Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Billions of dollars every year are sifted to federal, state, and local programs in the form of grants and discretionary funding. There are Federal Standard Forms and Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR) that are typically standard for accountability purposes but essentially no standard reporting requirements for programmatic reporting for projects that are funded, or take funding, from tax payer backed financing. We have come to recognize the importance of financial accountability and financial audits happen annually at most large organizations. However, what is often reviewed are allowable costs, OMB Circular compliance, and indirect costs. Rarely is it emphasized how efficiently monies are being spent. Typically with federal and state grants in particular, two separate reports are filed: one for programmatic efforts and one financial. In order for programs to accurately reflect as an Evidenced Based Practice, programs, expenses and reports should align.

Because the most effective programs lead to more funding opportunities, clear financial records are important. One method of measuring the effectiveness of public funding is to create clear and specific outcomes at the start of the project. The next step is to create Financial reporting that is linked to these benchmarks. This allows programmatic reporting to be linked to the how and why the program worked with less of a focus on how many or the number of programs developed.

This poster presentation will present a strategy that monitors effective programs through clear and specific outcomes. The strategy that will be shared includes beginning measures, benchmarks and programmatic reporting that is linked to Evidence Based Practice. The strategy also includes formats for relating expenses to reports.