This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor under contract number DOLJ061A20348/19-

061A. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to DOL or to the Urban 

Institute, its trustees, or its funders.

The Urban Institute February 2008 

Center on Labor, Human 

Services, and Population

Assisting Newcomers through 

Employment and Support 

Services: 

An Evaluation of the New 

Americans Centers 

Demonstration Project in 

Arkansas and Iowa 

Draft Karin Martinson 

Interim Report 

ROBIN KORALEK

JOANNA PARNES
This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor under contract number DOLJ061A20348/19-

061A. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to DOL or to the Urban 

Institute, its trustees, or its funders.

Assisting Newcomers through Employment and Support Services: 

An Evaluation of the New Americans Centers 

Demonstration Project in Arkansas and Iowa 

Interim Report 

Prepared for 

The U.S. Department of Labor 

Employment and Training Administration 

Prepared by 

The Urban Institute 

2100 M Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20037 

www.urban.org

February 12, 2008
Acknowledgments 

The authors are especially grateful to the many people involved with the New Arkansan 

Resource Networks and the New Iowan Centers who took the time to meet with us and help us 

learn about their programs. In particular, the authors would like to thank Mike Kennedy from the 

Arkansas Department of Workforce Services and Barbara Bobb from the Iowa Workforce 

Development for their assistance in all aspects of data collection. We would also like to thank 

Michelle Ennis and David Balducchi from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and 

Training Administration for their guidance, and Karin Martinson, John Trutko, and Heidi 

Johnson for their thoughtful review of earlier drafts and helpful comments. 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Executive Summary i 

I. Introduction 1 

II. Design of the New Americans Centers 6 

III. Services Provided by New Americans Centers 18 

IV. Future Plans and Sustainability 27 

V. Conclusions and Lessons Learned 29 

Appendix A: New Americans Centers Site Summaries 

Appendix B: Type and Number of Services Received by New Americans Centers Participants 

Appendix C: Demographic and Service Receipt Data for New Americans Centers Participants 

FIGURES, TABLES, AND EXHIBITS 

Figure 1: Map of New Arkansan Resource Network Centers 4 

Figure 2: Map of New Iowan Centers 5 

Table 2.1: Organizational Structure of New Americans Centers 7 

Table 2.2: Economic and Demographic Profile of New Americans Centers Locations 9 

Table 2.3: Demographic Characteristics of New Americans Centers Participants, by Site 16 

Table 3.1: Services Provided to Participants, Employers, and the Community 19 

Exhibit 3.1: Distribution of the Types of Services Provided to New Americans Centers 

Participants 21 
i 

Executive Summary 

Immigrants make up a large and increasing share of all workers in the United States, especially 

those with lower skills and earnings. While immigrants’ educational attainment and ability to 

speak English vary widely, immigrants are overrepresented among the lowest skilled workers. 

Limited English-speaking immigrants have fewer options in the workplace and limited English 

skills are the single factor most closely associated with low wages and poverty in immigrant 

families. Further, Arkansas and Iowa are among the 22 “new growth” states that historically 

were not major immigrant destinations, but whose foreign-born populations grew most quickly 

during the 1990s. Like other new growth states, Arkansas and Iowa are only beginning to grow 

accustomed to the rapid flow of new immigrants and continue to work on how best to integrate 

these newcomers into the community and ensure their self-sufficiency. 

The New Americans Centers (NACs) Demonstration Project is a three-year project funded by the 

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Through the 

project, ETA provides a three-year grant to Arkansas and Iowa to develop NACs within OneStop Career Centers in high immigrant population areas. The purposes of the grant are to 

promote stability and rapid employment with living wages for those individuals or family 

members who are without work or are in need of new work, speed the transition of new 

immigrants into the communities in which they live, assist employers, and enhance the economic 

development opportunities of these communities. 

Iowa’s NACs are called New Iowan Centers (NICs) and are based on pilot programs in 

Ottumwa, Muscatine, and Sioux City that began in 2000. The new NICs funded under the 

demonstration grants are housed in One-Stop Career Centers in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, 

Marshalltown, and Mount Pleasant. In Arkansas, the grant was used to establish four New 

Arkansan Resource Network (NARN) centers in Little Rock, Malvern, Rogers, and Russellville. 

While all four sites are overseen by the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, fiscal and 

programmatic oversight is provided by local workforce investment boards. Direct program 

operations are provided by local entities. Arkansas’ goal is to develop the NARN into a 

statewide network. 

The Urban Institute is conducting an evaluation of the NACs in Arkansas and Iowa under 

contract to ETA. This paper is the first report in an ongoing evaluation of the NACs and focuses 

on the initial implementation phase of the demonstration projects in Arkansas and Iowa, 

highlighting start-up and early operation as well as the types of services participants receive. It is 

based on in-person interviews with key partners in each NAC in May 2007, except for 

Marshalltown, Iowa, which was not operational at this time. A subsequent report will provide 

additional information on program operations and plans for program sustainability and will 

examine outcomes for participants, employers, and local communities, where possible. 

The New Americans Centers 

NACs are designed to help newcomers—meaning immigrants and others who are new to the 

area—establish themselves in the community while simultaneously enhancing the workforce, 
ii 

furthering local economic development, and raising awareness of diversity issues. Key to the 

design of NACs is a three-pronged service delivery approach that focuses on participants, 

employers, and the community. First, NACs aim to ensure that participants are able to find 

employment and are educated about and have access to needed services. Overarching goals for 

participants include obtaining and retaining jobs, increasing income, achieving self-sufficiency, 

building awareness of civic laws and institutions, promoting civic participation, gaining English 

proficiency, and availing themselves of services—both public and within the community—for 

which they are eligible. Second, NACs strive to meet employers’ staffing needs and help them 

adapt to an increasingly diverse workforce by providing education on cultural awareness and 

diversity, offering language skills training, and advising on immigration and legal issues. Third, 

NACs attempt to educate the community on diversity issues and conduct extensive outreach in 

surrounding areas to facilitate cultural awareness for both those new to the community and those 

established in the community. 

A key component of the NACs is the development of partnerships with local leaders and other 

service providers and organizations in the community. NACs have established extensive partner 

networks that include both public and private organizations such as health care providers, adult 

education providers, banks, colleges and schools, employers, and local government agencies.

Service Provision 

The services provided by NACs are meant to reflect and address the specific needs of the 

community. While the general goals of NACs are consistent across sites, the mix of services 

provided varies between Iowa and Arkansas as well as among local sites within each state. In 

addition, NACs vary considerably in the level of service provided. Overall, in Iowa, the NICs 

place a greater emphasis on employment and job placement—typically through referrals to 

employment-related services—and often work directly with participants who are seeking work. 

In Arkansas, the NARN sites tend to focus on connecting new Arkansans to a wide range of 

supportive services and organizations in the community through referrals and information 

sharing. It should be noted that these emphases are not mutually exclusive; all sites assist 

participants with both finding employment and accessing supportive services. 

Services for individuals and families make up the vast majority of the total services provided. 

Nearly all (95 percent) reported services in Arkansas were provided to individuals and families 

(other reported services were provided to employers and the community). Similarly, in Iowa, 85 

percent of reported services went to individuals and families. Across all sites in both Arkansas 

and Iowa, participants received direct assistance or referrals to appropriate service providers in a 

wide range of areas. These included supportive services such as child care, clothing, food, 

housing, health care, translation and interpretation, employment, education and training 

(including ESL and civic education classes), legal and civil rights issues, immigration services, 

tax preparation, and banking and financial services. 

To a lesser extent, NAC staff also provide services to employers and the community. NACs 

serve as a resource to area employers and businesses, helping them meet their staffing needs and 

connecting them with relevant training and resources. Services to employers include guidance 

and training to promote cultural awareness as well as targeted training and seminars on a range 
iii 

of immigration and diversity issues. Further, NACs aim to increase awareness of diversity issues 

and immigration in the community at large. To this end, NAC staff have fostered relationships 

with local community leaders and police departments, conducted diversity training at community 

organizations and businesses, hosted networking events, and conducted outreach in the 

community to ensure people are aware of their services. 

Future Plans and Sustainability 

Since the inception of the NACs, both states have focused attention on issues of outreach, 

promoting program awareness, and sustainability, incorporating the topic in early stages of 

program design and planning. ETA funding for the NACs demonstrations in Arkansas and Iowa 

ends in June 2008, and it is incumbent upon the states to sustain the NACs through other sources 

of funding and support. Presently, Arkansas and Iowa are engaging in various strategies that fit 

the circumstances of their state and local areas. 

Central to Arkansas’ sustainability strategy is the development of a network of service providers 

to assist newcomers. By naming their NAC system the “New Arkansan Resource Network,” they 

set the tone to sustain the partnerships created through the demonstration regardless of future 

funding availability and their ability to support dedicated staff. To varying degrees, staff from the 

local NARN sites have been networking and collaborating with partner agencies to create 

awareness of their efforts, cooperate in service provision, and discuss support to supplement 

current funding levels and to sustain operations after the ETA funding ends in fiscal year 2008. 

Efforts to engage employers and community groups and sustain and grow the project have 

included writing grants, participating in local community events and activities, and seeking 

corporate sponsorship. 

 

In Iowa, discussions about the sustainability of the NICs are taking place at the state level, while 

local NIC staff are largely uninvolved in securing future funds. Currently, state appropriations 

support operations of the non-ETA-funded NICs. With the end of the ETA demonstration grant 

approaching, state-level staff are hopeful that the state legislature will increase the current level 

of funding to continue operations. Local communities are also encouraged to support NIC 

activities through in-kind donations and public-private partnerships. 

Conclusions 

At this relatively early stage, the NACs demonstration projects have focused on establishing 

local partner networks and reaching out to newcomer communities. From the perspective of 

staff, community partners, and employers, NACs have had a generally positive impact on the 

economic and social well-being of newcomers in both Arkansas and Iowa. Local NACs have 

established themselves as trusted and reliable resources for newcomers in their respective 

communities and beyond. For example, staff in Arkansas report that there is high demand for 

assistance and that citizenship classes are at capacity, with information about services spreading 

through word of mouth. 

Local NACs are at different stages of program implementation; some have put more key pieces 

into place than others. In part, this dissimilarity stems from the varying starting points among 
iv 

sites. Some NACs, particularly the NICs in Iowa, are modeled after existing sites or build on 

existing efforts. Other sites are starting from scratch and must establish not only service delivery 

mechanisms, but also the critical community networks in which to operate. Additionally, some 

NACs faced implementation hurdles such as difficulties hiring staff or securing adequate office 

space. Regardless of starting point, NAC staff have moved forward with reaching out to 

newcomers and providing services—both directly and through referrals. 

NAC staff and local community members noted several ways in which the NACs have been 

successful, including integrating newcomers into the community by enhancing their civic 

participation and understanding and increasing their knowledge of and access to available 

resources and basic services, such as English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, banking, 

utilities, immigration and legal assistance, and health care. Respondents also noted the increased 

availability of translation and interpretation assistance, which has contributed to improved access 

to many services including those offered through the One-Stop Career Centers. 

It is not possible to determine the effect of NAC services on local communities, particularly on 

their receptiveness to newcomers. NACs have, however, successfully built networks of 

community leaders, service providers, and businesses. NACs have also come to be seen as a 

resource for other service providers, which seek interpretation and translation assistance as well 

as information on cultural diversity. In addition, NACs serve as a mechanism to disseminate 

information about available community resources. Often, advisory committee meetings serve as 

forums for information sharing among partners. 

Although less developed than other services, NAC staff have worked with local employers who 

have come to see the NAC as a resource available to them and their employees. Some employers 

use the NACs as a source of new hires. Others use the NACs for interpretation and translation 

assistance or help with cultural and diversity issues in the workplace. Employers also refer 

employees to the NAC for assistance, such as ESL instruction for their employees. 

While a central goal of the NACs is to increase participants’ employment and earnings, it is 

important to note that this demonstration project is about other factors that are not quantifiable, 

including an improved quality of life for newcomers, better reception of newcomers in the 

community, improved civic participation and understanding engagement on the part of 

newcomers, development of an enhanced workforce, and establishment of an integrated network 

of services for new arrivals. 

NACs’ early implementation experiences have resulted in many lessons that can be shared with 

other states or localities looking to implement similar services. Their experiences underscore the 

importance of developing strong community relationships and an integrated network of service 

providers. This requires a solid commitment on the part of staff and the community as well as 

support from community leaders and other local service providers, businesses, and employers. 

