5. Performance Management and Evaluation
Reporting Requirements
The following planning and reporting documentation must be provided to the Department as part of the Funding Agreement requirements:
- Annual Project Plan and Annual Budget;
- Progress Reports at six-month intervals during the term of the Agreement;
- Final Project Report;
- Audited Income and Expenditure reports at the end of each financial year;
- Audited Final Acquittal Report prior to the end of the term of the Agreement; and
- Project Evaluation at the end of the term of the Agreement.
Funded projects are monitored against Project Plans. The monitoring requirements are based on the Annual Project Plan submitted as a condition of funding and identify timelines and deliverables for the project. The Project Plan informs the Schedule of the Funding Agreement.
Service providers report on the progress of their projects through six-monthly reports to the Department.
The Six-Monthly Progress Report will Include:
- Progress of the project against the Project Plan;
- A summary of what service providers have done during the reporting period, including;
- The highlights of the project, including 2 examples of positive case studies of how participants have benefited from the program.
- Barriers or challenges the service provider is facing.
- How the service provider will overcome these barriers or challenges.
- Report against the Performance Indicators;
- Project Finances;
- Project specific reporting requirements; and
- Any other additional information deemed critical to the on-going development of the program as requested by the Department.
For Mental Health Community Based Program service providers an indicative template for the Six-Monthly Progress Report is included at Appendix C and details all expected reportable management and performance information.
The Final Project Report will Include:
- Confirmation that the components of the project have been completed in accordance with the Funding Agreement;
- An overall summary of progress in achieving the Activity Goals in accordance with the Funding Agreement;
- An overall summary of performance against the Performance Indicators; and
- Any other additional information deemed necessary by the Department, for which a minimum of ten working days notice will be provided.
Trigger Events
Trigger events are those events that, for accountability purposes, indicate the need for the Department to take some kind of action. This action could range from a phone call, for a minor infringement, to action that could ultimately result in withdrawal of funding and cancellation of the Funding Agreement.
Trigger events are outlined in the Funding Agreement and include:
- Failure to provide performance information;
- Failure to provide accountability documentation such as the final Audited Financial Acquittal Report; and
- Failure to provide other information, as set out in the Funding Agreement.
Trigger events for which FaHCSIA will take action:
| Event | Departmental response |
|---|---|
| Reports not provided within 2 weeks as outlined in Schedule (Item F) of the Funding Agreement | Written reminder by the Department |
| Reports not provided within 5 weeks as outlined in Schedule (Item F) of the Funding Agreement | Payment not processed until report received |
| Reports not provided within 8 weeks as outlined in Schedule (Item F) of the Funding Agreement | Payment not processed until report received and any additional requirements regarding service operation (as set out in the Funding Agreement) are met |
| Report not to agreed standard outlined in Schedule (Item F) of the Funding Agreement | The Department to formally write to the service provider to advise the way/s in which the report does not meet agreed standards and request the service provider resubmits report within 10 days |
| Revised report not to agreed standard as outlined in Schedule (Item F) of the Funding Agreement | Payment not processed until issue resolved |
Financial
The service provider will only use funds for the purpose for which they were given. This is to ensure the efficient and effective use of public monies, consistent with best value in social services principles, the Funding Agreement, and maintaining a viable service.
Evaluation
The Mental Health Community Based Program will be evaluated as a whole in 2010. The evaluation will consider the appropriateness, efficiency and effectiveness of the program. This exercise will be undertaken by the Department with information collected from individual projects being used as source information. The evidence base developed through this evaluation will assist in identifying effective mental health projects within and across communities at a national level.
A formal evaluation at the end of each Mental Health Community Based Program project will take place. This exercise will be undertaken by the Service Provider and will address the following questions:
- Did the project meet the objectives and outcomes in the funding agreement?
- How many participants were involved in the project?
- What were the experiences of the participants/clients?
- How are the project outcomes being promoted and communicated?
- What are the key learnings for your organisation?
- How will you ensure the project outcomes are sustained beyond the agreement period (if appropriate)?
Note: Applicants may include the reasonable costs of an external evaluation in the project costs.