The federal government is an important source of financial assistance for starting, implementing, and sustaining community programs to improve outcomes for kids, families and individuals across the country. In 2022 alone, the federal government allotted $1.1 trillion to state, local and territorial governments through grants and contracts. Ensuring these NOFOs are clear and easy to understand can increase the number of applications and quality of projects. It can help agencies deliver services more equitably and effectively, especially for those who have been historically underserved. Provisions related to performance measurement and evaluation can be some of the most important components of federal NOFOs. Requirements in these areas can help federal agencies select the strongest proposals. They can allow agencies to track the progress of grantees’ activities, hold grantees accountable, and generate knowledge for future program improvement.
Results for America has created a guide, with input from the Health and Human Services Administration, to help NOFO writers and other federal government personnel involved with grantmaking think through the evidence building sections of NOFOs. RFA developed this guide after reviewing over 200 NOFOs from operating divisions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to identify best practices and clarify terms and concepts.