CPP CPP Needs Assessment & Gap Analysis 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A community needs assessment in program planning is best defined as:
- An annual financial audit of program expenses
- A systematic process of identifying gaps between current conditions and desired outcomes in a community (Correct answer)
- A staff satisfaction survey
- A review of competitor programs
Correct answer: A systematic process of identifying gaps between current conditions and desired outcomes in a community
A community needs assessment systematically identifies the gap between current community conditions and desired outcomes to inform program design.
Question 2: Which data collection method is best suited for gathering in-depth qualitative information about community needs?
- Random sampling via mailed surveys
- Focus groups and key informant interviews (Correct answer)
- Analysis of billing records only
- Standardized achievement testing
Correct answer: Focus groups and key informant interviews
Focus groups and key informant interviews provide rich, qualitative insight into community perspectives that surveys alone cannot capture.
Question 3: In a needs assessment, 'normative need' refers to:
- What the target population states they want
- A gap identified by professionals compared to an established standard (Correct answer)
- Need expressed through service utilization patterns
- Need identified by comparison with a similar group
Correct answer: A gap identified by professionals compared to an established standard
Normative need is defined by experts against a recognized standard, identifying gaps where a population falls below that benchmark.
Question 4: Which of the following represents 'expressed need' in a community needs assessment?
- Need identified through professional standards
- Need inferred from demographic data
- Need demonstrated by the number of people seeking a service (Correct answer)
- Need identified by comparing two communities
Correct answer: Need demonstrated by the number of people seeking a service
Expressed need is revealed through actual demand for services, such as waitlists, service utilization rates, or requests for assistance.
Question 5: A CPP professional uses secondary data in a needs assessment primarily to:
- Replace all primary data collection
- Leverage existing research and data to understand community context before primary data collection (Correct answer)
- Avoid engaging with community members
- Validate only financial projections
Correct answer: Leverage existing research and data to understand community context before primary data collection
Secondary data provides existing context and baselines, allowing CPP professionals to design more targeted and efficient primary data collection.
Question 6: Prioritizing needs identified in a community needs assessment should be based on:
- Only the needs that are easiest to address
- Criteria such as severity, prevalence, feasibility, and alignment with organizational mission (Correct answer)
- The preferences of the highest-ranking staff member
- Needs identified most recently, regardless of importance
Correct answer: Criteria such as severity, prevalence, feasibility, and alignment with organizational mission
Need prioritization should use multiple criteria including severity, prevalence, feasibility, and strategic alignment to guide program investment decisions.
CPP CPP Needs Assessment & Gap Analysis 1
A community needs assessment in program planning is best defined as: