CNCS Performance Measures Instructions

AmeriCorps State and National Planning Grants

2020
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Table of Contents

Planning Grant Performance Measure Requirements...................................................................................3

Planning Grant Performance Measures Selection Rules...............................................................................4

ALL FOCUS AREAS...................................................................................................................................4

Appendix B: Performance Measures Checklist ............................................................................................5

Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions....................................................................................................6
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Planning Grant Performance Measure Requirements

All planning grant applications must include one applicant-determined performance measure that corresponds to the 

primary focus area of the project being planned (for projects being planned in the Capacity Building focus area, the 

performance measure should be entered under Other Community Priorities). The applicant-determined performance 

measure must consist of the specific title, output, and outcome listed in the instructions below, and should use target 

values of 1 for the output and outcome. No MSYs or members should be associated with the performance measure.
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Planning Grant Performance Measures Selection Rules

All Focus Areas (for projects being planned in the Capacity Building focus area, the performance measure 

should be entered under Other Community Priorities)

Strategic Plan 

Objective

Selection Rules Interventions

Outputs Outcome

Capacity 

Building & 

Leverage

N/A (output should be 

entered in the Other 

Community Priorities 

focus area)

N/A (outcome should be entered in the 

Other Community Priorities focus area)

N/A

ALL FOCUS AREAS

Notes

 Should correspond to the primary focus area of the project being planned

 Targets for all outputs and outcomes should be set as 1

 No MSYs or members should be associated with the performance measure

Output Number of individuals served

Definition of Key 

Terms

Individuals: recipients of CNCS-supported services related to disaster preparedness, 

response, recovery, and/or mitigation

Served: substantive engagement of individuals with a specific disaster-related goal in mind. 

Cannot consist solely of mass dissemination of information such as email blasts, social 

media posts, or distributing pamphlets.

How to Measure/ 

Collect Data

Tracking mechanism that ensures an unduplicated count of individuals who have received 

services

Outcome Number of individuals reporting increased disaster readiness

Definition of Key 

Terms

Individuals: those reported in measure D1A

Disaster readiness: measures taken to prepare for and reduce the effects of future disasters

How to Measure/

Collect Data

Survey, interview, or other instrument capable of measuring changes in disaster readiness at 

the individual beneficiary level. When possible, pre-post assessments should be utilized.
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Appendix B: Performance Measures Checklist

This checklist is used to assess performance measures during the review process. Items on the checklist are 

common problems that require resolution but do not represent a comprehensive list. Refer to the Performance 

Measure Instructions for full requirements.

Checklist Item Primary Aligned 

Measure (required)

Resource Allocation

1 MSY and member allocations to focus areas and objectives are zero*

2 MSY and member allocations to the performance measure are zero*

Performance Measure Requirements

3 The application includes one applicant-determined performance measure connected to 

the primary focus area of the project being planned. (For projects in the Capacity 

Building focus area, the performance measure should be connected to the Other 

Community Priorities focus area.)

4 The performance measure title is “Planning Grant”

5 The output measure is “Work with grantor staff to design and conduct planning process 

as outlined in the application”

6 The outcome measure is “NA”

Interventions

7 The intervention associated with the performance measure is “Plan an AmeriCorps 

program”

8 The intervention description is “NA”

9 No other interventions are included in the performance measure

Targets

10 Output and outcome targets are both 1

11 The unit of measure for both output and outcome is “NA”

Performance Measure Instructions

12 No National Performance Measures are included in the planning grant

Data Collection/Instruments

13 The data collection method is “Other”

14 The instrument description is “NA”

* If you are unable to submit your application with 0 MSYs in the Performance Measure screens, enter 1 MSY and 1 

member on the MSYs/Members tab
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Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Must State Commission planning grants follow these same performance measure instructions?

Yes. These instructions apply to all planning grants, regardless of whether they are commission subgrants or direct 

grants. They also apply to both formula and competitive planning grants. 

2. Can I include other performance measures besides the one required applicant-determined measure?

No. Planning grantees should not include any other national or applicant determined performance measures in their 

applications.

3. When I try to submit my application with 0 MSYs in the performance measures, I get an error message. 

What should I do?

If you are unable to submit your application with 0 MSYs in the Performance Measure screens, enter 1 MSY and 1 

member on the MSYs/Members tab.