Overview of the Plan of Work (POW) Guidelines

1. Overview of the Plan of Work (POW) Guidelines New Directors’ Training December 10, 2002

2. Plan of Work for land-grant institutions (P.L. 05-185) • Expectations for accountability of formula funds for agricultural research and extension. • Hatch; Smith Lever 3 (b) and (c); Evans-Allen (Section 1445 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977); and 1890 Extension (Section 1444, NAREPTA of 1977).

3. Plan of Work (POW) • Guidelines cover 10-1-99 thru 9-30-04 (fixed 5-year time frame) • 5-year POW was due 7-15-99 • Review of POW to be completed by CSREES 90 days from receipt

4. Section 105 of AREERA • Amended Smith-Lever Act requires specified amount of extension funds be expended on multistate activities (25% or 2 times the 1997 base). • Renaming Regional Research Fund as MULTISTATE research fund (Hatch Funds) satisfied the intent of the match.

5. Section 204 of AREERA • Amended Hatch Act and Smith-Lever Acts require that specified amount of research and extension formula funds be expended on integrated research and extension activities.

6. Section 105 & 204 Exemptions • American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. • Extension funds received by the District of Columbia, except to the extent it voluntarily complies.

7. Multistate & Integrated • Multistate extension activities & integrated research and extension activities plans were due from states on 7-1-00.

8. CSREES-REPT (02/00) Form • Multistate Extension Activities • Integrated Research and Extension Activities • And/or CSREES-WAIVER (2/00)

9. Annual POW Reports • Did not receive a report in 1999. • POW, originally due 12-31-00 for the previous fiscal year ending 9-30. • CSREES published Federal Register notice changing due date to 3-1-01 (allowing adequate time for report preparation). • First report submitted 3-01 for FY 2000.

10. Use of Accomplishments Reports • Understand success in addressing issues identified in the 5-year POW for multistate, multi-institutional and multidisciplinary activities, and joint research and extension activities.

11. Reviews of reports • FY 2000 reviews completed by NPL’s and letters submitted to each university by CSREES. • Based on FY 2000 experiences, additional guidance published 12-01 for reports due on 3-1-02 (for FY 2001).

12. USDA OIG Audit • Current AREERA audit initiated by the Office of the Inspector General (3-02).

13. Role of CSREES in POW Process • Oversight responsibility for formula funds. • Annual Accomplishments report is principle source of documentation for funding decisions for states. • Reports demonstrate willingness to conduct programs consistent with congressional intent and system-wide commitments (Statements of Impact).

14. NPL review of Accomplishments Reports • First step for identifying statistics and attention-grabbing narratives about Nation’s cooperative extension and research system (budget explanatory notes & annual impact reports). • Forms basis (relevance & excellence) for approving formula funds allocation of $450 million to land-grant partners.

15. Executive Summary for Each Goal • Stress extension and/or research results supported with formula funds • Highlight successes and any program/ research direction which has resulted in significant change within or among states • Document benefits to clientele and stakeholders • Contains State’s own assessment of accomplishments for the current reporting period. • Contains total expenditures by source of funding and full-time equivalents (FTEs) for the Goal.

16. Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results • Arranged around Five GPRA Goals • Each Goal has an Executive summary • Key Themes identified for each accomplishment under the Goals and aggregated to assist in reporting (not a POW requirement) • Integrated Research and Extension form(s)

17. Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results • Stakeholder Input Process Section • Program Review Process Section • Evaluation of the Success of Multi and Joint Activities Section • Multistate Extension Activities form

18. Accomplishments under Goals • Reports related to the Five Goals? • Appropriate key themes identified? • Brief description of the activity • Short impact/accomplishment statement • Source of funding (expanded) • Scope of Impact reported (Selected)

19. Stakeholder Input Process • Actions to seek stakeholder input to encourage participation • Provide statement of process by institution to identify stakeholders and collect input • Provide statement of how collected input was considered by institution • (*) Failure to comply with this requirement may result in withholding institution’s funds and redistribution of funds to other eligible institutions.

20. Evaluation Criteria for POW (Stakeholder Input Rule) • Did the planned programs address the critical issues of strategic importance, including those identified by the stakeholders? • …address the needs of under-served and under-represented populations of the State(s)? • …describe the expected outcomes and impacts? • …result in improved program effectiveness and/or efficiency?

21. Reporting Requirement • Actions taken to seek stakeholder input that encourages their participation; • Brief statement of the process used to identify individuals and groups…, and to collect input from them; and • Statement of how collected input was considered.

22. Data Entry • Work is underway to streamline data entry—one-stop, efficient • Work is underway to improve the quality and usefulness of data – to all levels of decision makers

23. Review Focus per the Farm Bill (AREERA) • Requires report be evaluated by CSREES NPL’s to: • Identify strengths, including responsiveness to diverse audiences; • Seek clarifications from state, raise questions, and recommend ways to strengthen, redirect, or phase out programs; and • Recommend appropriate approval action on the report.

24. NPL’s as Reviewers Should: • Recommend appropriate CSREES approval action on the report and stakeholder input process-- • 1. approval; • 2. approval with recommendations; or • 3. non-approval).

25. Guidance to NPL’s • Results Review Checklist – Required signature of NPL, with recommended actions. • Review Team Summary - Prepared by reviewer and submitted to regional coordinator. (Serves as framework for institutional summaries, recommendations and approval letters).

26. Supplemental Information on AREERA Web Page • Key Themes • Example of Exemplary Report • Examples of good/ poor accomplishment statements • Frequently asked questions and answers

27. AREERA WEB Page • Relevant information on the POW process is published on the CSREES Web Page: http://www.reeusda.gov/part/areera

28. Common problems with Annual Report Impact Statements • Describe projected impacts, rather than evidence of actual impacts that have been documented. • Impacts are not impacts, but processes. • Activities • Outputs • Plan to adopt, or adopted vague or undisclosed practices.

29. Most common problems with Annual Report Impact Statements • Reliance on individualanecdotal data • Individual success stories • Reliance on individual hard data • One farmer increased income • Inadequate to show statewide impact

30. Impacts we want to encourage • Economic • Dollars saved by adopting a practice or new technology statewide • Increased profitability • Cost Benefit Analyses (amount of dollars saved or made per dollar invested) • Production • Increase by adopting a practice or new technology • Decrease of loss

31. Impacts we want to encourage • Food Safety • Decrease in illnesses • Nutrition and Health • Improved eating habits • Dollars saved • Decrease in illnesses • Decrease in low birthweights • Decrease in infant mortality

32. Impacts we want to encourage • Environmental • Reduced Pesticide Usage • Reduced contaminants in Air, Water, and Soil • Increased Recycling • Increased Waste Management

33. Impacts we want to encourage • Social • Decreased truancy • Increase in academic scores (comparative) • Decreased incidents of abuse • Employment and Consumer • Jobs created • Reduced debt

34. Direct Questions to: • (Bart Hewitt) at bhewitt@reeusda.gov