Above all else, it is critical to define the NAC’s purpose and role, which can vary depending on 

existing resources within the community and the identified needs of participants. The strength of 

the NACs lies in their flexibility to meet local needs through a mix of services and in their ability 

to respond to the changing needs of their constituencies (i.e., individuals and families, the 

community, and employers).
1

I. Introduction 

Immigrants make up a large and increasing share of all workers in the United States, especially 

those with lower skills and earnings. In 2005, immigrants composed 15 percent of all U.S. 

workers, 21 percent of workers earning below twice the minimum wage, and 45 percent of 

workers with less than a high school education.1

 In 2000, over 46 percent of immigrant workers 

had limited English proficiency, nearly three-quarters of whom spoke Spanish.2

 While there is 

great variation in immigrants’ educational attainment and ability to speak English, they are 

overrepresented among the lowest skilled workers. In particular, limited English-speaking 

immigrants have fewer options in the workplace; research shows limited English skills are the 

single factor most closely associated with low wages and poverty in immigrant families.3

This population of immigrants is growing rapidly, especially in smaller cities and rural 

communities unaccustomed to large immigrant flows. Among the 2003 foreign-born population, 

14 percent had entered the United States since 2000 and 37 percent since 1990.4 Arkansas and 

Iowa are among 22 “new growth” states who historically were not major immigrant destinations 

but whose foreign-born populations grew most quickly during the 1990s.5 Between 1990 and 

2000, the immigrant population in Arkansas increased 196 percent; it was the fourth-fastest 

growing immigrant population in the country.6 Iowa experienced a similarly rapid growth of 

immigrants during this period, with a 110 percent growth rate.7 This pattern has continued 

throughout the current decade in both states. Between 2000 and 2005, Arkansas experienced a 

45.8 percent increase in its foreign-born population, and Iowa saw a 12.8 percent increase.8 

Like other new growth states, Arkansas and Iowa are only beginning to grow accustomed to the 

rapid flow of new immigrants and continue to work on how best to integrate newcomers into the 

community and ensure their self-sufficiency. As new growth states, Arkansas and Iowa also have 

a higher share of undocumented, recently arrived, and limited English-speaking immigrants than 

is the case nationally, further complicating integration efforts. Yet, the labor force in these states 

is increasingly dependent on immigrant workers. For example, Arkansas’ manufacturing 

workforce would have shrunk between 1990 and 2000 without immigration. During this time, 

 

1

 Randy Capps, Karina Fortuny, and Michael Fix, “Trends in the Low-Wage Immigrant Labor Force, 2000–2005” 

(Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, 2007). 

2

 Randy Capps, Michael Fix, Jeffrey S. Passel, Jason Ost, and Dan Perez-Lopez, “A Profile of Low-Wage 

Immigrant Workers,” Immigrant Families and Workers: Facts and Perspectives Brief 4 (Washington, DC: The 

Urban Institute, 2003). 

3

 Michael Fix and Randy Capps, “Immigrant Well-Being in New York and Los Angeles,” Immigrant Families and 

Workers: Facts and Perspectives Brief 1 (Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, 2002). 4

 Luke J. Larsen, “The Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2003.” Current Population Report P20-551 

(Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). 

5

 Randy Capps, “U.S. Immigration Policy and the Children of Immigrants,” presentation at the Urban Institute semiannual board meeting, Washington, DC, May 2006. 

6

 Randy Capps, Everett Henderson, John D. Kasarda, James H. Johnson, Jr., Stephen J. Appold, Derrek L, Croney, 

Donald J. Hernandez, and Michael Fix, A Profile of Immigrants in Arkansas (Little Rock, AR: The Winthrop 

Rockefeller Foundation, 2007). 

7

 Randy Capps, Michael E. Fix, and Jeffrey S. Passel, “The Dispersal of Immigrants in the 1990s,” Immigrant 

Families and Workers: Facts and Perspectives Brief 2 (Washington, DC: The Urban Institute 2002). 8

 Shirin Hakimzadeh, “A Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population at Mid-Decade,” 

http://pewhispanic.org/reports/foreignborn/ accessed September 19, 2007. 
2

the number of native-born Americans working in manufacturing fell by 9,000 (4%) while the 

number of immigrant workers grew by 12,000 (294%).9 

The New Americans Centers (NACs) Demonstration Project is a three-year project funded by the 

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Through the 

project, ETA provides both Arkansas and Iowa a three-year, $850,000 grant to develop NACs 

within One-Stop Career Centers in high-immigrant population areas.10 The NACs are a 

significant part of Arkansas’ and Iowa’s efforts to help immigrants and other newcomers as they 

integrate into these states’ economies and communities. The purposes of the grants are to 

promote stability and rapid employment with living wages for individuals or family members 

who are without work or who need new work, speed the transition of new immigrants into their 

communities, assist employers, and enhance the economic development opportunities of these 

communities. 

NACs offer services to assist immigrants and others who are new to the community, including 

job placement, job training, language classes, community service referrals, resettlement 

assistance, and legal assistance. Customers are not solely immigrant families but also members 

of the community and area businesses. To ensure the speedy transition of new immigrants into 

the community, the centers must work closely with employers who need skilled workers, 

educational institutions that provide language and occupational training, economic development 

agencies that can facilitate employer connections, and local community groups that encourage 

civic participation and understanding in neighborhoods and communities. 

Iowa’s NACs are called New Iowan Centers (NICs) and are based on pilot programs in 

Ottumwa, Muscatine, and Sioux City that began in 2000. In addition, new NICs are housed in 

One-Stop Career Centers in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Marshalltown,11 and Mount Pleasant. 

In Arkansas, the grant was used to establish four New Arkansan Resource Network (NARN) 

centers in Little Rock, Malvern, Rogers, and Russellville, with the goal of growing the NARN 

into a statewide network. In some cases, due to space restrictions, NACs may be located near a 

One-Stop Career Center, rather than as part of the center. The maps on pages 4 and 5 display the 

location of each NAC and the primary area it serves. 

 

9

 Capps, Henderson, et al., A Profile of Immigrants in Arkansas. 10 Under the Workforce Investment Act, One-Stop Career Centers, or Workforce Centers, serve as the primary 

access point for employment and training services. Services available through the Centers include adult education; 

adult, dislocated worker, and youth activities; employment service; vocational rehabilitation; veterans employment 

and training; unemployment insurance; and trade adjustment assistance. 11 At the time of our site visit in May 2007, the Marshalltown NIC was not in operation because of recent staff 

departures. For this reason, Marshalltown is not included in our discussion of NAC implementation and operations. 
3

Evaluation of the New Americans Centers Demonstration Project 

The evaluation of the NACs demonstration project has two components: a process analysis of 

program implementation and an examination of project participant outcomes, primarily 

employment and earnings. This paper is the first report in an ongoing evaluation of the NACs, 

and it focuses on the initial implementation phase of the demonstration projects in Arkansas and 

Iowa, highlighting start-up and early operation of the NICs and NARN sites. A subsequent report 

will provide additional information on program operations and plans for program sustainability 

and will examine outcomes for participants, employers, and local communities, where possible. 

Several data sources were used for this report. Information on program operations was primarily 

collected during three-day site visits conducted in May 2007. During each visit, discussions were 

held with representatives from each local site, including staff, partners, employers, and 

community representatives. Data on service receipt collected through a data collection 

instrument used at all sites—the Annual Services and Referrals Provided Report—were also 

analyzed. Finally, quarterly progress reports submitted to ETA and other documentation 

provided by the local projects were also reviewed. 
4

6

II. Design of the New Americans Centers 

The New Americans Centers (NACs) – known as the New Arkansan Resource Network (NARN) 

in Arkansas and New Iowan Centers (NICs) in Iowa – operate in diverse localities and involve a 

broad range of organizations and services in their efforts to help newcomers integrate into local 

communities. This section provides an overview of the NACs by their project goals, sponsoring 

organizations, key partners, community context, program size, and staffing. It also addresses 

early planning and implementation experiences. State-specific overviews of the NARN in 

Arkansas and NICs in Iowa are provided in Appendix A of this report. 

Project Goals 

NACs aim to help newcomers—meaning immigrants and others who are new to the area—

establish themselves in the community while simultaneously enhancing the workforce, furthering 

local economic development, and raising awareness of diversity issues. Key to the design of 

NACs is a three-pronged service delivery approach that focuses on participants,12 employers, and 

the community. First, NACs aim to ensure that participants are able to find employment and are 

educated about and have access to needed services. Overarching goals for participants include 

increasing income, achieving self-sufficiency, gaining English proficiency, building awareness 

of civic laws and institutions and promoting civic participation, and availing themselves of 

services for which they are eligible. Second, NACs strive to meet employers’ staffing needs and 

help them adapt to an increasingly diverse workforce by providing cultural diversity and 

awareness education, offering language skills training, and advising on immigration and legal 

issues. Third, NACs attempt to educate the community on diversity issues and perform extensive 

outreach in surrounding areas to ensure that potential participants, potential employers, and the 

larger community are aware of NAC services as well as to familiarize NAC staff with available 

community resources. 

While the general goals of NACs are consistent across sites, the mix of services provided varies 

in Arkansas and Iowa as well as among local sites within each state. Overall, sites in Iowa place 

a greater emphasis on employment and job placement—typically through referrals to 

employment-related services—and they often work directly with participants seeking work. Sites 

in Arkansas tend to focus on connecting newcomers to a wide range of supportive services and 

organizations in the community through referrals and information sharing. As evidenced by their 

name, NARN sites are striving to build a network of service providers that meet the needs of new 

Arkansans. It should be noted that these emphases are not mutually exclusive; all sites assist 

participants with both finding employment and accessing supportive services. 

Sponsoring Organizations 

In Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (DWS) received the ETA grant 

and provides general oversight and guidance to the NARN sites. DWS has subgrants with three 

local workforce investment boards to provide fiscal and programmatic oversight to the four local 

sites. These local workforce investment boards have further subcontracted direct program 

 

12 Arkansas refers to participants as “registrants.” For consistency, they are referred to as participants throughout the 

report. 
7

operation and staffing to a local entity. In three locations (Malvern, Rogers, and Russellville), the 

local workforce investment boards subcontracted with their local One-Stop Career Center 

operators, while in Little Rock, program operation is subgranted to the Latin Community 

Organization (LCO), a nonprofit organization that helps Latino individuals and families achieve 

self-sufficiency through resources and referrals (see table 2.1). 

In Iowa, Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) received the ETA grant and maintains direct 

oversight of NICs (see table 2.1).13 

Table 2.1: Organizational Structure of New Americans Centers 

Site Oversight 

Fiscal and 

programmatic agent 

Local program 

operation 

Arkansas

Little Rock 

Department of 

Workforce Services 

(DWS) 

Little Rock Workforce 

Investment Board 

Latin Community 

Organization (LCO) 

Malvern DWS 

West Central Arkansas 

Planning and 

Development District, 

(WCAPDD) 

West Central Arkansas 

Career Development 

Center System 

(WCACDCS) 

Rogers DWS 

Northwest Arkansas 

Economic 

Development District 

(NWAEDD) 

Northwest Arkansas 

Certified Development 

Company (NWACDC) 

Russellville DWS 

West Central Arkansas 

Planning and 

Development District, 

(WCAPDD) 

West Central Arkansas 

Career Development 

Center System 

(WCACDCS) 

Iowa

Council Bluffs 

Des Moines 

Marshalltown 

Mount Pleasant 

Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) 

 

 

13 Initially, the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium (CIETC) administered the NICs for IWD. 

Because of alleged improprieties unrelated to the NAC demonstration project, IWD removed CIETC as the fiscal 

agent and moved all NIC activities, including staffing, under IWD. 
8

The vast majority of NACs are physically housed within, or adjacent to, local One-Stop Career 

Centers, known as Workforce Centers in Arkansas and Workforce Development Centers in Iowa. 

Despite separate funding streams and a distinct staffing structure, their co-location means they 

are essentially integrated into the menu of services and conceived as “part of the package” of 

One-Stop Career Center programs. The exception is the NIC in Mount Pleasant, where the OneStop Career Center was unable to house the NIC due to space limitations. At the time of our 

visit, the Mount Pleasant NIC was temporarily housed on the enclosed front porch of the 

Fellowship Cup, a local Christian ministry. The Mount Pleasant NIC has since relocated to the 

Iowa State University Extension Office. Although the Mount Pleasant NIC is still overseen by 

IWD and staffed by an IWD employee, the NIC is less connected to the local One-Stop Career 

Center than in other locations. 

While affiliation with a local One-Stop Career Center facilitates integration of NAC services into 

the greater workforce system, there are some disadvantages to close affiliation with the One-Stop 

Career Center, primarily around the hours of operation. Typically, One-Stop Career Centers 

operate during standard business hours, which may prohibit working families from seeking 

services. NAC staff have identified alternative locations for after-hours activities to 

accommodate working families. For example, some NACs hold civics education classes and ESL 

instruction at nearby community colleges, where classrooms are generally available in the 

evenings. 

Community Context 

NACs are located in a diverse range of localities that vary on several dimensions, including the 

local economy, community socio-demographics, and existing provider networks. These 

contextual factors shape the needs of new arrivals, employers, and the community, and 

subsequently the services offered by local NACs (see table 2.2). 

 

Several sites (Little Rock in Arkansas, and Council Bluffs and Des Moines in Iowa) are located 

in urban areas, while others, including Malvern and Russellville in Arkansas and Mount Pleasant 

in Iowa, are located in more rural areas. Rogers, situated in northwest Arkansas, is in an area that 

is experiencing high economic growth and has a rapidly increasing population. 

Within Little Rock, the demand occupations are health care, aerospace, government, education, 

and nonprofits. In surrounding areas of Polk County and much of the rest of Arkansas, 

agriculture and warehousing are key industries, where poultry farms and food processing plants 

employ many newcomers. Northwest Arkansas, where Rogers is located, stands apart from the 

rest of the state. This area has one of the fastest growing economies in the nation. Wal-Mart, 

Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services are headquartered in Northwest Arkansas and 

many other corporations are establishing a presence. The subsequent building boom has resulted 

in a growth in the construction industry and other jobs, and many newcomers have arrived 

seeking work. Benton County’s unemployment rate, at 4.2 percent in July 2007, is significantly 

lower than the state’s average unemployment rate. 

The unemployment rate in Iowa, which hovers between 3 and 4 percent, is below the average 

national unemployment rate, and there is a high demand for workers. Iowa is experiencing an 
Race and Ethnicity, 2005Hispanic 4.7 % 3.2 % 1.7 % 12.8 % 3.8 % 3.7 % 4.2 % White (Not of Hispanic Origin) 77.0 % 59.7 % 86.3 % 81.7 % 90.9 % 91.5 % 93.0 % 8Black (Not of Hispanic Origin) 15.7 % 0.3 % 10.2 % 1.1 % 3.0 % 2.3 % 1.0 % Asian or Pacific Islander 1.1 % 1.7 % 0.4 % 1.9 % 0.8 % 1.4 % 0.6 % Native American or Alaskan Native 0.7 % 0.4 % 0.5 % 1.6 % 0.6 % 0.3 % 0.4 % Multiracial 1.2 % 1.4 % 1.1 % 1.6 % 1.1 % 0.9 % 1.0 % Foreign Born 3.8 % 4.2 % a 8.7 % b 3.1 % 3.2 % Education Level (for persons 25 or older)No diploma 24.7 % 11.5 % 26.8 % 19.6 % 22.5 % 13.9 % 15.9 % 1High school graduate 34.1 % 29.5 % 39.7 % 32.8 % 33.5 % 36.1 % 39.3 % 2Some college 20.5 % 22.0 % 18.4 % 22.6 % 21.5 % 21.4 % 22.7 % 2College graduate 20.6 % 36.9 % 15.2 % 24.8 % 22.5 % 28.7 % 22.0 % 3Median Income, 2000Household incomeFamily incomeUnemployment Rate, July 20071 5.9 % 5.2 % 5.9 % 4.2 % 5.8 % 3.4 % 3.7 % 

1Unemployment rate not seasonally adjusted.a2006 ACS data is not available, but according to 2000 U.S. Census data, 1.2% of the population in Hot Spring County was foreign born.b2006 ACS data is not available, but according to 2000 U.S. Census data, 1.7% of the population in Pope County was foreign born.c2006 ACS data is not available, but according to 2000 U.S. Census data, 1.8% of the population in Henry County was foreign born.d2006 ACS data is not available, but according to 2000 U.S. Census data, 6.6% of the population in Marshall County was foreign born.

Council Bluffs

(Pottawattamie County)

Little Rock 

(Pulaski County)

Malvern 

(Hot Spring 

County)

Rogers

(Benton 

County)

Table 2.2

Economic and Demographic Profile of New Americans Center Locations

Arkansas

$32,182 $38,120 $31,543 $40,281 $32,069 $39,469 $40,089 

Arkansas Iow

$37,077 $45,235 $39,055 $48,005 $47,105 

Sources: Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 American Community Survey (ACS); U.S. Census Bureau, Summary File 1 (SF 1) and Summary File 3 (SF 3); Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area UStatistics

$38,663 $46,523

Iowa

Russellville

(Pope County)

Des Moi

(Polk Cou
10

exodus of its most educated residents; many native Iowans are leaving the state for expanded 

opportunities and higher salaries. This leaves many entry-level jobs in such industries as fast 

food and farming open to newcomers. Despite a decline in recent years, there is still a strong 

manufacturing presence throughout the state. Agriculture is also a big industry in much of the 

state. 

Overall, the communities where NACs are located have been particularly receptive to 

immigrants. Many of these communities were already actively involved in diversity work before 

the NAC was implemented. For example, in Arkansas, the LCO had been active in Malvern and 

Little Rock since 2004, and the Rogers Chamber of Commerce’s Minority Committee and the 

Community Support Center have been addressing diversity issues and serving newcomers since 

before the NARN was established. In Iowa, Mount Pleasant’s Diversity Action Team was 

responsible for advocating for the inception of the NIC as a way to expand and complement their 

existing efforts. While for the most part this high level of involvement and receptiveness has 

helped NACs flourish in the community, in some instances, the existence of organizations with 

similar missions has resulted in “turf” issues and has required paying careful attention to avoid 

duplicative services. 

NAC Planning and Implementation 

Before the NACs were implemented, community meetings were held to garner support and 

gauge the needs of the community. Key players included local government officials, 

representatives from the police and fire departments, local workforce investment board 

representatives, service providers, employers, and business owners. These meetings served to 

familiarize the community with the NAC, an ongoing process key to NAC operations. 

In some sites, an advisory committee was established before NAC staff were hired, while in 

other sites, staff were hired first. Some sites have experienced difficulty convening an advisory 

committee; to date, Little Rock has been unable to convene a committee. To some extent, this 

may result from the competing demands of potential advisory committee members. In Iowa, the 

creation of an advisory committee in Council Bluffs was delayed; the committee met for the first 

time in March 2007, one year after the NIC opened its doors. Other sites, such as Des Moines in 

Iowa, struggled initially to engage members and create a unified mission. For the most part, 

however, advisory committees have been instrumental in defining community needs and gaps in 

service provision. 

Several sites experienced difficulty hiring qualified staff, in part because of the high demand for 

bilingual employees in these communities. In addition, the salary range limited the pool of 

available candidates, and several sites found that candidates with the necessary qualities were out 

of reach. In Arkansas, Rogers in particular had difficulty finding staff that were established in the 

community and capable of networking with stakeholders, partners, and government officials. 

In Iowa, the transition from a contracted fiscal agent to state control in late 2006 initially created 

some personnel difficulties and operational delays. All current staff had to reapply for their 

positions, and the state required a realignment of supervision, requiring that a regional manager 

directly supervise all staff rather than local managers. Because the hiring process for state 
11

employment is cumbersome, some positions remained vacant for some time. In Council Bluffs, 

for example, a key position was vacant for the first six months of the center’s operation. 

Staff in each locality were given flexibility to design the program to meet the specific needs of 

the community, with few restrictions or guidelines from the state. In addition, staff had to 

dedicate considerable energy to establishing the community’s trust and respect during the early 

phases of implementation. To avoid duplication, staff attempted to map the landscape of service 

providers in the area to understand what services were already available. In most locations, once 

services were established, word of mouth was the primary mechanism bringing participants to 

the center. 

Some sites faced considerable difficulties in implementation. In Arkansas, implementation in 

Little Rock was delayed for several reasons. First, there was some difficulty in convening all the 

necessary players. In particular, DWS and the Little Rock Workforce Investment Board (WIB) 

had trouble garnering support from city government, who showed little interest in committing 

energy or resources to the NARN. Convening and establishing buy-in of other critical 

stakeholders can be especially difficult without strong leadership and some political clout, 

particularly in a large urban area with many competing priorities. Eventually the state intervened 

and advised the WIB to issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) as a way to identify a service 

provider to implement and operate the site in Little Rock. Further complicating implementation 

in Little Rock were several resignations at the Little Rock WIB. 

In Marshalltown, Iowa, a staff person was on board to begin offering services by fall 2006. She 

vacated the position, however, soon after federal immigration officials raided Marshalltown in 

December 2006 in search of undocumented workers. At the time of our visit, the position 

remained vacant and the NIC was temporarily inactive. A new staff person was hired in the fall 

of 2007, and the NIC is again operating, with plans to hire a second staff person in the future. 

Some sites have also experienced difficulty reporting data through the Annual Services and 

Referrals Provided Report. State-level NAC staff provided local training sessions to NAC staff 

on using this spreadsheet, resulting in varying data collection methods at local sites. Further, 

because the quarterly reporting system is not linked to sites’ local data systems, local staff must 

record data in multiple data systems. During this demonstration, Iowa migrated to a system that 

allowed information from the state data management system (IWORKS) to be tallied and entered 

into the NAC reporting spreadsheet. Given the many glitches associated with the development 

and use of IWORKS, however, staff continue to document service provision in separate recordkeeping systems to cross-check against the IWORKS reports (see Appendix C for a further 

discussion of data issues). Given the short-term nature of a demonstration project, Arkansas 

opted not to invest in integrating the NAC reporting spreadsheet into a larger system. 

Key Partners 

A key component of the NAC is the development of partnerships with local leaders and other 

service providers and organizations in the community. In both states, staff have dedicated 

considerable effort to building these relationships. These partnerships are evident in the 

establishment of advisory committees that guide the development and implementation of NAC 

activities as well as the creation of extensive networks of local nonprofits, government agencies, 
12

and private businesses that serve as both service providers for newcomers and sources of 

referrals for the NACs. 

Advisory Committees

With the exception of Little Rock, NACs in both states have established working advisory 

committees made up of local leaders, business owners, and other community members.14 

Advisory committees range in size from approximately 10 to 15 members and generally meet 

monthly. Their level of involvement vary from community to community, based somewhat on 

the stage of development of both the committee and the NAC itself as well as the level and type 

of support needed by local NAC staff. 

Advisory committees in Arkansas play a particularly active role in local NARN operations. In 

Russellville, the advisory committee is viewed as the NARN’s governing body, and many 

decisions regarding service delivery are reviewed by the board. The advisory committee in 

Rogers also contributes actively to NARN operations and has two committees tasked with grant 

writing and sustainability and media and outreach. The Malvern advisory committee meets 

quarterly and is not as involved in the operations as in other sites. Staff in Little Rock continue to 

struggle with the formation of a local advisory committee. They have found it difficult to 

convene meetings with potential advisory committee members. At the time of our visit, Arkansas 

was also looking into establishing a statewide advisory committee. 

In Iowa, advisory committees were still in the early stages of development at the time of our visit 

and, in some cases, struggling with defining their mission. Rather than directing NIC activities, 

advisory committees appear to serve more as vehicles for networking and resource sharing 

among community members who are invested in working with newcomers. 

Partner agencies and organizations 

NACs in both Arkansas and Iowa have established extensive partner networks that include both 

public and private organizations such as health care providers, adult education providers, banks, 

colleges and schools, employers, and local government agencies. These organizations serve as a 

place to refer participants and collaborate with NAC staff on special projects and initiatives.

These partners also see NACs as a resource for their customers or employees. Partner agencies 

refer individuals to NACs for assistance, and employers tap into the services for assistance 

addressing cultural and language barriers within their workforce.

In sites co-located in a One-Stop Career Center, including all four sites in Arkansas and the Des 

Moines and Council Bluffs sites in Iowa, staff view all other programs housed in the One-Stop 

Career Center as partners. This can include employment and training programs, adult education 

services, economic development organizations, AARP, and Job Corps, among many others. Staff 

receive and make referrals to other One-Stop Career Center programs and provide translation 

and interpretation assistance as needed, which in many cases has allowed some providers to offer 

services to a previously unserved population. 

Staff in both Arkansas and Iowa have fostered relationships with a wide variety of other local 

service providers, including community- and faith-based organizations. In Arkansas, a 

 

14 In Arkansas, the NARN refers to advisory committees as “advisory boards.” For consistency, they are referred to 

as advisory committees throughout the report. 
13

particularly close partnership has developed with the Latin Community Organization (LCO), a 

nonprofit organization founded to help Latino individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency 

through referrals to community resources. Established in 2004, the LCO was already providing 

services and referrals to members of the Latino community in the Malvern area when NARN 

funding became available. The NARN objectives are a natural fit with the goals of the LCO, 

which enabled LCO to systematize the services they were providing ad hoc. The LCO is closely 

intertwined with the Malvern site; the local NARN coordinator is the president and a founding 

member of the LCO, and several of its board members are also members of the NARN advisory 

committee. In fact, many participants reportedly are more familiar and comfortable with the 

LCO than the NARN and seek out services at this office rather than coming to the One-Stop 

Career Center. The LCO responded to the RFQ for organizations to operate the Little Rock 

NARN based on its experiences in Malvern. LCO-issued membership cards, which are accepted 

as a second form of identification in many places, are available through the NARN in Malvern, 

Little Rock, and Russellville. 

In Iowa, the Des Moines NIC works closely with Refugee Cooperative Services of Lutheran 

Services and Refugee Resettlement Services of Catholic Charities, and the NIC frequently refers 

participants to the American Friends Services Committee for immigration assistance. In addition, 

the Des Moines NIC recently partnered with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, a 

grass-roots social, economic, and environmental justice organization, to offer a financial literacy 

class in Spanish. The Council Bluffs site has partnered with the local library, which allows the 

use of its computer lab for computer classes for participants, and the site is in the early stages of 

working with the Consulate of Mexico in Omaha to implement “Plazas Comunitarias,” an online 

educational program sponsored by the Mexican government that allows participants to complete 

their elementary, middle, or high school educations. In Mount Pleasant, the NIC works closely 

with Healthy Henry County Communities, a local coalition of health care professionals, 

educators, business representatives, advocates, and residents working together to improve 

residents’ quality of life, and its Diversity Action Team. Other local partners include the 

Fellowship Cup, where the NIC was housed at the time of our visit, and the Chamber of 

Commerce. The Mount Pleasant staff have explored the possibility of partnering with the 

Chamber of Commerce to offer workshops for Hispanic business owners. At the time of our 

visit, they were assessing the demand for such a program. 

Many NACs have developed relationships with local community colleges. For example, in Iowa, 

the Council Bluffs and Mount Pleasant sites hold citizenship classes in community college 

classrooms. Further, participants are often referred to classes and training programs, such as ESL 

or General Educational Development (GED) test preparation. In Arkansas, Rogers staff work 

closely with Northwest Arkansas Community College’s Department of Adult Education, which 

provides ESL and citizenship classes, among other services. In Arkansas, under an innovative 

partnership, staff in Malvern work with Ouachita Technical College, the Arkansas Economic 

Development Commission (AEDC), and a local welding company to provide welding training 

and certification to participants. 

