Overview
The National Standard for Arts Information Exchange is a taxonomy used by public arts agencies to manage information about constituents and grant-making activities. The system includes specific terms, definitions and guidelines for coding data in grants management systems, mailing lists and resource directories.
The system is used by state arts agencies, regional arts organizations and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as an accountability and research tool. NASAA provides system oversight and technical assistance for National Standard users. The National Standard is also the platform for annual Final Descriptive Reports (FDRs) that each state, region and jurisdiction must submit to the NEA to receive Partnership Agreement funding.
National Standard information is mined at the state and national levels to track the distribution and impact of arts funding across the United States. Designed to provide easy access to data that is consistent from agency to agency, information in the National Standard format can be analyzed to understand trends over time, to compare grant making among states and regions, and to document how public dollars are spent.
The system was developed in the late 1970s by the National Information Systems Project, a research working group funded by the National Endowment for the Arts that included regional arts organizations, NASAA, state arts agency leaders and Henry Bromelkamp.
Revisions
To maintain the Standard as a useful information collection system, periodic revisions are made to reflect new conditions and patterns in the arts funding environment. The NASAA board of directors and the National Endowment for the Arts have adopted a set of policies that govern the ongoing maintenance and amendment of the Standard:
- NASAA routinely solicits and collects feedback on the usability and effectiveness of the Standard from states and regions.
- If routine feedback indicates a need for change to the Standard, a formal revision cycle is initiated, no more frequently than every four years.
- This revision process involves a thorough assessment of the ways in which the Standard does/does not meet state, regional and federal needs.
- A joint NASAA-NEA working group (comprised of representatives of states, regions, NASAA and the NEA) oversees revisions to the standard. The purpose of this working group is to recommend how the National Standard for Arts Information Exchange can be maintained and adjusted to better inform state, jurisdictional and national arts policy discussions and provide comparative information to users.
- A revisions proposal is drafted by the working group and shared with states and regions, who have the opportunity to comment and suggest changes prior to the proposal being submitted to the NASAA board of directors and NEA senior staff for final approval.
In addition to following the required procedures above, NASAA also typically invites supplemental input on National Standard issues from a variety of other experts (including database providers, discipline experts, arts researchers, and taxonomy specialists) to supply the working group with additional perspectives and guidance on key issues during its revisions deliberations.
2009-2010 Revisions Process Update
In late 2009, after an assessment of extant data and consultation with the NEA, a revisions process was initiated. In early 2010, a working group was formed. Together, members of the working group are tasked to:- consider what refinements to the National Standard may be needed to address current policy, research and operational issues;
- seek consensus on ways that National Standard revisions can meet the needs of states, regions, the NEA and NASAA;
- formulate a draft revisions proposal;
- provide the field with an opportunity to review and comment on proposed changes;
- provide implementation suggestions to NASAA and the NEA.
After an initial working group meeting in March, a field assessment was administered in June to all state arts agencies and regional arts organizations, based on topics and questions identified by the working group as priority areas of interest for states, regions and the NEA. Several major themes arose from the assessment, which was discussed by the working group in July.
The working group also received notice from the NEA that, in conjunction with its new strategic plan, the agency would be revising its reporting and performance measurement requirements for all NEA grantees, including states and regions. Details on these requirements were not available at this time.
Mindful of the challenging economic and operational circumstances facing states and regions right now (and the difficulties some states and regions may face in making system changes or altering grantee requirements), the working group decided during its July meeting to:
- continue to investigate priority issues raised by states and regions in the field assessment and identify options for responding to those needs;
- consult with other data providers/experts about key issues;
- delay formulation of a draft revisions proposal until information about NEA reporting requirements and their impact on states and regions becomes available. (Although NEA reporting requirements may be separate from the Standard, they may, like the Standard, influence the data collection and reporting procedures states and regions must follow with their grantees. Therefore, the substance and timing of National Standard revisions will be considered in light of these developments to ensure optimal efficiency for states and regions and their grantees.)
The process will proceed over this winter, with a revisions proposal tentatively slated for development in the spring of 2011, circumstances permitting. For questions about the revisions process, or to receive a copy of the full field assessment report, contact Kelly Barsdate.
For Additional Help
Your first point of contact for implementation assistance should be the NASAA office. The following kinds of consultation are available:
- review of draft application, mailing list and final report forms to ensure National Standard compliance
- help with the construction of accurate and appropriate data collection questions and techniques
- training for agency staff responsible for FDR reporting
- orientation for program staff responsible for project coding
- preparation of sample state-level data analysis models
- referrals to peer state agencies for information, models and ideas
- assistance with the development of new database file structures and report forms
Depending upon the circumstances and available funds, technical assistance workshops and individual agency site visits are sometimes possible. For more information please contact the NASAA research staff at 202-347-6352.
Updated August 2010