by Meghan Maury

Every time the government makes a change to a survey or a form — or introduces a new survey or form — you have the right to weigh in on that decision. The Take Action! newsletter highlights surveys or forms the government is changing, renewing, or introducing. Click the links to tell the government what you think about the changes they are making.

Note: The Take Action tab of DataIndex.us provides information about even more surveys, forms, evaluations, and records notices than are listed in your weekly newsletter.

Surveys

  • American Time Use Survey

    ATUS measures how people in the United States spend their time. For example, ATUS measures time spent with children, working, providing eldercare, sleeping, or doing leisure activities. Several other Federal surveys collect income and wage data for individuals and families, and analysts often use such measures of material prosperity as proxies for quality of life. Time-use data substantially augment these quality-of-life measures. For even more info, check out this webinar from your friends here at DataIndex.us.

    Comments due July 28.

SPD15: Race and Ethnicity Data Collection Standards

  • Current Population Survey (CPS) Basic Demographic Items

    This portion of the CPS - which produces federal statistics on employment and unemployment - collects demographic data on topics like age, marital status, sex, Armed Forces status, education, race, origin, and family income.  This year, BLS is conducting an experimental collection of Race and Ethnicity information using the new SPD15 standard. The main goal of the study is to assess the effect of the new race and ethnicity standard on estimates obtained from the CPS. The study will also aid in the implementation of the new standard for interviewer-administered data collections (both in-person and by phone). The study will examine the impact of differences in reporting using the new 2024 standard and the 1997 standard (which CPS currently is using) on race distributions, labor force estimates, weighting, and missing data.

    Comments due August 26.

Forms

  • Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Data Report

    Tribes with an approved Tribal TANF program use these forms to collect data on the recipients served by the tribes' programs. This information includes both aggregated and disaggregated data on case characteristics and individual characteristics.

    Comments due July 28. 

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

  • HRSA Uniform Data System

    The HRSA Uniform Data System is used to collect information from grantees such as Health Center Program (HCP) awardees and Advanced Nursing Education program awardees.  In addition to removing both sexual orientation and gender identity questions, HRSA is adding measures related to Alzheimer’s disease and tobacco, opioid, and substance use.

    Comments due July 23.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Complaint Forms

    The Treasury Department is changing its EEO Complaint forms to remove gender identity and sexual orientation as a basis for a sex discrimination complaint, despite the Supreme Court's determination in Bostock v. Clayton that "An employer who fires an individual employee merely for being gay or transgender violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964."

    Comments due July 28.

Data Sharing

  • National Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Information Database

    USDA is creating a new SNAP Database which will be used to verify SNAP recipient eligibility against federally maintained databases. This includes verifying eligibility based on immigration status, identifying and eliminating duplicate enrollments, assisting States in mitigating identity theft, and performing other eligibility and program integrity checks using internal and interagency data. USDA will share information with State agencies when “necessary to investigate and rectify fraudulent or otherwise improper or illegal SNAP enrollments or transactions.”

    Comments due July 23.

Evaluations and Demonstration Projects

  • The Impact and Potential of “Co-Production” in Addressing Climate Adaptation Across the Pacific Islands

    PI-CASC supports research projects that foster long-lasting partnerships between researchers, natural and cultural resource stewards and managers, and community leaders. While building local capacities, PI-CASC endeavors to co-develop the science/knowledge bases informing our current understanding of climate change and its impacts, as well as how we might take steps to adapt to those impacts across the Pacific Islands. PI-CASC is seeking to conduct surveys and interviews with project leaders, collaborators, and community members to better understand the state of co-production across the portfolio and how such cooperative efforts may be improved moving forward.

    Comments due July 25.

  • Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project (STEW-MAP)

    The purpose of this research is to gather information on civic stewardship groups and their efforts such as where they work, the types of projects they focus on, and how they are organized. This information will be summarized and, for the groups agreeing to be represented on a public map, made publicly available online for use by decision-makers, land managers, environmental professionals, the general public, the stewards themselves, and other natural resource management stakeholders. 

    Comments due August 25. 

Also of Note…