ARKANSAS ANNUAL TRAINING CONFERENCE www.nascsp.org Communication - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Communicating Expectations & Achieving Accountability

ARKANSAS

ANNUAL TRAINING CONFERENCE

Mick Prince | Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity

www.nascsp.org

Communication Methods

Communication is important when trying to get 34 local agencies on the same page. Illinois is a unique state with respect to geography, number of agencies, and a mix of rural and urban environments. There is no one size fits all approach.

IHWAP Broadcast

• Any information that needs to be disseminated to the

network that is not a change in policy, is handled through an email broadcast to the network of subgrantees.

• Communicate Monitoring Findings and Clarify Policy

based on Monitoring Results

• There are often times several broadcast per week.

IHWAP Facebook Group

• Share best practices
• Ask for help
• A bit more lighthearted approach to communications

IHWAP Facebook Group

IHWAP Twitter Feed

Twitter? Nobody in their right mind would officially communicate to their network via Twitter, right?

Grant Application & Policy and Procedures Workshops

• We Start Each Year with our Grant Application Workshop

to discuss the nuance of applying for the grants.

• Closer to the start of the Program Year, we have a one or

two day Policy and Procedures Workshop to discuss any technical or programmatic changes for the upcoming

• year. We also take this time to discuss the previous year’s

monitoring results.

Utility/IHWAP Kickoff Meetings

• We start each “Utility” program year with a kickoff

meeting.

• We discuss what worked, what didn’t, and best practices

for operating a successfully Grant/Utility Program.

• Local Agencies share their successes and challenges.
• We clarify policy for blending Grant and Utility Funds.

Regional IHWAP Coordinator Meetings

• Small Groups, More Intimate Setting
• Share Best Practices
• Discuss hurdles to operating the IHWAP Grants
• Discuss Monitoring Outcomes
• Provide Training

Weatherization Specialists

• Each agency has a state monitor assigned to provide

training and technical assistance and also performs program and quality assurance monitoring.

• Illinois currently has 7 Weatherization Specialists

assigned to 34 agencies. We are planning on hiring several monitors in the coming months.

• Weekly meetings with the monitoring staff ensure

consistency in monitoring protocols and allow the “techs” to share best practices from their monitoring visits.

Programmatic Monitoring

Quarter 1

• Procurement
• Insurance requirements
• Certifications
• Staffing
• Training Plans
• Historic Preservation Compliance
• Etc.

Desk Monitoring

Continuous Process

• Data Entry
• Allowability of Costs
• Budget Categories

Quality Assurance Monitoring

Quarters 2-4

• Client File Review
• Assessment Review
• QCI of Completed Projects

Formal Documentation of Monitoring

• Monitoring Letters (Within 30 days of visit)
• Boilerplate letter templates for all types of monitoring

activities.

• Outline corrective action required by local agency
• Local Agency Response (Within 30 days of Letter)
• Release Letter

Tracking Monitoring Results

• SharePoint Monitoring and Tracking
• QC Call-Back Tracking (Local Agencies)
• QA Monitoring Tracking (State Monitoring Staff)

Tracking Monitoring Results

PY 2019 TOP 10 Findings

Findings and Observations = Training Opportunities

• Technical Training (U of I)
• Creation of New Procurement Manual and Local

Procurement Training

• Weatherization Coordinator Training Classes
• WeatherWorks Data Entry Training
• Fiscal Training

Technical Training

University of Illinois

• 10 week Training and Certification Program; all things

building science (IHWAP)

• HVAC Contractor Certification (IHWAP)
• Architectural Contractor Certification (IHWAP)
• BPI Energy Auditor
• BPI QCI
• Multifamily QCI (IHWAP)
• BPI HHE
• Air Sealing Workshops
• And Much More!

Challenges of a Diverse Housing Stock

From Mobile Homes to 300 unit multifamily buildings, we have them all. Some housing stock requires tailored training.

Chicago Bungalow

Mobile Home

Split Level Raised Ranch

Three Flat Multi-Unit Building

300 Unit High-Rise Multifamily

Multifamily WX

• Procedures
• Training for State and Subgrantee Staff
• Building Eligibility
• Energy Audit
• Utility Bill Analysis
• Audit Tool
• Who completes the model?
• True Up (Modeled Consumption V. Utility Analysis)
• Engineering Services and Reports
• Qualified Contractors?
• Final Inspection (Don’t forget to get MF QCI Training)

Dealing with Struggling Agencies

• All Hands on Deck T and TA
• Wage Analysis?
• One on One Technical Training (U of I or State Staff)
• Peer to Peer Training
• When all else fails, a heart to heart conversation about

the agency’s ability to effectively administer the grants.

Technical Assistance Plan

• Grantee Outlines Deficiencies to Subgrantee
• Grantee Outlines Corrective Steps
• Grantee Outlines Timelines
• Subgrantee Provides Status Updates
• Grantee Tracks Status and Improvements

Corrective Action Plan

• Grantee Outlines Deficiencies to Subgrantee
• Subgrantee Outlines Corrective Steps
• Subgrantee Outlines Timelines
• Grantee Provides Feedback and Approval of Plan
• Subgrantee Provides Status Updates
• Grantee Tracks Status and Improvements

Policy Improvements = Less Findings

• Standardized Client Files
• Standardized Assessment Document
• Procurement Guidance
• No Policy Changes Mid-Year
• On-time delivery of Policy and Procedures Manuals

Thank You!

Mick Prince Weatherization Program Manager Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity O: 217.785.6135 mick.prince@illinois.gov www.illinois.gov/dceo