Partnerships are also developed with private businesses. In Arkansas, for example, the Little 

Rock site has established a partnership with Bank of America that has resulted in the bank 

accepting the LCO-issued identification card as a second form of identification. Another 

partnership with a private roofing business has led to internships for two individuals referred by 
14

the NARN. In Iowa, the Council Bluffs site has developed a relationship with a local bank to 

ensure Spanish-speaking customers can be served. 

Project Staffing 

Staffing arrangements and responsibilities are similar across sites in Arkansas and Iowa, though 

site-specific variations exist. In Iowa, all NIC staff are employed by IWD, while in Arkansas 

NARN staff are employees of their respective local program operators. The majority of local 

NACs in Arkansas and Iowa have two-full time staff providing services to the community, 

except Mount Pleasant in Iowa, which has one full-time staff member. All NAC staff are 

bilingual (Spanish and English), and the majority were not born in the United States. 

In Arkansas, the Little Rock, Malvern, and Russellville sites are staffed by a coordinator and an 

intake specialist. The coordinators generally devote much of their time to community outreach 

and establishing contacts among local leaders, employers, and businesses. They also develop 

partnerships with other service providers and work towards project sustainability through grants 

and other sponsorships. Intake specialists typically support the coordinators in their outreach 

activities and work more directly with individuals in need of services, referring them to 

appropriate providers and providing translation and interpretation services when necessary. 

Intake specialists are also responsible for entering information into the NARN data system. All 

staff help organize and facilitate the civics education classes. The configuration is slightly 

different in Rogers. Because of challenges in attracting staff with the skills needed to foster new 

community collaborations and conduct outreach, Rogers chose to reclassify both staff as NARN 

specialists, with a focus on intake or information referrals and service provision, rather than 

having one intake specialist and a coordinator who is more outreach focused. A recently hired 

part-time intake specialist in nearby Fayetteville also provides referrals and translation and 

interpretation assistance to participants in the community. 

In Iowa, NIC staffing arrangements in Council Bluffs and Des Moines are similar.15 In Des 

Moines and Council Bluffs, there is a coordinator and an outreach specialist (known as a 

workforce associate in Council Bluffs), whose role is analogous to that of the intake specialist in 

Arkansas. In addition, Des Moines has a staff person in charge of the Rosetta Stone language 

program. At present, only one coordinator is responsible for all NIC activities in Mount Pleasant. 

In both Arkansas and Iowa, all staff work with participants directly, conducting intake, providing 

referrals, performing translation and interpretation services, and assisting with job search. Staff, 

however, do not work with participants on an ongoing basis or carry caseloads. They may 

provide assistance to anyone at the NAC, including those who are not seeking NAC services. 

Coordinators are expected to devote much of their energy to conducting outreach in the 

community; establishing networks of community advocates, service providers, and employers; 

and developing plans to sustain the program beyond the ETA demonstration grant. Intake 

specialists/workforce associates support the coordinator and are responsible for direct services, 

providing referral information and resources, collecting and entering data into the data system, 

and running monthly data reports. 

 

15 The NIC coordinator in Des Moines has since resigned, and the position remained vacant as of August 2007. 
15

In both states, volunteers play an important role in service provision in some sites. In Iowa, an 

AARP volunteer runs ESL and citizenship classes for participants in Des Moines, and the 

AmeriCorps*VISTA program has provided volunteers to work with Katrina evacuees receiving 

NIC services. VISTA volunteers have also worked for the NIC in Council Bluffs, as well as 

volunteers from the Consulate of Mexico and the Red Cross and interns from Iowa Western 

Community College. In Arkansas, community members volunteer their time to present 

information as part of the civics classes facilitated by the NARN. 

Regional NIC supervisors manage local sites within each half of Iowa. These supervisors directly 

supervise local staff, organize quarterly regional meetings, approve most major decisions, collect 

monthly data reports (which are then passed on to IWD), and produce quarterly reports for the 

ETA. Supervision in Arkansas, with the exception of Little Rock, is provided by staff from the 

local program administrator. In Little Rock, staff are supervised by the LCO board to avoid 

conflicts of interest because the LCO president is related to the Little Rock NIC staff. 

Program Enrollment Levels and Demographic Characteristics of Participants 

This section examines program enrollment levels and the demographic characteristics of 

participants in each NAC. These data are reported by NACs using a standardized reporting 

system developed for this project and are summarized in table 2.3. While all sites use the same 

data reporting system, there are significant inconsistencies in how sites count participants. Some 

sites’ demographic data include a discrete count of the total number of individuals served, while 

other sites count individuals every time they receive services through the NAC. In addition, in 

some sites, demographic data are not collected for all individuals who receive assistance through 

the NAC. Specifically, in Arkansas, Little Rock and Malvern included participants in their 

demographic data every time they sought services at the NARN, while Rogers and Russellville 

counted each person once (regardless of the number of times they sought services). In Iowa, all 

participants seeking services were only counted once per month regardless of how many times 

they sought services throughout the month, until the first quarter of 2007, when they began 

including only new participants in their data (see Appendix C for a further discussion of data 

issues). Because of these constraints, these data only offer a general sense of the scale of the 

NACs and the characteristics of the participants they serve and the data should be interpreted 

cautiously. 

Enrollment Levels 

From the outset of the program (the first quarter of 2006) through the second quarter of 2007, 

Arkansas served 4,883 participants cumulatively across their four sites, while Iowa served 2,775 

across its three sites that were operational at the time of our visit.16 In Arkansas, local sites’ 

cumulative participant counts range from 968 in Little Rock to 1,461 in Rogers, and the 

cumulative participant count at sites in Iowa ranges from 447 in Mount Pleasant to 1,149 in 

Council Bluffs. 

 

16 This cumulative total of participants in Iowa includes participants in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Mount 

Pleasant only and does not include the 17 participants recorded in Marshalltown’s demographic data. 
Table 2.3

Demographic Characteristics of New Americans Center Participants, by Site1

GenderMale 61.7 % 69.6 % 64.8 % 55.9 % 58.8 % 48.4 % 53.7 % Female 38.3 % 30.4 % 35.2 % 44.1 % 41.2 % 51.6 % 46.3 % Race and Ethnicity2, 3Hispanic 98.1 % 99.9 % 100.0 % 93.8 % 99.8 % 43.7 % 29.5 % White (Not of Hispanic Origin) 0.5 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 1.5 % 0.0 % 21.3 % 29.0 % Black (Not of Hispanic Origin) 0.1 % 0.0001 % 0.0 % 0.2 % 0.1 % 6.0 % 0.7 % Asian or Pacific Islander 0.9 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 2.9 % 0.1 % 1.0 % 0.0 % 

0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.3 % 0.2 % 

Multiracial 0.1 % 0.0 % 0.0 % 0.2 % 0.0 % 6.5 % 3.0 % Age Group414 - 18 8.9 % 6.0 % 20.7 % 2.1 % 6.3 % 0.3 % 0.6 % 19 - 24 20.4 % 30.0 % 29.1 % 9.9 % 15.4 % 2.7 % 3.4 % 25 - 35 40.8 % 40.1 % 39.9 % 36.6 % 47.9 % 6.6 % 7.4 % 36 - 45 21.2 % 15.0 % 9.1 % 35.7 % 22.2 % 3.4 % 4.2 % 46 - 54 7.3 % 5.9 % 0.7 % 16.2 % 4.8 % 1.6 % 1.9 % 55 and Over 2.3 % 1.8 % 0.4 % 5.8 % 0.3 % 0.9 % 0.8 % Number of Observations 4,883 968 1,340 1,461 1,114 2,733 1,149 Source: New Americans Centers Annual Services and Referrals Provided Report

2Data on race and ethnicity were collected for only 2,184 participants in Iowa. Thus, percentages do not sum to 100%.4Data on participants' ages were reported for only 430 participants in Iowa. Thus, percentages do not sum to 100%. 3For examples of countries of origin, see discussion on page 17.1Based on data reported quarterly to DOL/ETA by NAC demonstration projects. In Arkansas, data was reported in Little Rock beginning in the fourth quarter of 2006 through the second 

the first quarter of 2006 through the second quarter of 2007, in Rogers from the third quarter in 2006 through the second quarter of 2007, and in Russellville from the first quarter of 2006 Iowa, all three sites reported data beginning in the second quarter of 2006 through the second quarter of 2007. Data does not represent all participants served and may not be based on uniStudy Limitations for further discussion.

Arkansas Iowa

Arkansas Total Little Rock Malvern Rogers Russellville Council Bluffs D

Iowa Total

Native American or Alaskan Native
17

Demographic Characteristics 

In Arkansas, nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of participants for whom demographic data are 

available are male, while in Iowa, slightly over half (52 percent) of participants are female. Iowa 

appears to serve a more diverse population, while the vast majority (98 percent) of participants in 

Arkansas are Hispanic. In Iowa, Hispanics are the largest ethnic group served, at 43 percent; 21 

percent of participants are white, non-Hispanic; and 6 and 7 percent are black or multiracial, 

respectively. Des Moines reports a higher percentage of black participants at 14 percent, while 

32 percent of recorded participants in Mount Pleasant are multiracial. 

Individuals between 25 and 35 years old make up the largest share of recorded participants (41 

percent) in Arkansas. Approximately one-fifth of participants included in the demographic data 

are between the ages of 19 and 24 and one-fifth are between the ages of 36 and 45, while 7 

percent are between 46 and 54 years old. Nearly one-tenth of recorded participants are teenagers 

(14 to 18 years old). Only a very small percentage of participants are over age 55. (Data on the 

age of participants in Iowa were reported for only a small portion of participants.) 

According to anecdotal accounts from program staff in both Arkansas and Iowa, most 

participants are recent immigrants from a wide array of countries. In Arkansas, the majority are 

from Spanish-speaking countries in Central America such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, 

Mexico, and Nicaragua. In Iowa, and particularly in Des Moines, other countries of origin 

include Bolivia, Bosnia, Canada, Columbia, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Somalia, Sudan, and 

Thailand. 

 
18

III. Services Provided by New Americans Centers 

This section reports on the types and level of services provided to immigrants and other 

newcomers through the NACs. It is based on data maintained by the sites and reports on services 

provided through the second quarter of 2007. The sites report service receipt data using an Excel 

spreadsheet developed specifically for this demonstration project. The spreadsheet, called the 

Annual Services and Referrals Provided Report, was modeled after data collected by the original 

New Iowan Centers and was revised based on input from NARN and NIC program staff, 

Arkansas and Iowa Project Managers, the team providing technical assistance to the sites, and 

ETA. Sites collect information on the number of services provided to participants, employers, 

and the community. These three service categories (participant services, employer services, and 

community services) are further broken down into areas of assistance, such as interpretation and 

translation, supportive services, and employment. 

Services are generally available to any individual or family, community organization, or 

employer who seeks them out. There are no eligibility requirements, nor is there any formal 

assessment process. Services and referrals are provided on a case-by-case basis according to 

individual needs and requests. As there are no participation requirements, staff do not typically 

follow up on referrals. They do, however, maintain case files on most individuals and families. 

Services may be provided directly by NAC staff or through referrals to other agencies and 

organizations in the community. The most common services provided to participants, employers, 

and the community, both across and within states, are discussed below. 

While sites report services provided using a common reporting form, the sites vary in the way 

they define a single service. In particular, services reported by Little Rock and Russellville 

represent the number of participants that received that service, regardless of whether they 

received the same type of service on multiple occasions. All other sites, however, include 

multiple times that the same type of service is provided to the same individual in their tally. For 

example, if a person came to the NARN seeking translation assistance three times, this would be 

counted as one service in Little Rock and Russellville. In other sites, this would be counted as 

three services. Thus, care must be taken in interpreting service levels, and particularly in making 

cross-site comparisons. We report the number of services provided in each site, which in some 

cases means the number of participants that received that service but in other cases reflects the 

number of times that service was provided (see Appendix C for further discussion of data issues). 

Even when taking the differences in the way services are counted into account, there is still 

considerable variation in the level of service provided across sites. In Arkansas, the total reported 

number of services (including services for participants, employers, and the community) ranged 

from 51 in Little Rock to 19,123 in Russellville. This is due in part to NARN’s different stages 

of project implementation, where the program in Russellville got off the ground more quickly 

than in other sites. In Iowa, the total number of reported services ranged from 3,789 in Mount 

Pleasant to 9,052 in Council Bluffs (see table 3.1 below and Appendix B for detailed tables of 

specific services provided by site). 
19

Table 3.1: Number of Services Provided to Participants, Employers, and the Community 

Site 

Services provided 

to participants 

Services provided 

to employers 

Services 

provided to the 

community 

Total services 

provided 

Arkansas 28,743 205 1,179 30,127

Little Rock 46 5 0 51

Malvern 365 1 67 433

Rogers 9,694 148 678 10,520

Russellville 18,638 51 434 19,123

Iowa 14,248 689 1,843 16,780

Council Bluffs 8,867 149 36 9,052

Des Moines 3,325 194 420 3,939

Mount Pleasant 2,056 346 1,387 3,789

While NACs are designed to provide services to participants, employers, and the community, 

services for participants make up the vast majority of the total services provided. Nearly all (95 

percent) reported services in Arkansas were provided to individuals and families. Similarly, in 

Iowa, 85 percent of reported services went to individuals and families. This is partly because 

participant services were a primary focus of NAC staff during early phases of implementation, 

and services for employers and the community are not yet as developed as participant services. 

