CCAP ROMA Framework Application 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CAA is designing a new financial literacy program. According to ROMA principles, which step should come first in the program development process?
- Conducting a needs assessment to identify gaps in the community (Correct answer)
- Selecting outcome measurement tools
- Hiring qualified instructors
- Submitting a funding proposal to OCS
Correct answer: Conducting a needs assessment to identify gaps in the community
ROMA's planning cycle begins with needs assessment to ensure programs are grounded in documented community conditions before other steps are taken.
Question 2: Under ROMA's six domains of family well-being, which domain encompasses access to health insurance and medical care?
- Health and Social/Behavioral Development (Correct answer)
- Family Stability
- Income and Asset Building
- Education
Correct answer: Health and Social/Behavioral Development
The Health and Social/Behavioral Development domain covers health insurance, medical care access, and behavioral health outcomes for family members.
Question 3: A program manager notices that 80% of enrolled clients completed their Individual Service Plans but only 40% achieved their stated goals. What ROMA step should follow this finding?
- Evaluate the reasons for the gap and adjust the intervention strategy (Correct answer)
- Discontinue the program immediately
- Report only the completion rate to funders
- Increase the number of clients enrolled to improve raw numbers
Correct answer: Evaluate the reasons for the gap and adjust the intervention strategy
ROMA's Evaluate step requires analyzing gaps between expected and actual outcomes to improve program effectiveness.
Question 4: In ROMA, 'causally attributing' outcomes to CAA services is challenging because:
- Many external factors also influence client success, making isolation of the agency's impact difficult (Correct answer)
- OCS regulations prohibit agencies from claiming credit for outcomes
- Outcomes can only be attributed after a five-year follow-up period
- Attribution is only required for federally funded programs over $500,000
Correct answer: Many external factors also influence client success, making isolation of the agency's impact difficult
ROMA acknowledges that clients' lives are influenced by many factors simultaneously, so agencies use contribution logic rather than strict causation.
Question 5: Which ROMA tool helps an agency align its mission, programs, and resources to address identified community needs?
- Community Action Plan (CAP) (Correct answer)
- Annual Report to Congress
- ROMA Certification Exam
- Federal Poverty Level Calculator
Correct answer: Community Action Plan (CAP)
The Community Action Plan is the strategic planning document that connects ROMA-informed needs assessment data to agency programs, goals, and resource allocation.
Question 6: A CAA tracks the number of seniors who received home-delivered meals this quarter. In ROMA terminology, this figure is classified as a(n):
- Output (Correct answer)
- Outcome
- Impact
- Indicator
Correct answer: Output
Counting the number of seniors who received meals is a unit-of-service measure, which ROMA classifies as an output.
Question 7: Which principle best captures why ROMA emphasizes data-driven decision making in Community Action?
- Accountability to funders, communities, and clients requires evidence that resources produce meaningful change (Correct answer)
- Federal law mandates that all social programs track only quantitative data
- ROMA data primarily serves internal management, not external accountability
- Data collection is required only when a CAA fails a compliance review
Correct answer: Accountability to funders, communities, and clients requires evidence that resources produce meaningful change
ROMA's data-driven approach ensures CAAs can demonstrate accountability and continuous improvement to stakeholders at every level.
CCAP ROMA Framework Application 3
A CAA is designing a new financial literacy program.
According to ROMA principles, which step should come first in the program development process?