Rochester Area Common Report Form
Funders want to know about the actual outcomes of funded projects and what grantees have learned – both positive and negative outcomes - not just quantitative data about how many people were served or how many activities took place. Funders investing in our community and grantees delivering services need to understand whether or not particular program services make a difference in the lives of those who receive them. Examining outcomes helps an organization gain valuable information about how to strengthen its work and improve results for those who receive services. Communicating what is learned, including results, can also provide a platform to engage current funders, attract new funders and volunteers to support a program. We recommend that the Common Report Form be completed and sent to funders 12 months after their financial support is received unless they require a different reporting schedule.
This latest version of the
CRF is a companion piece to the Common Application Form. The Common Report Form
is most effective when a logic model is used to develop plans for the funded
project or capital purchase, and results are tracked through that logic model.
If you have little or no
experience developing logic models or determining the impact of your services
we refer you to:
1.
The
Rochester Area Logic Model located on the Grantmakers Forum of New York
website (www.grantmakers.org/grantseekers).
This information site contains a downloadable logic model, guidelines
for developing a logic model, and samples of completed logic models. Copies of
this information also begin on page 11 of this section of the Guide to
Grantmakers in the Rochester Area.
2.
Rochester Area Logic Model Training is available from Cornell Cooperative
Extension (see Resources) in Rochester.
Both Basic and Advanced level trainings are offered on a regular basis.
The Basic Training includes: What a
Logic Model is; Uses of a Logic Model; How to Develop a Logic Model. The
Advanced Training includes: Indicators
for Measurable Outcomes; Evaluation Strategies; Uses of the Logic Model in
Management Decisions. Contact Margaret
O’Neill at 585-461-1000 x222 to request a brochure containing listing upcoming
training dates and a registration form. This training is partially funded by
local funders which has kept it at an affordable cost.
3.
The
Program
Evaluation Manual developed by the United Way of Greater Rochester. It
describes a step-by-step process that you can use, even if you are not a United
Way-funded agency, to track the effects of your work. Call Kathy Lewis at
United Way, 585/454-2770 to request a copy.
The Common Report Form (CRF) was developed in 1999 by the Rochester Grantmakers Forum and the Rochester Effectiveness Partnership program to facilitate the reporting process for both grantmakers and grantseekers, and to help them focus on results. Grantmakers and grantseekers worked together to create it.