KPI Intake Survey Guidance

Last updated May 3, 2023

Table of Contents

Downloadable PDF Version

Use the link below to open and download a PDF version of the KPI Intake Survey Guidance.

Part A. Glossary of Terms

Tab/Accordion Items

Activities: Actions using inputs to implement a project (e.g. hiring, water testing, surveying, purchasing supplies)

Expenditures: Amount that has been incurred as a liability of the entity; the service has been rendered or the good has been delivered to the entity (e.g. paying a laboratory for water testing)

Impact: The ultimate goal/objective of the project (e.g. clean water for rural NC residents, increased internet access to NC residents, higher literacy rates in NC children)

Impact Evaluation: An assessment to determine specific changes which can be attributed to a specific intervention

Inputs: Resources needed to implement a project

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Quantifiable metrics that enable organizations to gauge the progress and/or success of a project 

KPIs can include:

  1. Tracking Measures
  2. Output Measures
  3. Outcome Measures

Obligations: An order placed for property and services, contracts and subawards made, and similar transactions that require payment; the commitment of funds for specific use (e.g. an agency signs a contract for goods they have not yet received or paid the invoice for)

Outcome(s): The changes that occur as a result of the outputs

Outcome Measures: Metrics that help measure the changes that occur as a result of your activities; they indicate whether a project is achieving its overall goals (e.g. the percent of students reading on grade level)

Output(s): Direct results of activities

Output Measures: Metrics that help measure progress and/or success of activities and outputs; they provide valuable information about the early implementation stages of a project (e.g. number of students enrolled in an early learning program)

Tracking Measures: Metrics that help you track implementation of the project, including progress and/or success for your inputs; Tracking Measures are the KPIs for Inputs

Part B. Defining KPIs

Defining and Selecting KPIs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable metrics that enable organizations to gauge the progress and/or success of a project. It’s important to note that there are countless ways to measure the performance of a project. However, here we are only asking for Key Performance Indicators (i.e. those that you feel most clearly demonstrate progress and success throughout all stages of your project). In general, each project will have 3 to 7 KPIs, though more complex projects may justify tracking more KPIs.

KPI Criteria

  1. KPIs must be quantitative.
  2. KPIs must be realistically measurable.
  3. KPIs must demonstrate progress towards your project goals.
  4. KPIs must be measured regularly, or, if your project is already complete, it must be something that was measured regularly (note: some KPIs may be measured only once).

Project Flow

It’s helpful to consider the flow of a project when thinking about what KPIs might be most appropriate for your project, as KPIs can relate to different stages of the process. The following steps outline the basic flow of a project from start to finish:

  1. Inputs
    • Resources needed to implement a project
  2. Activities
    • Actions using inputs to implement a project
  3. Outputs
    • Immediate results or products of activities
  4. Outcomes
    • Changes that occur as a result of outputs
  5. Impacts
    • Ultimate goal of the project (long-term outcomes)

Types of KPIs

For the purposes of SFRF reporting, there are 3 types of KPIs, as described below. Notice that each type relates to different stages of the project flow (shown in the numbered list above).

  1. Tracking Measures: Metrics that help you track the implementation of your project
    • These may include your inputs, activities, or similar milestones.
  2. Output Measures: Metrics that help measure the direct results of your actions
    • They provide valuable information about the early implementation stages of a project.
  3. Outcome Measures: Metrics that measure changes that occur as a result of the project's activities
    • They indicate whether a project is achieving its overall goals.

It is important to note that some KPIs may seem to span multiple KPI types, or it may be difficult to determine which type is appropriate. That’s ok. The types are described here to help you consider different ways to measure performance. Simply use your best judgment given what you know about your project to select which type seems the best fit. The table below outlines a few examples of each type of KPI.

