October 26, 2023
Contributed by Suzanne Keil, Golden LEAF Program Officer
Individuals who work in grant writing and grant management positions know that much time and research is spent preparing applications for funding needed for their organizations. Once funding is awarded many funders request detailed reports about the progress of projects while they are being implemented. Data documentation is requested to support the outcomes and activities noted in the reports. Similarly, the Golden LEAF Foundation requests data documentation to support the outcomes and activities noted in progress reports submitted by grantees.
Golden LEAF supports workforce projects that help close the skills gap and increase the pool of highly qualified individuals with skills aligned to North Carolina businesses’ current and future needs. We fund projects that demonstrate a market demand for skilled workers and aim at developing skill sets required by businesses looking to locate or expand in rural communities.
Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:
- Increase in students completing at least one curriculum program in the area funded.
- Increase in students completing at least one continuing education course or program in the area funded.
- Increase in students earning at least one industry/third party certification, license, or other credential (non-academic) in the area funded.
- Increase in students completing CTE pathways in the area funded.
- Increase in students participating in work-based learning.
- Increase in students receiving meaningful exposure and opportunities to explore local career opportunities.
Data documentation for Golden LEAF progress reports varies depending on the type of project that is being completed. See the examples below of data documentation that may be needed for a variety of Golden LEAF’s Workforce Preparedness priority outcomes.
Community College Workforce Preparedness Projects
Golden LEAF Priority Outcome: The number of students completing at least one curriculum program in the area funded.
Example of documentation: 20 students completed a diploma in Welding and 23 students enrolled in the Welding Program for the report period ending 08/31/2023. This example requires an Informer Query to determine the number of enrolled students for the selected program (Welding) by term(s), and a second Informer Query to determine the number of students completing the specified program (Welding) for the report period ending 8/31/2023. The grantee would include this detailed data report in the progress report for this outcome.
Golden LEAF Priority Outcome: The number of students completing at least one continuing education course or program in the area funded.
Example of documentation: 15 students completed construction trades continuing education courses and 18 students were enrolled in construction trades courses for the report period ending 08/31/2023. This example requires an Informer Query to determine the number of enrolled continuing education students for the selected courses (Construction Trades) by time period, and a second step in the same query to determine the number of students successfully completing the specified courses (Construction Trades) in the report period ending 8/31/2023.
Note: Golden LEAF staff has worked with community college colleagues to develop Informer Queries to generate the preferred data to support reported results for the two of Golden LEAF’s Workforce Preparedness priority outcomes listed above. The queries are available upon request.
High School Workforce Preparedness Projects
Golden LEAF Priority Outcome: Increase in students completing Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways in the area funded.
Example of documentation: 12 CTE students completed the Advanced Manufacturing Pathway and 15 CTE students enrolled in the Advanced Manufacturing Pathway for the time period ending 06/30/2023. This example requires a Power School report that determines the number of students who completed the selected CTE Pathway (Advanced Manufacturing) and the students enrolled in the selected CTE Pathway (Advanced Manufacturing) for the time period ending 06/30/2023.
Note: The selected priority outcomes and examples listed above are a part of a larger list of Golden LEAF priority outcomes. Please contact your Program Officer for more information about the data documentation needed to support Golden LEAF priority outcomes.