Types of Assistance Received by NAC Participants 

This section examines the type of assistance provided to NAC participants. We first examine the 

proportion of total services provided in specific areas, such as supportive services, employmentrelated assistance, or civics education. This is instructive for understanding where sites have 

focused their services during the early stages of implementation. Again, as discussed above, 

these numbers serve as an indication of the areas of assistance provided by each NAC, but they 

should not be viewed as an accurate count of the level of services provided due to differences in 

how sites reported this data. Next, we discuss whether services were provided to participants 

directly by NAC staff or whether staff referred participants to other organizations for services, 

called “indirect” services in this analysis. 

Overall, across all NACs, participants received assistance in a wide range of areas, including 

such supportive services as child care, clothing, food, housing, and health care; translation and 

interpretation; employment; education and training, including English as a Second Language 

(ESL) and civics education classes; legal and civil rights issues; immigration; tax preparation; 

and banking and financial issues. With the exception of Little Rock, where services were 

concentrated in three areas (citizenship classes, employment, and interpretation/translation), 
20

NACs provided a wide mix of services. Exhibit 3.1 represents the areas in which participants 

received assistance, while the actual statistics are provided in Appendix B, Table B.1. 

Supportive Services 

As shown in Exhibit 3.1, NAC staff often assisted participants with basic and supportive 

services, including child care, clothing, food, housing, and health care, among other basic needs. 

Generally, NAC staff referred participants to organizations and agencies in the community that 

can assist with these needs, such as food banks or clothing drives. In Arkansas, referrals to 

supportive services made up nearly one-third (29 percent) of the total recorded services provided 

to participants in Malvern. This was also the most commonly reported type of service provided 

to participants in Russellville, representing 15 percent of the total services provided to 

participants. Referrals for supportive services made up a similar share of participant services in 

Rogers. 

Assistance with supportive services was generally less prevalent in Iowa, representing 5 percent 

of reported services provided to participants across all three sites. In Mount Pleasant, however, 

referral to supportive services was the second most commonly reported service provided to 

participants, representing approximately 15 percent of the total services provided to participants. 

For example, the NIC coordinator often referred participants to the Fellowship Cup’s clothing 

ministry and food pantry. 

Translation and Interpretation Services 

In both states, staff at all sites routinely provided translation and interpretation assistance to 

participants—both in the offices and out in the community. For example, staff attended parentteacher conferences at the local schools to interpret for parents who do not speak English, 

translated documents such as leases and other contracts, and interpreted meetings between 

participants and their employers. 

Across the four sites in Arkansas, interpretation and translation services make up a greater share 

of participant services than any other type of assistance, representing 17 percent of the total 

services provided to participants. Translations and interpretations represented a similar share of 

services provided to participants in Iowa (16 percent), making it the third most common type of 

service provided. Further, in three of the seven sites—Malvern and Rogers in Arkansas and 

Council Bluffs in Iowa—interpretations and translations represented at least one-fifth of the total 

participant services provided (37, 28, and 20 percent, respectively). 

Employment Assistance 

NAC staff also provided employment-related assistance, which includes referrals to other 

programs in the One-Stop Career Center and job placement agencies as well as direct assistance 

with job search, resume development, and interviewing skills. This included helping participants 

search for job leads on the computer, referring job seekers to specific employers, assisting in 

preparation of resumes, and checking over job applications to make sure they are completed fully 

and correctly, among other employment-related services. 
21

Exhibit 3.1: Distribution of the Types of Services Provided to New Americans Centers 

Participants 

Arkansas

Supportive Services

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services

ESL/Language Classes

Other Classes

Immigration Services

Tax/SSN

General Information

Other

Civics Education Classes

Legal Issues

Financial

Computer Access

Little Rock

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services

Civics Education Classes

Malvern

Supportive Services

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services

Tax/SSN

ESL/Language Classes

Other Classes

Rogers

Employment Services Civics Education Classes

Computer Access

General Information

Immigration Services

Other

Legal Issues

Other Classes

ESL/Language Classes

Supportive Services

Interpretation/

Translation

Russellville

Supportive Services

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services

ESL/Language Classes

Legal Issues

Immigration Services

Other Classes

Tax/SSN

Civics Education 

Classes

Financial
22

Exhibit 3.1: Distribution of the Types of Services Provided to New Americans 

Centers Participants (continued) 

Iowa

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services

Other

Tax/SSN

Supportive Services

Civics Education Classes

Legal Issues

Computer Access

General Information

Immigration Services

Other Classes

ESL/Language Classes

Council Bluffs

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services Tax/SSN

Computer Access

Other

General Information

Supportive Services

ESL/Language Classes

Civics Education Classes

Other Classes

Des Moines

Supportive Services

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services

ESL/Language Classes

Civics Education Classes

Other Classes

Legal Issues

Immigration Services

Computer Access

General Information

Other

Mount Pleasant

Supportive Services

Interpretation/Translation

Employment Services

Immigration Services

Civics Education Classes

Other Classes

Legal Issues

Tax/SSN

Computer Access

Other

ESL/Language Classes

General Information
23

Employment-related assistance was particularly common in Iowa, reflecting a strong focus on 

employment in the NACs in this state. Totaled across all three sites in Iowa, employment-related 

assistance was more common than any other service provided to participants and constitutes onefifth of the total services provided to participants. This was the most commonly recorded type of 

participant service in Des Moines, representing one-third of the total services provided to 

participants. Employment-related assistance was also frequently provided in Council Bluffs, 

where nearly one-fifth (19 percent) of services provided to participants addressed employmentrelated issues. 

Notably, the frequency of employment-related assistance is significantly lower in Arkansas, 

where only two sites reported any employment-related assistance, representing less than 1 

percent of total services provided to participants across the state. This likely is a reflection of the 

NARN’s overall focus on establishing networks of service providers rather than providing direct 

services itself. Further, according to program staff, participants in Arkansas are likely to already 

be employed when they seek services from the NARN. In Little Rock, however, employmentrelated assistance represented over one-fifth (22 percent) of all participant services provided, 

suggesting this has been an area of focus in Little Rock. 

Civics Education 

Five of seven NACs across Arkansas and Iowa offered civics education classes for participants. 

During these classes, NAC staff and representatives from various partner agencies addressed 

issues related to becoming productive citizens within the communities. Topics included 

education, immigration, law enforcement, applying for Individual Taxpayer Identification 

Numbers (ITINs), cultural issues, taxes, local services, and connecting utilities. In sites that did 

not offer a civics education class, participants were often referred to similar classes in the 

community. 

In Little Rock, nearly half of all services provided to participants (44 percent) were civics 

education classes (in this case, one two-session civics education class is counted as one service). 

In Rogers, approximately 7 percent of services provided to participants were civics education 

classes. In Arkansas, staff in Little Rock, Malvern, and Russellville also issued LCO 

membership identification cards after completion of the class, which are accepted as a second 

form of identification by many local organizations and businesses. 

ESL Classes 

Five of the seven NACs offered ESL classes. In Iowa, Des Moines and Council Bluffs offer 

onsite computers with Rosetta Stone, a language learning software, which were available for 

participants’ self-directed use. In Mount Pleasant, participants could access the software at 

Southeastern Community College, located across the street. In Des Moines, ESL classes 

represented approximately one-fifth of the total services provided to participants. 

In Arkansas, Malvern was the only NARN that provided ESL instruction. ESL classes at this 

site represented 15 percent of total services provided to participants. 
24

Other Education and Training 

Local NACs hosted other classes and workshops as well. For example, in Arkansas, Malvern and 

Russellville sponsored financial literacy classes. In Iowa, the Council Bluffs coordinator offered 

weekly basic computer skills classes at the neighboring community college, in addition to oneon-one computer skills training during the day at the NIC. Des Moines also offered computer 

classes for participants. 

In two Arkansas sites (Rogers and Russellville) and one Iowa site (Des Moines), participants 

were often referred to classes in the community, including language classes, citizenship classes, 

and other classes that cover such topics as financial education or computer skills. For example, 

Rogers developed a close partnership with Northwest Arkansas Community College’s 

Department of Adult Education, whose director serves on the NARN advisory committee, and 

frequently referred participants to ESL and citizenship classes. Likewise, staff in Russellville 

often referred participants to the Russellville Adult Education Center for ESL, Spanish, and GED 

classes. 

Legal and Civil Rights Assistance 

Staff also referred participants to organizations and services in the community that address legal 

and civil rights issues. In Arkansas, this service was particularly common in Russellville; it made 

up approximately 13 percent of all services provided to participants. Staff in Rogers also 

occasionally referred participants for assistance with legal or civil rights assistance. Similarly, 

staff in Rogers and Russellville referred participants to organizations that specifically address 

immigration-related issues. At the time of our visit, a staff member in Malvern was completing 

training through the Baptist Immigration Services Network. Once completed, this accreditation 

will allow him to prepare documents and represent individuals seeking to adjust their 

immigration status. 

These types of referrals were less common in Iowa. Legal and civil rights assistance, where they 

represented less than 10 percent of services provided to participants. 

Computer and Internet Access and Other Services 

In all sites, NAC participants have access to computers with Internet connectivity and word 

processing. For example, participants can use these computers to search for jobs online or create 

resumes. NACs located within a One-Stop Career Center have computers onsite, and several 

sites have agreements with nearby community colleges to grant participants access to their 

computer labs. In Iowa, for example, participants at the Mount Pleasant NIC may use the 

computer room at the Mount Pleasant branch of Southeastern Community College across the 

street. Computer access is particularly common in Council Bluffs, representing 16 percent of all 

services provided to participants. In addition to providing several computers onsite, the 

coordinator in Council Bluffs made an arrangement with the local library so participants could 

use its computers one evening each week. 

Many other services are provided to participants, including assistance gathering necessary 

information for other programs, tax preparation assistance, banking and financial assistance, and 

various services as needs arise. These miscellaneous services represented approximately ten 

percent of services provided by staff in Arkansas and approximately 24 percent of services 

provided in Iowa. 
25

Indirect and Direct Services 

Within each area of assistance, referrals to other organizations or agencies (“indirect services”) 

and services directly provided by NAC staff (“direct services”) are examined. Indirect services 

offered by NACs in both Arkansas and Iowa included referrals to other organizations and service 

providers that address a wide range of participant needs. Tapping into their network of 

community partners and resources, staff referred participants to organizations and community 

service providers for assistance with food, child care, shelter, clothing, health care, tax 

preparation, employment, classes, training programs, and legal and immigration counseling. 

Direct services are those provided by staff, such as ESL and civics education classes, assistance 

with job search or resume development, and interpretation and translation. 

Across all sites in Arkansas, the vast majority of services provided to participants (80 percent) 

were indirect services, meaning that services were provided through referrals to other 

organizations rather than directly from NAC staff. In Little Rock and Malvern, however, where 

fewer services have been provided than in the other two sites, direct services account for the 

majority of reported participant services. Eighty-three percent of participant services in Little 

Rock and 57 percent of participant services in Malvern were provided directly by NARN staff. In 

Little Rock, the higher proportion of direct services is attributable to their regularly held civics 

education classes, which is their most commonly recorded service for participants. 

Across all three New Iowan Centers, three-quarters of reported services for participants were 

directly provided by NIC staff, while the remainder constituted referrals to other organizations. 

Most participant services reported in Council Bluffs (77 percent) and Des Moines (83 percent) 

were direct services, many of which were employment-related services such as assistance 

developing a resume or searching for a job. In Mount Pleasant, however, approximately half (48 

percent) of participant services were directly provided by NIC staff and half were indirect 

services. Across NIC sites, employment assistance was the primary direct service provided. 

Employer Services 

NACs aim to serve as a resource to area employers and businesses by helping them meet their 

staffing needs and connecting them with relevant training and resources. In Arkansas, because 

staff focused on building services for participants and the community during the early phases of 

NARN implementation, the level of services provided to employers is lower than the level of 

services provided to participants or the community. Across all four NARN sites, 205 services (or 

1 percent of the total services) were provided to employers in Arkansas. In Iowa, where 

employer services are more established, 689 employer services (or 4 percent of the total services 

reported) were provided through the NICs (see table 3.1 above). The breakdown of indirect 

versus direct employer services mirrored the pattern of participant services in each state. Nearly 

all employer services in Arkansas (99 percent) were indirect referrals, while the majority of 

employer services in Iowa (83 percent) were directly provided by NIC staff. 

Five of seven NACs across Arkansas and Iowa referred employers for assistance with staffing 

needs. In Arkansas, staff in Little Rock and Rogers referred employers to language classes. In 

Malvern, the NARN helped develop a training program when a local welding company needed 

certified welders. The training was delivered through a partnership with the Arkansas Economic 

Development Commission (AEDC), the Latin Community Organization (LCO), the local 
26

technical college, and the employer. The course was taught by a local welding supplier with 

NARN staff interpreting. 

In Iowa, staff in Council Bluffs and Mount Pleasant referred employers to special targeted 

training in the community on issues relevant to managing a diverse workforce. Staff also 

provided direct services to employers, including targeted training and seminars on a range of 

immigration and diversity issues and assistance with staffing needs. This happened in various 

contexts, including NIC-sponsored workshops, job fairs, one-on-one consultations, and onsite 

visits to workplaces and businesses. In Council Bluffs, the NIC hosted training sessions on 

cultural awareness and diversity and special targeted training sessions for employers. The NIC 

frequently hosted jobs fairs and employer panels and developed a strong relationship with 

several large employers in the area that regularly hire new Iowans through the NIC. Des Moines 

sponsored one cultural awareness and diversity training for employers and six special targeted 

training events, including an employer workshop on H1B visas. While the coordinator in Mount 

Pleasant was just beginning to develop employer services at the time of our visit, strong 

relationships with several large employers in the area had already been established, with plans to 

offer more training and presentations on diversity and immigration issues in the near future. In 

addition, all NICs directly assisted employers with their staffing needs by referring participants 

when employers have job openings. 

Community Services 

New Americans Centers aim to increase awareness of diversity issues and immigration in the 

community at large. In Arkansas and Iowa, staff are working to foster relationships with local 

community leaders and police departments, conducting diversity training at community 

organizations and businesses, hosting networking events, and executing outreach in the 

community to ensure people are aware of their services. 

In Arkansas, staff regularly participated in local community events, including Chambers of 

Commerce events, job fairs, and local service provider committees. They also worked with 

various community organizations and companies, including pharmacies, banks, and utility 

companies, to have the LCO membership card accepted as a form of identification. 

In Iowa, all NICs have sponsored workshops on cultural awareness and diversity and other 

relevant issues that are open to the public. For example, Des Moines sponsored public workshops 

on cultural sensitivity in the workplace, obtaining citizenship, wage and labor law, and 

discrimination. In addition, Des Moines hosted a nonprofit networking event as an opportunity 

for local organizations to share information, which was attended by approximately 90 

representatives from area service providers and community organizations. Mount Pleasant hosted 

various workshops in conjunction with Southeastern Community College on such topics as 

community services and financial aid. 
27

IV. Future Plans and Sustainability 

Since the inception of the NACs, both states have focused attention on issues of outreach, 

promoting program awareness, and sustainability, incorporating the topic in early stages of 

program design and planning. ETA funding for the New Americans Centers demonstrations in 

Arkansas and Iowa ends in June 2008, and it is incumbent upon the states to sustain the NACs 

through other sources of funding and support. 

From the onset, the goal in Arkansas was to build a network of service providers to assist 

newcomers. By naming its NAC system the New Arkansan Resource Network, Arkansas set the 

tone to sustain the partnerships created through the demonstration regardless of funding and its 

ability to support dedicated staff. While there is no formal state-level role in sustaining the 

NARN, state-level staff have been involved in discussions about private-sector support for 

NARN activities. A local communications company has expressed interest in helping the LCO 

expand into a statewide entity. There were further discussions about expanding the NARN 

statewide, rather than just the LCO, given the narrower, Hispanic focus of the LCO. The 

communications firm also would work with the NARN to “brand” the network, which includes 

developing a new logo and redesigning the LCO membership card. It is also exploring the 

possibility of convening a statewide advisory committee to support the NARN. 

To varying degrees, staff in Arkansas have been networking and collaborating with partner 

agencies to secure funding to supplement current funding levels and to sustain operations after 

the ETA funding ends in fiscal year 2008. While none of these efforts on their own are sufficient 

to fully sustain the NARN, staff continue to seek out additional funds and in-kind support. 

Currently, Russellville receives $5.00 from the cost of every LCO membership card it issues and 

has an arrangement with Bank of America whereby the NARN receives $25.00 for every new 

account holder it refers. Russellville also planned to sponsor a fundraiser in September 2007. 

In addition, local staff in Arkansas have applied for grants from a variety of sources. In 

Russellville, for example, the NARN has received grants from the Entergy Charitable 

Foundation and Bank of America and have submitted additional grant applications to a variety of 

potential funders, including a substantial request to the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and 

others to Entergy and Bank of America. The NARN also submitted sponsorship requests to 

CenturyTel, Bank of America, and several local businesses for a September 2007 fundraiser. 

Staff in Malvern have also submitted grant requests to support local activities. 

The advisory committee in Rogers established a subcommittee specifically tasked with grant 

writing and sustainability. The committee has drafted a concept paper that could be included in 

future grant applications. In addition, Rogers partnered with the University of Arkansas, 

Fayetteville to submit a grant application to ETA for training long-term health care 

paraprofessionals with limited English proficiency. If awarded, training participants would be 

recruited through the NARN as well as local One-Stop Career Centers. Other avenues for 

sustainability under consideration in Rogers include fee-for-service projects with the business 

community. The Rogers NARN also has received an Entergy grant for outreach to Carroll 

County for a Cinco de Mayo festival. 
28

In Iowa, discussions about the sustainability of the NICs are occurring at the state level, while 

local staff are largely uninvolved in securing future funds. Currently, $160,000 in state 

appropriations supports operations of the nine NICs. With the end of the ETA demonstration 

grant approaching17, state-level staff were hopeful that the state legislature would increase the 

current level of funding to make up for the loss of the ETA grant. State level staff point to the 

NICs’ strong presence throughout the state: including non-ETA-funded NICs, they are currently 

serving 12 of 15 of the state’s workforce regions, giving them leverage in the legislature. Further, 

there is a sense that the current political climate and the support of the governor increases the 

likelihood of securing state funding to sustain the NICs. In addition, state-level staff encourage 

local communities to sustain operations through in-kind support. In Mount Pleasant, for example, 

community partners provide office space and utilities for the NIC office. Local communities are 

also encouraged to develop public-private partnerships with local businesses to support NIC 

programming. 

 

17 Note, the New Americans Centers Demonstration Project concluded on June 30, 2008 while this paper was in 

review for publication. 
29

 V. Conclusions and Lessons Learned 

The New Americans Centers demonstration projects are still relatively new, and, appropriately, 

most sites have focused on establishing local partner networks and reaching out to newcomer 

communities. From the perspective of staff, community partners, and employers, NACs have had 

a generally positive impact on the economic and social well-being of newcomers in both 

Arkansas and Iowa. NACs have established themselves as trusted and reliable resources for 

newcomers in their respective communities and beyond. Respondents in Arkansas reported high 

demand for assistance and indicated that their citizenship classes are consistently full. Staff in 

Arkansas noted that the spread of information by word of mouth is evidence of their success. 

Demand for NAC services is evident at the community level as well. Several communities in 

Arkansas and Iowa have expressed an interest in establishing NACs in their local areas. One 

Iowan stated NACs provide newcomers “a safe place...to ask for help or let [somebody] know 

their needs. Employers and organizations feel safe that we’re going to provide them with 

accurate information....They feel there finally is a place [to ask] questions.” 

NACs are at different stages of program implementation, with some further along than others. In 

part, this results from the varying starting points among sites. Some local centers are modeled 

after existing sites or built on existing efforts, including all the Iowa sites and Malvern in 

Arkansas. Other sites are starting from scratch and must establish not only service delivery 

mechanisms, but also the critical community networks in which to operate. Additionally, some 

sites faced implementation hurdles such as difficulties hiring staff or securing adequate office 

space. Regardless of starting point, NAC staff have moved forward with reaching out to 

newcomers and providing services—both directly and through referrals. 

To some extent, local socioeconomic conditions drive the design of the NACs and their mix of 

services. For example, the strong demand for workers in Iowa dictates the stronger focus on 

employment services. In Arkansas, on the other hand, newcomers visiting the NAC tend to be 

employed but in need of supportive services and improved civic participation and understanding, 

thus influencing the strong focus on services such as citizenship instruction, ESL instruction, and 

translation and interpretation services in these sites. 

There is considerable variation in the level of service provided across NACs, ranging from 51 

reported services in Little Rock to 19,123 in Russellville. In general, staff have focused primarily 

on providing services to individuals and families with less attention placed on services to 

communities and employers. In Arkansas, 95 percent of all reported services were provided to 

participants. Similarly, 85 percent of services reported in Iowa were provided to individuals and 

families. Of these services, indirect services, or referrals to other agencies, account for the bulk 

of reported participant services. 

In Arkansas, staff and local community members noted several ways in which the NARN has 

been successful, including integrating newcomers into the community by enhancing their civic 

participation and understanding and increasing their knowledge of and access to available 

resources and basic services, including banking, utilities, immigration and legal assistance, and 

health care. Respondents also noted the increased availability of translation and interpretation 

assistance which has contributed to improved access to a multitude of services including those 

offered through the One-Stop Career Centers. 
30

In Arkansas and Iowa, NACs have facilitated access to English language instruction. In Iowa, 

staff encourage limited English proficient individuals to make use of interactive Rosetta Stone 

software. Staff in both states make referrals to ESL classes offered by other community agencies 

or offer ESL tutoring and/or classes in-house. In Arkansas, staff and partners in Malvern, Rogers, 

and Russellville also stressed the value of the LCO membership card as a much-needed second 

form of identification that is accepted by many businesses in the community. 

At this point, it is not possible to determine the effect of NAC services on local communities, 

particularly on their receptiveness to newcomers. NACs have, however, successfully built local 

networks made up of community leaders, service providers, and businesses. Staff have worked to 

gain support from the community, particularly from mayors, police departments, and business 

leaders, educating them about services they offer. Further, many NACs have worked to foster 

improved relations between the newcomers and the broader community, particularly local police. 

For example, staff have provided cultural diversity training to police officers and to school staff. 

In addition, staff work with newcomers to ensure they have a better understanding of what is 

expected of them in terms of civil laws and social norms. 

NACs have also come to be seen as a resource for other service providers. Providers seek 

interpretation and translation assistance as well as information on cultural diversity. In addition, 

NACs serve as a mechanism to disseminate information about available community resources. 

Often advisory committee meetings serve as a forum for information sharing among partners. In 

Iowa, the NICs are seen by some as having helped bring newcomers to their community, and 

many attribute the ability of communities to attract newcomers to the education and cultural 

awareness provided by staff. 

Although it is probably the least developed area, NAC staff have worked with local employers 

who have come to see the services offered as a resource available to them and their employees. 

Some employers use the NACs as a source of new hires. Others use them for interpretation and 

translation assistance or help with cultural and diversity issues in the workplace. Employers also 

refer employees to the NAC for assistance, such as ESL instruction. In Arkansas, Malvern’s 

welding certification has great promise and the model is replicable but requires considerable 

commitment from employers and other community partners who play a major role in planning 

and delivering the training. 

While improving economic success is a key goal of the NACs (an outcome that will be examined 

in a subsequent report), it is important to note that many of this demonstration’s desired impacts 

are not quantifiable, including an improved quality of life for newcomer families, better 

reception of newcomers in the community, improved civic participation, understanding, and 

engagement on the part of newcomers, development of an enhanced workforce, and 

establishment of an integrated network of services for new arrivals. 
31

Implementation Lessons 

NACs’ early implementation experiences have resulted in many lessons that can be shared with 

other states or localities looking to implement similar services. Above all else, it is critical to 

define the NAC’s purpose and role. This tends to vary from site to site, depending on existing 

resources within the community. The Arkansas and Iowa NACs have consciously avoided the 

duplication of existing services, choosing instead to complement other service providers, and in 

many cases, serve primarily as a resource and referral entity. Advisory committees made up of 

community members are uniquely positioned to help NAC staff find their “niche” in the 

community. 

The strength of the NACs also lies in their flexibility to meet local needs through a mix of 

services and in their ability to respond to the changing needs of their constituencies—individuals 

and families, the community, and employers. It is critical for staff to be in touch with the 

community and understand what their needs are. Currently, many services offered through the 

NACs are focused on Spanish-speaking newcomers. It is important to ensure that these services 

are available for newcomers from other backgrounds as well, particularly as local demographics 

shift. 

Network building and community support are critical early steps. While NACs make available 

an array of services for newcomers, many services are provided through referral to existing 

community providers. Appropriately, most staff have devoted considerable effort into building 

networks of service providers, nonprofits, and community businesses to support newcomers. 

That being said, it is important to bring together existing services rather than creating new ones. 

Staff have also worked to gain the trust of newcomers who otherwise are hesitant to trust public 

institutions and seek out services. 

Successful NAC implementation has required community buy-in from the outset. Support from 

local officials, other service providers, and the business community has been critical to the 

success of the NACs, and staff have worked diligently to foster the trust of both newcomers and 

the broader community. Gaining this trust requires the development of personal relationships. It 

is equally important to have buy-in from community leaders. The lack of outward support from 

both the city and the local Workforce Investment Board has perhaps stymied the development of 

the advisory committee and community services in Little Rock. 

Dynamic and committed staff are essential. Much of the success of NACs rides on the 

personalities and strengths of local staff who reach out to individuals and families, community 

members, and employers. Staff are often the only interface between the NAC and community 

leaders and other service providers. They are also responsible for ensuring the continuity of 

services through local support, outreach, and promoting program awareness. For the most part, 

staff have personal connections to the community and are dedicated to serving the newcomer 

communities and making the NACs succeed. Administrators who are passionate about serving 

the newcomer populations and who are devoid of political agendas also contribute to the success 

of the NACs. 

Avenues to foster communication between staff at different locations should be enhanced. The 

individual NACs have small staffs—only one or two individuals working in each location. A 
32

lack of communication across sites leaves some staff feeling isolated. Increased communication 

among staff would encourage information and resource sharing and perhaps lead to more 

creative service delivery, outreach, or program awareness efforts. 