Project Example Tracking Measures Output Measures Outcome Measures
Project 1: Buying your niece a birthday gift from Amazon
  • Number of Items ordered on time
  • Average cost per item
  • Number of hours researching gifts for toddlers
  • Percent of packages that arrived on time 
     
  • Niece’s reported happiness level (1-10 scale) upon opening gift
  • Niece’s enjoyment of gift (1-10 scale) 12 months after opening gift
Project 2: NC Childhood Literacy
  • Number of teachers invited to enroll in special literacy training
  • Number of teachers that 
    received special training
  • Percent of teachers from Title I schools
  • Percent of students (with trained teachers) reading at or above grade level
Project 3: Community health center offering free "Healthy Habits" workshop
  • Number of radio and newspaper ads promoting workshops
  • Number of households contacted
  • Workshop curriculum completed on time
  • Number of people who attend the workshop
  • Percent of workshop attendees reporting healthier habits 1 month after workshops

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Part C. About the KPI Intake Survey

Purpose of the Survey

The KPI Intake Survey is designed as a one-time form for the SFRF recipient to inform NCPRO what KPIs and related data it intends to track to measure performance of each SFRF project. The KPI Intake Survey is not designed to collect actual KPI data. Rather, it is to allow you to tell NCPRO what performance data you have collected-or plan to collect-to gauge the success and progress of your SFRF project. Ongoing reporting of actual performance data will be facilitated separately in the future.

Structure and Process

The KPI Intake Survey is managed through SmartsheetGov and will be sent via email to the individual listed as the project’s performance reporting contact.

The KPI Intake Survey is broken into 8 sections. Each section header defines the section and provides critical information for understanding and responding to the questions appropriately.

The survey system’s responses are limited to 4,000 characters, including spaces (roughly 500 to 1000 words). However, SFRF recipients are not expected to provide that much narrative detail at this stage.

Some fields may be pre-populated based on data you’ve submitted to NCPRO in the past.

The survey has room for you to submit up to 10 KPIs for your project. If you have more than ten, let your NCPRO grant manager know.

Questions are generally framed in the future tense, however, NCPRO understands that recipients may have already started their performance measurement work and/or completed their SFRF project(s). All questions in this survey can accommodate back-dated information.

Preparation and Submission 

The KPI Intake Survey is due Friday, May 26, 2023.

You cannot save progress on your survey without clicking ‘SUBMIT’ (which submits your responses to NCPRO) so it is highly recommended that you do the following:

  1. Take time to review the survey questions (all are listed in this document and in the KPI Intake Survey Template document, which can be found on our website here).
  2. Log your responses to survey questions in the KPI Intake Survey Template document (provided on the NCPRO website here).
  3. Open the survey using the link provided in your email.
  4. Copy and paste your responses from Template document into the survey.
  5. Click “Submit” to simultaneously save your responses and submit your survey.

Once you submit the survey, your survey responses are recorded in NCPRO's data system, and you will no longer be able to access the survey link. If you need to make changes to what you submitted, please contact Tara Fikes and a new survey link will be sent to you to make updates.

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Part D. List of Survey Questions

Below is a list of all questions you will see in the KPI Intake Survey. Again, it is highly recommended that you use this list and the KPI Intake Survey Template document to plan and log responses before clicking the link to begin the survey, then copy and paste responses into the survey

Section 1: Performance Reporting Contact Info

Reporting performance measures to NCPRO requires submitting Key Performance Indicator (KPI) data to NCPRO via a quarterly, semi-annual, and/or annual survey. Please provide contact information for the person who will be available to provide accurate and up-to-date performance data on these surveys.

  1. Who will report to NCPRO on performance?
  2. Title/position of performance measure contact
  3. Email address of performance measure contact
  4. Phone number of performance measure contact

Section 2: Project Timeframe

Please select the appropriate quarter for each question in this section. Because we collect financial targets in this section, you will not need to include any financial goals as KPIs unless reasonably unique from these obligation and expenditure targets. You may select the same quarter for multiple questions if appropriate. If you’ve already met an obligation or expenditure milestone, the quarter will be pre-selected for you based on when you met that milestone. All SFRF project funds must be fully obligated by December 31, 2024 and expended by December 31, 2026.

  1. When do you expect to complete this project?
  2. Estimate when 25% of SFRF $ will be obligated.
  3. Estimate when 50% of SFRF $ will be obligated.
  4. Estimate when 75% of SFRF $ will be obligated.
  5. Estimate when 100% of SFRF $ will be obligated.
  6. Estimate when 25% of SFRF $ will be expended.
  7. Estimate when 50% of SFRF $ will be expended.
  8. Estimate when 75% of SFRF $ will be expended.
  9. Estimate when 100% of SFRF $ will be expended.

Section 3: Project Impacts

For this section, think about the overall, long-term impact you anticipate your project to have and when this impact is expected (<2 years, 2-5 years, or >5 years from now). There may be more than one project impact but focus on your primary project impact here.

