• 1. Result in National Performance Measure outcomes in a 

combination of any of the focus areas and/or Capacity Building 

Measures, or 

• 2. Engage volunteers in an evidence based program that results in 

a National Performance Measure output in health education 

programming. (Evidence Based, see Appendix C) 

Year 2 and 3: For every $1,000 in annual base federal funding, at least 

one unduplicated RSVP volunteer must be placed in work plans that: 

• 1. Result in National Performance Measure outcomes in a 

combination of any of the focus areas and/or Capacity Building 

Measures, or 

• 2. Engage volunteers in an evidence based program that results in 

a National Performance Measure output in health education 

programming. (Evidence Based, see Appendix C) 
• New measures or service activities available in 

most areas

–Disaster Services

–Economic Opportunity

–Education

–Healthy Futures

–Veterans and Military Families

Additions to Measures 
New in Disaster Services

• Number of individuals receiving services: Added service 

activity to capture youth preparedness activities

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Assistance 

Provided

D1. Number of individuals 

that received CNCSsupported services in 

disaster preparedness.

Training;

Creating Disaster Kits;

Performing Outreach;

Youth Preparedness

Other

None.
New in Economic Opportunity

• Financial Literacy: Created income tax assistance 

outcomes for financial literacy outputs (Assisting VITA 

and Income Tax Tutoring activities)

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Financial 

Literacy

O1. Number of economically 

disadvantaged individuals 

receiving financial literacy 

services.

Assisting VITA;

Income Tax Tutoring;

 

O18. Dollar value of tax 

preparatory fees saved by 

CNCS-supported 

organizations or national 

service participants.

 

Financial 

Literacy

O1. Number of economically 

disadvantaged individuals 

receiving financial literacy 

services.

Assisting VITA;

Income Tax Tutoring;

 

O19. Dollar value of tax 

refunds generated by CNCSsupported organizations or 

national service participants.

 
New in Education

K-12 Success: Added existing post-secondary institution 

outcomes for tutoring activities

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

K-12 success ED2. Number of 

students that 

completed participation 

in CNCS-supported K-12 

education programs.

Tutoring-Public 

School;

Tutoring-Faith-Based 

School;

Tutoring-Other

ED10: Number of students 

entering post-secondary 

institutions.

ED11: Number of students 

earning a post-secondary 

degree.
New in Education

K-12 Success: Added existing post-secondary institution 

outcomes for mentoring activities

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

K-12 success ED4A. Number of 

disadvantaged 

youth/mentor matches 

or children with special 

or exceptional 

needs/mentor matches 

that were sustained by 

the CNCS-supported 

program for at least the 

required time period.

Tutoring-Public 

School;

Tutoring-Faith-Based 

School;

Tutoring-Other

ED10: Number of students 

entering post-secondary 

institutions.

ED11: Number of students 

earning a post-secondary 

degree.
New in Veterans and Military Families

• Number of veterans assisted: Added service activities to 

accommodate tracking post-secondary education 

activities

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Veterans & 

Military 

Families 

Served

V3. Number of veterans 

assisted in pursuing 

educational opportunities.

Coaching/Counseling;

Referring to services;

Assisting with entering postsecondary education;

Assisting with earning post-secondary 

degree

None.
New in Healthy Futures

• Created Objective: Inclusion of people with disabilities

• Created output measure to accommodate programs 

serving individuals with developmental disabilities better 

integrate into their communities

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Inclusion of 

people with 

disabilities

H15. Number of individuals 

with developmental 

disabilities receiving services 

that promote selfdetermination, 

independence, productivity, 

and integration and inclusion 

in in community-based 

settings

Transportation;

Companionship;

Companionship—Dept. of 

Veterans Affairs;

Financial Literacy or 

Housing Services;

Preventing Elder Abuse; 

Supporting Integration

None
New in Healthy Futures

• Obesity and Food: Created output measure for programs 

that support Soup Kitchens, Food Banks, or Food 

Pantries whose service activities are not captured in 

existing measures

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Obesity and 

Food

H16. Number of national 

service volunteer service 

hours in support of 

addressing hunger through 

service at Soup Kitchens, 

Food Banks or Food Pantries.

Assisting Soup Kitchens

Assisting Food Banks or Food 

Pantries

None
New in Healthy Futures

• Obesity and Food: Added existing output measures that 

support physical education and nutrition education

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Obesity and 

Food

H5. Number of children and 

youth engaged in in-school or 

afterschool physical 

education activities with the 

purpose of reducing 

childhood obesity.

HRSA sponsored Home 

Visiting Programs

Coaching

None.

Obesity and 

Food

H6. Number of children and 

youth receiving nutrition 

education with the purpose 

of reducing childhood 

obesity. HRSA sponsored 

Home Visiting Programs 

None.

HRSA sponsored Home 

Visiting Programs

Coaching

Child Life programs

Child Safety and Welfare 

Interventions

None.
New in Healthy Futures

• Access to Care: Added existing output and outcome 

measures that support distributing health care information 

and enrolling individuals into health care programs

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Access to 

Care

H2. Number of clients to 

whom information on health 

insurance, health care access 

and health benefits programs 

is delivered.

Child Life programs

Child Safety and Welfare 

Interventions

HRSA sponsored Home 

Visiting Programs

H3. Number of clients enrolled in 

health insurance, health services, and 

health benefits programs.
New in Healthy Futures

• Access to Care: Added existing output measures that 

support basic access to health care and health education 

programs

Objective Output Service Activity Outcome

Access to Care H4. Number of clients 

participating in health 

education programs.

Training;

Coaching;

Leading or Assisting Bone Builders;

Matter of Balance; 

Chronic Disease Self-Management 

Program;

Other ACL Prevention Programs

None.
Evidence-based Programs

• Engage volunteers in an evidence based 

program that results in a National Performance 

Measure output in health education 

programming. (Evidence Based, see Appendix C) 

• TTA Call 3: Evidence-based Programming

Date/Time: Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at 2PM 

(Eastern)

• TTA Call 6: Refresher on New Performance 

Measures and Evidence-based Programming

Date/Time: Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at 2PM 

(Eastern)
• Questions?