Location is a factor in service delivery. While housing NACs within One-Stop Career Centers 

facilitates referrals and coordination with other work-related services, it provides some obstacles 

to service delivery. Staff have had to identify alternative locations to offer services, such as 

civics education classes and ESL instruction, during nonstandard work hours to accommodate 

the schedules of working families. Additionally, non-citizens are often resistant to seeking out 

services in unfamiliar locations, which may be perceived as unfriendly toward immigrants. 

Through the development of trusting relationships and word of mouth, NAC staff have generally 

been able to overcome any resistance on the part of newcomers to seeking out services within a 

One-Stop Career Center. 

Project sustainability is challenging and requires support at a high level. The integration of the 

NICs into Iowa’s governmental and fiscal structure has lent a sense of permanency to the 

services they provide. In addition, local communities are encouraged to support their operation 

through in-kind contributions and public-private partnerships. In Arkansas, staff have been 

charged with sustaining the future of the NAC. Although only partway through the 

demonstration period, it appears that in the absence of a dedicated funding stream, sustainability 

of individual NACs may be beyond the means of local NAC staff and their advisory committees. 

While staff have been successful at securing smaller grants and contributions, supporting fulltime staff and office space requires more substantial funding than has been raised locally to date. 

Support from advisory committee members and/or other members of the community who are 

more experienced in grant writing and other outreach mechanisms appears to be critical. In the 

absence of financial support from the state, there is a need for experienced grantwriters and other 

sources to contribute to the sustainability of the programs in each state. 

 

Data collection and reporting needs to be consistent. While the demonstration’s technical 

assistance contractor developed a spreadsheet system for reporting quarterly data to ETA, 

insufficient hands-on training was provided to ensure that local staff were entering data 

uniformly. The current data reporting system allows NACs to report data in a unified format, but 

the lack of training on how to collect and report data has resulted in inconsistent data collection 

at the local level. In retrospect, additional training and ongoing oversight of local staff to ensure 

consistent reporting would foster better-quality data collection. Future demonstrations should 

allow time for hands-on and repeated training on data collection requirements. Additionally, the 

use of a quarterly reporting system that is not linked to the local data system has resulted in staff 

having to enter data in multiple systems, which can be time consuming. Future efforts should 

attempt to incorporate an electronic link to in-house electronic case files that would facilitate 

reporting and reduce burden on local staff. 

In closing, the experiences of NACs in Arkansas and Iowa underscore the importance of 

developing strong community relationships and an integrated network of service providers. The 

early phases of NACs suggest that this requires a strong commitment on the part of staff and the 

community as well as support from community leaders and other local service providers, 

businesses, and employers. The next study report will provide further information on the 

continuing implementation and impacts of the New Americans Centers demonstration projects. 
APPENDIX A 

New Americans Centers Site Summaries 

New Arkansan Resource Network 

New Iowan Centers
A – 1 

New Arkansan Resource Network 

Site Summary 

Project Locations: The New Arkansan Resource Network (NARN) operates out of four 

sites in central, northwest, and west central Arkansas: Little Rock, 

Malvern, Rogers, and Russellville. 

Overview: The NARN was established in July 2005 under a demonstration grant 

from the U.S. Department of Labor. The primary goal of the NARN is 

to speed the transition of new Arkansans into communities, promote 

stability and rapid employment with good wages, and enhance 

economic development. This goal is met through information 

dissemination, outreach to the community, and employer services 

with the assistance of a network of partner agencies. 

Target Population: “New Arkansan” is defined as any person new to the State of 

Arkansas. Services are provided to anybody who needs them 

regardless of country of origin or current residence. Most participants 

(referred to as registrants in Arkansas) are recent immigrants, with the 

majority coming from Spanish-speaking countries such as El 

Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru. Other 

countries of origin include China, the Marshall Islands, and Vietnam. 

Organizational 

Information/ 

Lead Agency: The NARN is locally operated under the guidance of the Arkansas 

Department of Workforce Services (DWS). Local workforce 

investment boards provide fiscal and programmatic oversight, while 

direct operation, staffing, and service delivery is subcontracted to the 

local One-Stop Career Center operators in three sites and a 

community nonprofit organization in the fourth. All four sites are 

physically housed within local One-Stop Career Centers, or 

Workforce Centers.

- Malvern: West Central Arkansas Career Development Center 

System operates the NARN with fiscal and programmatic 

oversight from the West Central Arkansas Planning and 

Development District, (WCAPDD) agent for the West Central 

Arkansas Workforce Investment Board. 

- Little Rock: The Little Rock site is operated by the Latin 

Community Organization (LCO), a nonprofit organization that 

helps Latino individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency 

through education and referrals, under contract with the Little 

Rock Workforce Investment Board. 

- Rogers: The Northwest Arkansas Certified Development Company 

(NWACDC) operates the NARN under contract with the 
A – 2 

Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District (NWAEDD), 

the fiscal agent and administrative agency for the Northwest 

Arkansas Workforce Investment Board 

- Russellville: West Central Arkansas Career Development Center 

System operates the NARN with fiscal and programmatic 

oversight from the West Central Arkansas Planning and 

Development District, (WCAPDD), agent for the West Central 

Arkansas Workforce Investment Board. 

Staffing: Each local NARN site has two staff providing services to the 

community. All NARN staff are bilingual (Spanish and English) and 

most are non-native born. In Little Rock, Malvern, and Russellville, 

the NARN is staffed by a coordinator and an intake specialist, while 

the Rogers NARN has a slightly different configuration with two 

network specialists. In general, coordinators devote more effort to 

outreach in the community and are additionally responsible for 

developing strategies to sustain the NARN. Intake specialists typically 

work more directly with individuals in need of services and are also 

responsible for entering data in the NARN data system. 

Key Partners: Three of the four local NARN sites (Malvern, Rogers, and 

Russellville) have established working advisory boards made up of 

local leaders, business owners, and other community members, while 

staff in Little Rock continue to struggle with the formation of a local 

advisory board. They have found it difficult to convene meetings with 

potential advisory board members. At the time of our visit, Arkansas 

was looking into establishing a statewide advisory board. 

Locally, NARN has established extensive partner networks. These 

networks include both public and private organizations such as banks, 

health care providers, colleges and schools, employers, and local 

government agencies. In addition to operating the Little Rock site, the 

LCO is a key partner in both Malvern and Russellville. 

Primary Services 

and Activities: There is some variation in the types of resources and services 

available across the NARN. Uniformly, the NARN serves primarily 

as a resource and referral agency rather than as a direct service 

provider. 

Participant Services 

The majority of participant services are provided through referrals to 

other organizations. Referrals are often made for the following 

services: employment assistance (including job services, job training, 

and unemployment insurance); education (e.g., ESL and adult 

education, scholarships, etc.); and community services (such as legal 
A – 3 

services, immigration assistance, health care, banking needs, money 

management, and food and shelter). Staff in all four NARN sites 

routinely provide translation and interpretation assistance to 

participants—both in the offices and out in the community. Other 

direct services provided through the Russellville NARN include 

notarization and driver’s education. Little Rock, Malvern, and 

Russellville offer a civics education class, which addresses issues 

related to becoming productive citizens within the respective 

communities. In Rogers, individuals are referred to civics and 

citizenship classes provided by the Northwest Arkansas Community 

College Adult Education Center. Staff in Little Rock, Malvern, and 

Russellville also issue LCO membership identification cards, which 

have come to be accepted as a second form of identification by many 

local organizations and businesses. The Rogers site does not issue the 

LCO membership identification cards because local government 

leaders do not endorse the cards. 

Community Services 

NARN staff regularly participate in local community events, 

including Chambers of Commerce events, job fairs, and local service 

provider committees. They also have worked with various community 

organizations and companies, including pharmacies, banks, and utility 

companies, to have the LCO membership card accepted as a second 

form of identification. NARN staff have fostered relationships with 

local community leaders and police departments, enabling them to 

educate both newcomers and the broader community about cultural 

differences. 

Employer Services 

During the early stages of implementation, the NARN focused more 

heavily on developing services for participants, and the community, 

and employer services are not yet as extensive. However, staff 

provide translation and interpretation services to employers, and in 

some cases, they have gone to a worksite to discuss safety and 

workplace issues with employees. In Rogers and Malvern, NARN 

staff have worked with employers on conversational Spanish and 

cultural awareness issues. In addition, local employers alert NARN 

staff to job openings and several newcomers have been referred for 

jobs. 

Future Plans 

and Sustainability: State-level staff are involved in discussions about private-sector 

support for NARN activities and possible statewide NARN 

expansion. DWS staff have had discussions with a local 

communications company to discuss the formation of a statewide 
A – 4 

advisory board and “branding” the network, including developing a 

new logo and redesigning the LCO membership card. 

At the local level, staff have been exploring future funding 

possibilities to varying degrees. Sustainability efforts undertaken by 

NARN staff include hosting fundraisers, submitting grant applications 

to a wide variety of foundations and other funders, and developing 

partnerships with local businesses. In Rogers, the NARN advisory 

council established a subcommittee specifically tasked with grant 

writing and NARN sustainability. 
A – 5 

New Iowan Centers 

Site Summary 

Project Locations: There are four ETA-funded New Iowan Centers (NICs) in Iowa, 

located in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Marshalltown, and Mount 

Pleasant. At the time of our visit, the Marshalltown NIC was not in 

operation due to recent staff departures. 

Overview: The four NICs funded by ETA were modeled after three preexisting 

centers established under the Iowa Workforce Development agency 

(IWD), an agency focused on Iowa’s workforce issues. 

NICs are designed to help newcomers to Iowa establish themselves in 

the community by providing services to new Iowans, area employers, 

and the community at large. In general, NICs aim to “grow Iowa” by 

ensuring new Iowans are educated about and have access to necessary 

services, helping new Iowans adapt to the community, connecting 

employers and job seekers, and educating the community on issues of 

immigration and cultural diversity. 

Target Population: NIC staff define “new Iowans” as anyone new to Iowa, regardless of 

geographic origin. Many participants are recent immigrants from a 

wide array of countries, with the majority from Spanish-speaking 

ones, such as El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Other 

countries of origin include Bolivia, Bosnia, Canada, Columbia, Iraq, 

Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Somalia, and Sudan. 

NIC services are generally available to anyone who walks through the 

door, though efforts are focused within loosely defined geographic 

areas, which vary by site. The Des Moines NIC operates mainly in 

Polk County. The Council Bluffs NIC serves the greater metropolitan 

area, including employers from neighboring Omaha, Nebraska, that 

hire Iowans. The Mount Pleasant NIC has focused its work in the first 

12 months on building relationships in the city of Mount Pleasant, 

with plans to expand outreach to the entire county in the near future. 

 

Organizational 

Information/ 

Lead Agency: Iowa Workforce Development, the state workforce agency, provides 

fiscal and programmatic oversight for the NICs. The Des Moines and 

Council Bluffs NICs are located within local One-Stop Career 

Centers, or Workforce Centers. The Mount Pleasant NIC is co-located 

at the Iowa State University Extension office because the local OneStop Career Center did not have adequate space for it. The 

Marshalltown NIC is co-located with the local Workforce Investment 
A – 6 

Act (WIA) training provider because adequate space was not 

available in the One-Stop Career Center. 

Staffing: NICs are overseen by a targeted services bureau chief from Iowa 

Workforce Development. The state is divided into two regions, 

eastern and western, each with a regional supervisor who manages the 

NICs within that half of the state. The NICs in Des Moines and 

Council Bluffs were each staffed by two people, a coordinator and an 

outreach specialist in Des Moines and a coordinator and a workforce 

associate in Council Bluffs. However, the NIC coordinator in Des 

Moines resigned in August 2007 and the position remains vacant. Des 

Moines has an additional workforce associate in charge of the Rosetta 

Stone language program. The Mount Pleasant NIC is staffed by a 

coordinator who is responsible for all NIC activities. All staff work 

with new Iowans directly, conducting intake, providing referrals, 

translating and interpreting, and assisting with job search. 

Coordinators focus their energy on community outreach, establishing 

networks, including state and county agencies, community advocates, 

service providers, and employers, in addition to working to develop 

plans to sustain the program beyond the ETA demonstration grant. 

The Workforce Associates in Des Moines and Council Bluffs support 

the coordinators and are responsible for collecting and entering NIC 

participation data into IWORKS, IWD’s data system. The coordinator 

is responsible for these task as well and running monthly data reports. 

All staff are bilingual in English and Spanish, a requirement of the 

job. 

Key Partners: All three operational sites have established advisory councils made up 

of representatives from local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and 

government agencies. The advisory councils, which generally meet 

monthly, serve as a chance for members to network, share 

information and resources, and brainstorm future NIC activities. 

While in some cases individual members of the local advisory council 

were involved in the planning stages, the advisory councils did not 

convene until after the NICs were operational. At the time of our visit, 

advisory councils were still in the early stages of development and, in 

some cases, struggling with the challenge of defining their mission 

and purpose.

Local NICs have developed reciprocal partnerships with numerous 

community service agencies, businesses, community colleges and 

schools, health care providers, and government agencies. These 

organizations refer participants to the NICs, collaborate with NIC 

staff on special projects and initiatives, share information and 

resources, and provide services to NIC participants. In Des Moines 

and Council Bluffs, where the NIC is located within the local One-
A – 7 

Stop Career Center, NIC staff view all other programs housed in the 

One-Stop Career Center as partners. In addition, all three NICs have 

developed relationships with local community colleges. NIC 

participants are often referred to classes and training programs, and in 

Council Bluffs and Mount Pleasant, NIC citizenship classes are held 

in community college classrooms. 