  1. Describe expected overall impact of the project.
  2. When do you expect project impact to be realized?

Section 4: Geographic Scope

For this section, think about whether your project affects only specific counties or all of North Carolina. You may 
select “statewide” if your project affects the entire state, or select as many counties as needed.

  1. What area of NC does your project impact?

Section 5: Major Project Inputs and Activities

For this section, focus on major inputs and activities for your project. 

  1. List major project inputs.
  2. List major project activities.

Section 6: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

For this section think about what KPIs you use to gauge project progress and/or success. 

  1. Details for KPIs (up to 10 KPIs):
    • KPI 1- Name of measure
    • KPI 1- Type of measure
    • KPI 1- Brief description
    • KPI 1- Unit of measurement
    • KPI 1- Measuring Strategy/ Data Source
    • KPI 1- Measure start date
    • KPI 1- Measure end date
    • KPI 1- Frequency of reporting to NCPRO
    • KPI 1- Does KPI have equity component?
    • KPI 1- How is KPI data disaggregated?

Section 7: Impact Evaluation

For this section, think about whether you will be conducting an evaluation of the overall, long-term impacts of your project, and let us know if you would be interested in collaborating with NCPRO and/or agency partners to evaluate project impacts.

  1. Do you plan to evaluate project impact?
  2. Are you interested in evaluation collaboration?

Section 8: Other Considerations

Please share any additional thoughts, concerns, or questions you have regarding your project KPIs.

  1. Provide any additional info on KPIs here.

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Part E. Providing KPI Details

In the KPI Intake Survey you will be asked to provide clarifying information for each KPI you list. Refer to the table below for further details on what this clarifying information may include.

Desired Information Description Guidance
Name of Measure The name of the KPI (2-5 words).  Example: “Small businesses funded”
Type of Measure Is this a tracking measure, output measure, or outcome measure? Select 1 option for each KPI from the drop-down list.
Brief Description Concise summary/description of KPI (1-2 sentences).  Example: "This measure is a count of the small businesses given grants through the XYZ program."
Unit of Measurement State the unit of measurement for the KPI.  Example: Dollars spent, number of FTE’s, number of students, schools, counties, etc.
Measuring Strategy/Data Source Explain how you will collect the data for your KPI, including data collection methods and/or the names of individuals, reports, or other resources used.  Example: Specific reports, surveys, etc.
Measure Start Date When did you (or will you) start collecting data on this measure?

For each KPI, select which quarter you started collecting data for this KPI from the dropdown menu. If you haven’t yet started collecting data on this KPI, select which quarter you plan to begin collecting the data.

In some cases, it may be possible for you to start and finish measuring a KPI within the same quarter.
Measure End Date When did you or will you finish collecting data on this measure?

For each KPI, select which quarter you stopped collecting data for this KPI from the dropdown menu. If you haven’t yet stopped collecting data on this KPI, select which quarter you plan to stop collecting the data.

In some cases, it may be possible for you to start and finish measuring a KPI within the same quarter.
Frequency of Reporting to NCPRO How frequently will you submit data on this KPI to NCPRO?

Tracking measures and more short-term outcome measures are expected to be reported quarterly, while longer-term output and outcome measures may be reported on a semi-annual or annual basis.

Select quarterly, semiannually, or annually from the drop-down list.
Does KPI have an equity component? U.S. Treasury and Governor Cooper have made promoting equitable outcomes a point of emphasis for SFRF implementation. Consider whether this KPI measures progress towards more equitable outcomes for North Carolinians. Select “Yes” or “No” from the drop-down menu.
How is KPI data disaggregated? Describe if your KPI data is (or can be) disaggregated across equity dimensions including race, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, ability, etc. If it is not disaggregated, state “KPI data not disaggregated”

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Part F. Additional Resources

Recipients may draw on a variety of resources to support performance planning. A non-exhaustive list of potential resources is below.

  • Logic Model Planning Worksheet developed by Deloitte during 2023 MeasureUp workshops
  • Your completed SFRF Project Planning Template used in early 2021
  • Attachments A and B, as included in the SFRF contracting process with NCPRO
  • Applicable agency plans that intersect with SFRF project implementation

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More Tools and Resources

Additional tools and resources are available on NCPRO’s website, including: