Research on Demand

Services for National Standard Users

by Angela Han

As a national source of information on public arts funding, NASAA provides a knowledge network and fact base to help state arts agencies make informed policy decisions and put their own state's needs and experiences in context. Providing customized responses to member questions is a hallmark of NASAA. This column offers specific examples of the NASAA research services available and shows how they can be customized to meet your needs.

NASAA offers support, training and advisory services to users of the National Standard for Arts Information Exchange. All state and regional arts agencies are required to use the National Standard in the preparation of their Final Descriptive Reports (FDRs) to the NEA. To help SAAs complete their FDRs and incorporate the Standard into grants management processes, NASAA offers several types of assistance:

• FDR Technical Support: How do I count youth artists? Should we be reporting non-grant activities? What is the definition for arts education? NASAA can help you with these questions and others related to reporting and coding for Final Descriptive Reports. Contact Kelly Liu for all your FDR questions.
• National Standard Training: Workshops for grants officers and program staff with reporting responsibilities are offered at NASAA meetings, including assemblies. Training slides (PowerPoint, PDF) and manuals are available for those who wish to provide their own training. On-site training is occasionally available.
• Application and Final Report Audit: NASAA provides complimentary audits of grant application and final report forms to verify that all required National Standard elements are collected properly.
• Advisory Services: In addition to complimentary audits, NASAA offers other customized services, including feedback on incorporating the National Standard into grants management systems, advice on program guidelines design and other concerns. Contact Angela Han for more information.

Be sure to visit the National Standard Reference Center for instructions and tutorials on completing FDRs and for examples of using grants data.