Primary Services 

and Activities: NICs statewide provide services to participants, the community, and 

employers. Designed to be responsive to community needs, sitespecific services vary based on contextual factors, available resources, 

and resident needs. 

Participant Services 

Employment assistance makes up the bulk of services provided to 

new Iowans. NIC staff help participants search for job leads on the 

computer, refer job seekers to specific employers, prepare resumes, 

and check over job applications to make sure they are completed fully 

and correctly, among other employment-related services. 

Interpretation and translation services are also commonly provided by 

NIC staff. The NIC coordinator in Council Bluffs also runs a basic 

computer class. NIC participants in Des Moines and Mount Pleasant 

are regularly referred to ESL classes at the local community college, 

churches and other local organizations. In Des Moines and Council 

Bluffs, onsite computers with Rosetta Stone, a language learning 

software, are available for NIC participants’ self-directed use. In 

addition, local NICs commonly host other classes and workshops on a 

range of topics, including financial literacy and basic computer skills. 

Referrals to other organizations and programs are also common. 

Tapping into their network of community partners and resources, NIC 

staff refer participants to community service providers (for assistance 

with food, child care, shelter, clothing, health care, tax preparation, 

etc.), educational and training programs, and legal and immigration 

assistance. 

Community Services 

NICs aim to increase awareness of diversity issues and immigration in 

the community at large. To this end, NICs have conducted diversity 

trainings at community organizations and businesses, hosted 

networking events, and done outreach in the community to ensure 

people are aware of their services. 
A – 8 

Employer Services 

NICs serve as a resource to area employers and businesses. In 

addition to connecting employers with job seekers, NICs offer 

translation and interpretation services and educate employers on a 

range of immigration and diversity issues. This happens in a variety 

of contexts, including NIC-sponsored workshops, job fairs, one-onone consultations, and onsite visits to workplaces and businesses. 

While the Mount Pleasant NIC was just beginning to develop its 

employer services at the time of our visit, the NIC coordinator had 

already established strong relationships with several large employers 

in the area, with plans to begin offering trainings and presentations on 

diversity and immigration issues. 

Future Plans 

and Sustainability: The NICs are operated by Iowa Workforce Development with several 

additional non-demonstration-funded sites supported by the state. NIC 

administrators are optimistic that the state will sustain their financial 

support for New Iowan services. In addition, the state-level program 

administrator encourages local communities to contribute resources 

towards local NICs as well as the formation of public-private 

partnerships to support programming. 
APPENDIX B 

Type and Number of Services Received by New Americans Centers 

Participants, Employers, and the Community
Russellville

Indirect Participant Services

Supportive Services Referral 4,058 0 107 1,119 2,832 702 25

Interpretation/Translation Referral 0 0 0 0 0 123 10Employment Services Referral 2,212 8 33 945 1,226 882 61Referral to Civics Education Classes 1,653 0 0 717 936 72 3Referral to ESL/Language Classes 2,893 0 0 1,020 1,873 255 16Referral to Other Classes 3,582 0 0 1,327 2,255 384 25Legal Issues Referral 2,913 0 0 426 2,487 207 7Immigration Counseling and Referral Services 2,578 0 0 151 2,427 268 8Tax/SSN Referral 1,233 0 18 84 1,131 134 10Financial Referral 1,118 0 0 3 1,115 21 1Referreal for Computer Access 218 0 0 218 0 90 8Referral for General Information 301 0 0 301 0 446 19Other Referral 250 0 0 250 0 31 1Total Units of Indirect Participant Services 23,009 8 158 6,561 16,282 3,615 2,00Direct Participant Services

Supportive Services Assistance 9 0 9 0 0 9 Interpretation/Translation 5115 8 133 2692 2282 2,259 180Employment Services 12 10 0 0 2 2,961 1,71Civics Education Classes 47 20 0 0 27 184 9ESL/Language Classes 58 0 56 0 2 978 25Other Classes 21 0 5 0 16 42 3Legal Issues Assistance 0 0 0 0 0 0 Immigration Services 4 0 4 0 0 49 Tax/SSN Assistance 0 0 0 0 0 2 Financial Assistance 0 0 0 0 0 0 Computer Access 458 0 0 441 17 1,438 1,34General Information 0 0 0 0 0 1,817 1,05Other 10 0 0 0 10 894 55Total Units of Direct Participant Services 5,734 38 207 3,133 2,356 10,633 6,86Total Units of Participant Services 28,743 46 365 9,694 18,638 14,248 8,86Source: New Americans Centers Annual Services and Referrals Provided Report

Table B.1

Services Provided to Participants by New Americans Centers, by Site1

Arkansas 

Arkansas Total Little Rock Malvern Rogers Iowa Total 

1Based on data reported quarterly to DOL/ETA by NAC demonstration projects. In Arkansas, data was reported in Little Rock beginning in the fourth quarter of 2006 through the second quarte

quarter of 2006 through the second quarter of 2007, in Rogers from the third quarter in 2006 through the second quarter of 2007, and in Russellville from the first quarter of 2006 to the second qreported data beginning in the second quarter of 2006 through the second quarter of 2007. Data does not represent all participants served and may not be based on unique individuals. See Appediscussion.

Council B
Russellville

Indirect Employer Services

Referral for Assistance with Staffing Needs 67 0 0 18 49 68 

Referral to ESL/Language Classes 54 5 0 49 0 0 Referral to Cultural Competency Training 0 0 0 0 0 0 Referral for Special Targeted Training 0 0 0 0 0 7 Other Referrals 81 0 0 81 0 41 Total Units of Indrect Employer Services 202 5 0 148 49 116 

Direct Employer Services

Assistance with Staffing Needs 1 0 0 0 1 108 ESL/Language Classes 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cultural Competency Training 1 0 1 0 0 10 Special Targeted Training 0 0 0 0 0 14 Other Direct Assistance 1 0 0 0 1 441 Total Units of Direct Employer Services 3 0 1 0 2 573 

Total Units of Employer Services 205 5 1 148 51 689 

Source: New Americans Centers Annual Services and Referrals Provided Report

Iowa Total

1Based on data reported quarterly to DOL/ETA by NAC demonstration projects. In Arkansas, data was reported in Little Rock beginning in the fourth quarter of 2006 through the second 

2006 through the second quarter of 2007, in Rogers from the third quarter in 2006 through the second quarter of 2007, and in Russellville from the first quarter of 2006 to the second qua

beginning in the second quarter of 2006 through the second quarter of 2007. Data does not represent all participants served and may not be based on unique individuals. See Appendix C

Table B.2

Services Provided to Employers by New Americans Centers, by Site1

Arkansas 

Arkansas Total Little Rock Malvern Co

Rogers 
Russellville

Indirect Community Services

Referral to Cultural Competency Training 133 0 0 133 0 6 Referral for Special Targeted Training 0 0 0 0 0 1 Other Referrals 1038 0 60 545 433 503 Total Units of Indirect Community Services 1171 0 60 678 433 510 Direct Community ServicesCultural Competency Training 0 0 0 0 0 14 Special Targeted Training 0 0 0 0 0 34 Other Direct Assistance 8 0 7 0 1 1285 Total Units of Direct Community Services 8 0 7 0 1 1333 Total Units of Community Services 1,179 0 67 678 434 1,843 Source: New Americans Centers Annual Services and Referrals Provided Report

Coun

1Based on data reported quarterly to DOL/ETA by NAC demonstration projects. In Arkansas, data was reported in Little Rock beginning in the fourth quarter of 2006 through the second qu

2006 through the second quarter of 2007, in Rogers from the third quarter in 2006 through the second quarter of 2007, and in Russellville from the first quarter of 2006 to the second quartebeginning in the second quarter of 2006 through the second quarter of 2007. Data does not represent all participants served and may not be based on unique individuals. See Appendix C, S

Table B.3

Services Provided to the Community by New Americans Centers, by Site1

Arkansas 

Arkansas Total Little Rock Malvern Rogers Iowa Total 
APPENDIX C 

Demographic and Service Receipt Data for New Americans Centers Participants 
C-1 

The primary source of data on the types of services participants received at the NACs is drawn 

from a reporting system developed specifically for this demonstration project. The Annual 

Services and Referrals Provided Report (ASRP Report) is an Excel spreadsheet developed by 

McNeil Technologies, the demonstration’s technical assistance contractor, with significant input 

from the sites in Arkansas and Iowa and based, in large part, on Iowa’s original data reporting 

system. McNeil Technologies, ETA, and local NAC staff worked together to modify the 

template and identify and define common data elements. The reporting system was refined 

throughout the first year of the demonstration, and due to different perceptions by staff on how to 

use the reporting system, staff in Arkansas and Iowa reported they were able to use the 

spreadsheet to accurately record information starting in the first quarter of 2007 (January–

March). This is explained further below. 

Using the ASRP Report, local NAC staff document basic demographic information as well as 

information on services provided to participants, employers, and the community on a quarterly 

basis. Participant data includes basic demographics: gender, ethnicity/race, and age. Service 

categories are divided into three categories: participant services, employer services, and 

community services. Within each category, services are broken into several subcategories, 

including immigration assistance, legal assistance, child care, banking, basic needs, employment 

search, translation, targeted training, staffing needs, and cultural awareness and diversity 

training. These subcategories are more narrowly divided into specific types of services. For 

example, “legal services” includes legal assistance access, human/civil rights issues, taxes/ITIN, 

and Social Security issues. Each service category is further defined as being a direct service (i.e., 

service provided directly by NAC staff to an individual, employer, or the community) or a 

counseling/referral service. It is important to note that there is no direct correlation between the 

demographic data and the participant service data reported in any given quarter. For example, an 

individual who visits the NAC to receive assistance finding a job may not be captured in the 

demographic data for that particular quarter because he or she had already registered with the 

NAC for services in a prior quarter. However, the individual’s referral to a local employer as 

well as ESL classes will be recorded in the service data. 

In Arkansas, staff from each local NARN site enter their own data into a site-specific spreadsheet 

which is then rolled up into the statewide ASRP Report each quarter. Demographic information 

is compiled from registration forms completed by NARN participants when they seek services 

for the first time. Local staff have developed their own systems for daily and/or monthly 

recordkeeping, with most relying on hand tallies for reporting.18 

In Iowa, staff initially used a Lotus Notes spreadsheet to track service receipt and participant 

demographics. During the period from June through December 2006, NIC staff relied on hand 

tallies to generate aggregate data entered into the NAC reporting system. As of December 2006, 

NIC staff began entering all their participant data directly into the state’s IWORKS data 

management system. Each quarter, regional supervisors generate reports from IWORKS and 

 

18 In Little Rock, for example, a Word document is used to track services provided which are then tallied by hand 

and entered into the NAC reporting system. In Russellville, although staff enter information into an Access database 

developed specifically for this project, they continue to rely on hand counts to develop a monthly tally of services 

provided. Similarly, staff in Rogers enter information into an Access database but keep a weekly tally of services 

provided from which they compile monthly and quarterly service counts. 
C-2 

then enter counts generated from these reports onto the NAC spreadsheet to meet quarterly 

reporting requirements. Given problems associated with the development and use of IWORKS, 

NIC staff continue to use their own recordkeeping systems to cross-check the IWORKS reports. 

As in Arkansas, many staff keep hand tallies rather than relying on data from the IWORKS 

system.19 

Another limitation is that the ASRP Report does not represent an accurate count of individuals 

served through the NACs. In both states, individuals who receive services but do not complete a 

registration may not be included in the participant count. For example, if an individual receives 

translation assistance at a school fair, his or her demographic data would not be included (but 

would be included in the count of services provided). If the person came into the office and 

registered for assistance and then had documents translated, he or she would be counted in the 

demographic data. Before 2007, individuals in Iowa seeking assistance through the NICs were 

counted once a month, for a maximum of three times a quarter, no matter how many times they 

received services. As of the first quarter in 2007, however, NICs report demographic information 

for new participants only. In Arkansas, the way in which participants are counted ranges greatly. 

Two NARN locations record participant data the first time an individual seeks services; their 

demographic data are based on an unduplicated participant count and represent unique 

individuals. Demographic data in the other two sites do not represent unique individuals. In one 

location, demographic data are reported each time an individual receives services. The other site 

counts participants each time they come in for services, but no more than once a month or 12 

times each year. 

There are also inconsistencies in the data reported for participants, employers, and community 

services. Based on discussions with staff, we believe that the quarterly reports undercount 

participant services provided in some locations. While staff in Iowa, for the most part, count a 

service each time it is provided to an individual, the story is more complicated in Arkansas. Staff 

in two locations record services each time they are provided to an individual. In the other NARN 

locations, however, multiple deliveries of the same service for a single individual are counted as 

a single service. Rather than reporting the total number of times a specific service is provided, 

they tally the number of people who receive a specific service. For example, if a person comes to 

the NARN seeking notary assistance three times over the course of one month, it would be 

recorded as one instance of notary services. In addition, staff in Arkansas vary in how they 

record participation in the civics classes, which are made up of two sessions. In some locations, 

attendance at both sessions is counted as participation at two sessions, in others it is counted as 

one. 

 

19 Staff in Des Moines and Council Bluffs keep a log of services provided, and staff in Mount Pleasant uses a Client 

Services History Record Form from which they generate a service count. 
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