ANNUAL REPORTING FOR FY 2022-2023
OVERVIEW & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Overview
First 5 LA grantees providing direct services or advancing systems change are required to report key core data elements through the Annual Reporting Survey. First 5 LA-wide reporting allows us to collect data to describe our overall portfolio of investments benefiting children 0-5, their families and providers and the organizations and systems that support them.
Annual Reporting Surveys are due August 17, 2023
- WHO RECEIVES SURVEY: Your project’s First 5 LA Program Officer has identified a contact person for each contract / grant. That contact person will receive an email with a link to the survey. Organizations with multiple contracts with First 5 LA will need to submit a separate survey for each contract / grant. For every question on the survey, answer only as it applies to the First 5 LA project the report is for, not for your whole organization.
- PERIOD COVERED: Contractors and grantees will be asked to provide information about work conducted between July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. This will apply even for contracts and grants that started or ended in the middle of the fiscal year.
- TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) SESSIONS: Two TA sessions are scheduled for Thursday, July 27th at 10 a.m. and Wednesday, August 2nd at 2 p.m. Please note that these sessions are optional and will present the same content. There will be a space for Q&A. To access the trainings at the given date / time, click here: https://first5la.zoom.us/j/92765701479?pwd=eCtLeHRqTjN4ZGtTKzROQmFSTlQ0QT09
- ADDITIONAL SUPPORT: In addition to this FAQ document, for a description of the survey questions and what to report, refer to the email sent with the instructions and the survey link. For questions about your project’s contract, contact your Program Officer. For technical assistance with the survey platform or any additional questions, contact: an**********@fi******.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs will be updated periodically following the TA sessions or as more questions are received. New questions are indicated in blue font color.
General Questions about First 5 LA Annual Reporting
1. When is the Annual Reporting survey due?
The Annual Reporting survey is due by Thursday, August 17, 2023.
2. We accessed our survey link and received a message, “You have either already completed the survey or your session has expired.” But we haven’t completed the survey yet. Why is this happening?
There was a glitch with the survey host’s system, and many of the email links automatically expired. If your project’s link expired, a new link was sent out to your project’s contact person on August 3. If there is still an issue accessing the survey, please contact an**********@fi******.org for technical support.
3. Our contract ended in the middle of the last fiscal year. Do we still need to complete the Annual Reporting survey?
Yes. If your contract was active any time during FY 22-23 (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023), then an Annual Reporting survey needs to be completed for your project.
4. Our contract ended before June 30, 2023. Do we provide data for the entire fiscal year (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023) or just for the period that we were funded by First 5 LA?
Provide information only for the period your project was funded by First 5 LA. For instance, if your project ended September 30, 2022, you would provide data from July 1 – September 30 only.
5. Is the Annual Report all we have to submit now?
In addition to this Annual Report survey, your Program Officer may request additional initiative-specific reports, such as the Performance Matrix or budget/finance reports.
6. Could we receive the list of questions before we access the online survey platform?
Yes. The survey questions are attached in the email sent to your project contact with the instructions and the survey link.
7. Who from our organization should attend the TA sessions?
Programmatic staff should attend the TA session. There is one optional question about general operating budget, but it is at a very high level (i.e., what is the approximate annual operating budget). Finance staff do not need to attend the TA session.
Questions about the Online Survey Platform
1. Are we able to enter data into the online survey and come back later to finish?
Yes, information entered into the online survey is automatically saved. Grantees/contractors can come back to the survey at a later time, complete, and submit.
2. Can we modify our responses once we’ve clicked “next” on the survey?
Within each section of the survey, there is a “back” button that you can click to view or make changes to your entries. However, once the “next” button is selected at the end of a section, you will not be able to go to the previous questions. If you accidentally selected “next” and need to make an update, reach out to an**********@fi******.org. To avoid reporting errors, we encourage respondents to review the survey questions in the Survey Instructions as preparation before beginning to fill out the survey. The instructions also provide guidance to which sections this applies.
3. Is technical support available, if needed?
For questions regarding the content of the report or if technical support with using the survey platform is needed, please contact an**********@fi******.org.
4. How many of our staff can work on this online survey platform?
As many as needed but note that your Program Officer has identified one contact person for each grant. That person will receive an email with a link to the survey. This link can be accessed from anywhere, by anyone, and whatever information has been entered up to that point will be available. Grantees/contractors do not need to complete the survey all in one sitting as information will be automatically saved. There is no need for logins or passwords to complete the online survey.
Questions about Clients Served—Client Counts
1. We served more than 1,000 clients. Is there a format for entering client counts into the Annual Reporting survey?
Yes. When asked for unduplicated count of clients, include a whole number without commas or an error message will show up on the demographics page. For instance, if your project served 1,523 children, enter 1523 not 1,523.
2. Our project was ramping up last fiscal year and we didn’t really collect data on children served. What should we include for the FY 2022-23 annual reporting survey?
If your project was ramping up but was not yet serving children through your First 5 LA contract, then do not include those children. Only include counts for services provided through First 5 LA funds between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.
3. When filling in parent numbers, does 1 equal one parent or both parents?
1 equals one parent, not both.
4. Our project provided children with developmental screenings and referrals to assessments, as needed. We only collected information on the children we served, not their parents. What would we include for the number of parents served? What about if we provided classes to parents?
If your project did not provide direct services to those parents whose children received a developmental screening, then do not count those parents as having received a service. However, if your project provided classes, then count those parents who attended classes, as that is a direct service to the parents.
5. Should we include the places we have referred our clients and families to, like food pantries, etc.?
First 5 LA is collecting client counts on direct services provided with First 5 LA funding. Information on the referral agencies would not be included.
6. We serve providers but our First 5 LA grant is not for this work. Should we include the unduplicated count of those providers?
Only include data for those services/activities provided via your project’s First 5 LA contract, such as if your project was funded by First 5 LA to provide in-service trainings or similar services.
7. If we provide in-service trainings or similar services to providers, would we count them as receiving direct services?
If your project provided a training as part of its scope with First 5 LA, then count the number of providers served at that training. If, however, your project provided providers with mailed materials or some other one-way communication, that would not count as direct services.
Questions about Clients Served—Demographics
1. Our agency provides services where we do mass screenings. The children are ages 0-5 but the group is so large that we do not track their ages individually. Should we record them all as “unknown?”
If you feel you can make an accurate estimate of children’s ages, then do so. If not, then record them as unknown.
2. We don’t know the races/languages/ages of the children/parents we serve.
Please either estimate to the best of your ability (preferred option) or put the total counts under “Unknown”.
3. For the demographic questions about the race and ethnicity of our children or parents, how do we provide the counts if some parents selected more than one category (for instance, Asian and White and Black/African American)?
The survey will have an option to report on the number of children or parents who identify as Multiracial. Alternatively, if the client selected which category they most identify as, they can be counted under that race/ethnicity instead of the Multiracial response.
4. What do we count pregnant individuals as?
Pregnant individuals are counted in two sections: Parents/ Guardians/ Pregnant Individuals Served and Pregnant Individuals Served. Count a client as a pregnant individual if they were pregnant at any point during the time of services.
5. There is a question on the survey about pregnant individuals served. Is this a new question?
Yes. First 5 LA has added questions about pregnant individuals served (count and demographics). If you indicated in the survey that your project served parents / guardians / pregnant individuals, then a follow up question will be asked, “Of the X number of parents / guardians / pregnant individuals this investment directly served from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023, how many of them were pregnant at any point during the time of services?”
6. Our project served parents with young children. Would we count a parent as pregnant if they became pregnant at any point during FY 22-23?
Yes. Count the pregnant individuals served if they were pregnant at any point during the time of services. They should be counted regardless of whether the services they received were related to their pregnancy.
7. Where do we include older children (ages 6 and up) that we serve?
Older children would be counted as “Other Family Members.” “Children” should only reflect children ages 0-5 years.
Questions about Home Visitation Programs (e.g., Select Home Visitation, Welcome Baby)
1. We are a Select Home Visitation grantee. Would we indicate that we serve parents only or also include children served?
In general, Select HV grantees include both parents and children 0-5 served, so please include counts and demographics for both children and parents / guardians / pregnant individuals. In addition, Select HV (and Welcome Baby) grantees will also be asked for counts on the number of unique families served.
2. How are you defining “unique families served”?
First 5 California now requires information on the number of unique families served through home visitation programs. Unique families are distinct households. Please count as one unit all children, parents, or primary caregivers within the household, even though one or more children, parents, or primary caregivers may have received services as an individual.
Questions about Accomplishments
1. Do we need to provide accomplishments for our overall First 5 LA funded project or can we focus on a family?
Your project can provide information about an individual, family, organization or some other highlight or accomplishment that occurred through your First 5 LA funded contract. If focusing Accomplishments on an individual or family, do not include any identifying information, such as real names or addresses.
2. In the past, we completed detailed, semi-annual reports of accomplishments as part of our performance matrix. Is this the level of detail needed for the accomplishments section of the survey?
The accomplishments provided should be high-level and brief (less than 500 words) and not detailed as the performance matrix.
Questions about Geographic Target Areas
1. What are the geographic boundaries of the Service Planning Areas, Supervisorial Districts and Best Start geographies?
To access a map of the Supervisorial Districts in LA County, visit https://bos.lacounty.gov/executive-office/about-us/board-of-supervisors;
For a map of the Service Planning Areas, visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/SPAMain/ServicePlanningAreas.htm;
For a map of Best Start geographies, visit https://www.first5la.org/article/best-start-communities-map/
2. We have increased the number of grantees we are serving from when we started until now. Do you want SPA/supervisorial districts served during FY 2022-23 only?
Yes. Please provide information for FY 2022-2023 only.
3. Should we indicate the area(s) that our clients come from to receive our services, in addition to the area(s) we serve?
Yes. First 5 LA is interested in understanding the entire reach of its investments, so if your project’s clients are coming from other areas to receive the services, please indicate this for the questions about the Supervisorial District, SPA, and Best Start geography.
4. If we are working as a coalition, should the information be for our lead agency only or the entire group?
The entire group. First 5 LA is interested in understanding the districts / areas served by all partners that are funded by First 5 LA grants.
5. What are Best Start geographies?
Best Start geographies focus on building supportive communities where children and families can thrive. First 5 LA supports Best Start in 14 communities across L.A. County. In an effort to coordinate place-based work, First 5 LA would like to know if your project is working in any of our Best Start geographies.
6. Our project is Welcome Baby, which primarily serves 1-2 Best Start geographies; however, we often have clients that are referred/transferred to us from other Welcome Baby hospitals who are serving other Best Start geographies, so do we include all Best Start geographies or only those the project is intended to primarily serve at our site?
Include all Best Start geographies that your project reached.
Questions about Organizational Characteristics
Note: contracts only need to provide information on organizational characteristics to First 5 LA once. If your project reported Organizational Characteristics on last year’s Annual Reporting survey, then this information will not be asked again on this year’s survey.
1. We are representing our city’s public health department. Would we provide information for our city or our department?
Provide information on the department rather than the larger entity.
2. Our First 5 LA funded organization is part of a larger entity (e.g., we are a center within a university). For questions asking about our organization’s operating budget and number of employees, should we include just our organization’s information or that of the larger entity?
Include the operating budget and number of employees for just your organization that is funded by First 5 LA (not the larger entity).
3. What if our organization does not have someone in the title of executive director/ CEO/ president?
First 5 LA is interested in knowing about the top leader in your organization that is being directly funded by First 5 LA. If that person has a title different than executive director/CEO/president, but has the top leadership role, include that person (including anyone in an interim role).
4. For other leadership, would we include all our vice-directors/presidents?
First 5 LA is interested in understanding all your project’s leadership positions for the organization that is being directly funded by First 5 LA. This would include key decision makers in your organization (vice-presidents, C-level positions, directors, etc).
For a PDF version of the FAQs, click here.
