ROMA stands for Results Oriented Management and Accountability
It’s the performance framework that Community Action Agencies use to measure impact
ROMA ensures agencies focus on outcomes that matter: helping families become self-sufficient, improving communities, and operating efficiently
ROMA is the common language that all CAAs speak when talking about their work and results
Course Outcomes
You’ll learn what ROMA is, why it exists, and how it shapes the work your CAA does every day
You’ll understand the three main outcome categories that ROMA tracks
You’ll be able to explain ROMA to a new colleague or community partner
You’ll see how your role fits into your agency’s results-oriented approach
Lesson 2: Understanding Community Action Agencies
The Anti-Poverty Mission
CAAs were created with one clear goal: to fight poverty at the local level
CAAs target root causes of poverty and work to create lasting change
Every program connects back to the anti-poverty mission—job training increases income, early childhood education helps children succeed, weatherization reduces costs
You’re part of a deliberate, strategic effort to help people overcome poverty
CSBG Funding Basics
Most CAAs receive funding through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)
CSBG flows from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to state governments, then to local CAAs
Federal law requires agencies receiving CSBG to use a performance measurement system—ROMA is the framework most CAAs use
ROMA helps your agency meet federal requirements AND do better work
The Community Action Network
Your CAA is part of a network of nearly 1,000 CAAs across the United States
All CAAs share common values, goals, and approaches—all focus on fighting poverty and use ROMA to measure results
Every CAA employee contributes to the collective effort, regardless of role
The network shares knowledge through conferences, training, and collaboration
Lesson 3: What is ROMA?
Breaking Down the Acronym
Results Oriented: Focusing on outcomes rather than just activities—what changed for families?
Management: Using data and performance information to make decisions
Accountability: Being answerable for results to federal government, state agencies, community members, and families served
ROMA helps CAAs focus on creating measurable improvements in people’s lives
ROMA History and Federal Mandate
Created in 1994 by a task force of federal, state, and local CSBG officials
Based on principles from the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993
In 1998, Congress made ROMA implementation a legal requirement for CSBG recipients
Mandatory outcome reporting began October 1, 2001
ROMA is not optional—it’s federal law
Connection to Government Performance Results Act
The Act established three basic principles: set strategic goals, measure performance, report results publicly
ROMA translates these principles into a framework that makes sense for Community Action work
The Act recognized that measuring activities isn’t the same as measuring impact
ROMA embraces continuous improvement—agencies use performance data to get better over time
Lesson 4: Core Principles of ROMA
Results-Oriented Focus
Your agency cares more about what changes than what happens
Activity-focused: “We provided 200 families with classes” vs. Results-focused: “How many families increased their savings?”
Activities must connect to outcomes—if a service doesn’t create meaningful change, it needs to be reconsidered
Example: Instead of counting tax returns completed, track how many families received refunds and what they did with the money
Management Accountability
Agency leaders are responsible for using resources effectively and achieving results
Accountability flows to board of directors, state officials, federal agencies, and most importantly, the families you serve
ROMA gives leadership tools to demonstrate exactly what the agency is accomplishing
Accountable management investigates why results fall short and takes action to improve
Creates a culture where everyone thinks about results
Performance Measurement Requirements
Agencies must collect data consistently using standardized definitions
Data must be reported annually to state officials, who compile it and send it to federal government
Standardized measurement allows the Community Action Network to show collective impact nationwide
Your documentation directly contributes to demonstrating your agency’s impact
Evidence protects your agency when budget cuts threaten or critics question effectiveness
Lesson 5: The ROMA Framework Overview
Assessing Community Needs
Everything starts with understanding the community your agency serves
Agencies look at demographic data, economic data, and community resource data
Good assessment includes direct input from low-income residents through surveys, focus groups, or meetings
Assessment is not a one-time event—communities change and agencies must update regularly
You contribute to assessment when you share client observations about barriers they face
Defining Mission and Strategies
Mission is the agency’s fundamental purpose—always centered on reducing poverty and helping people achieve self-sufficiency
Strategies are specific approaches the agency will use given available resources and opportunities
Strategies must respond directly to identified needs and be tailored to what the specific community faces
Strategic plan guides budget decisions, program development, and staffing choices
Understanding your agency’s strategies helps you see how your work fits the bigger picture
Identifying Desired Results
Results must be concrete enough to measure—”Increased household income by at least 10%” not “improved well-being”
Results focus on individuals/families, community conditions, and agency operations
Everything connects: results align with strategies, which align with community needs, which align with the mission
Setting result targets forces honest conversation about what’s realistic given capacity and funding
These identified results become the benchmarks against which your agency’s performance is judged
Lesson 6: ROMA Outcome Categories
Family and Individual Outcomes
Measure changes in the lives of people your CAA serves directly
Organized around six National Performance Indicators: employment, income and asset building, housing, health and social behavioral development, civic engagement, education
Example: Single mother secures affordable housing and gains employment—measurable family outcomes showing movement from crisis to stability
Your documentation in case files and databases directly contributes to outcome measurement
These outcomes represent real lives changed
Community Outcomes
Measure changes in neighborhoods and localities where low-income families live
Include increased affordable housing units, reduced crime rates, more living-wage jobs, improved infrastructure, stronger community organizations
Harder to achieve than individual outcomes—require collaboration and long-term effort
Example: Agency helps establish community center and playground, leading to decreased youth crime and improved school attendance
Community outcomes often take years to materialize but create environments where families are more likely to thrive
Agency Outcomes
Measure your organization’s internal performance and capacity
Include organizational infrastructure, financial management, board governance, service delivery, data systems
Strong agency outcomes create the foundation for strong family and community outcomes
Example: Agency improves intake process, reducing wait time from three weeks to three days—families get help faster
You contribute through quality of your work, professionalism, following procedures, and suggesting improvements
Lesson 7: Why ROMA Matters to Your Work
Federal Compliance and Funding
Your agency needs ROMA to keep its CSBG funding—without it, many CAAs would scale back dramatically or close
State agencies review CAA performance regularly—agencies that fall short may receive corrective action or lose funding
Federal government wants evidence that CSBG works because that evidence justifies continued appropriations from Congress
Your agency’s ROMA data contributes to the national story that the entire Community Action Network uses to advocate for resources
Poor ROMA implementation has ripple effects—funding might decrease for the entire network
Demonstrating Impact to Stakeholders
Board of directors need concrete evidence that their oversight and support are producing results
Local government officials and county commissioners are more likely to support budget requests when you demonstrate specific outcomes
Partner organizations use ROMA data to coordinate services and strengthen collaborations
Individual donors respond to outcome data—“85% of participants gained employment within 90 days” is more compelling than vague promises
For families you serve, ROMA demonstrates respect and accountability
Continuous Improvement and Growth
ROMA drives your agency to get better over time by learning from results
Outcome data reveals patterns—what works well for which populations, where strategies need adjustment
Without outcome data, agencies would be guessing; with ROMA, they have evidence to guide decisions
Agencies committed to ROMA invest more in staff development because skilled employees produce better outcomes
Strong outcomes make agencies more competitive for grants, attract better partnerships, and earn community trust
Understanding ROMA makes you a more valuable employee
Lesson 8: ROMA and the CAA Mission
Aligning Services with Measurable Results
ROMA helps your agency translate the broad anti-poverty mission into specific, achievable, measurable results
Every service must connect to specific outcomes that support the anti-poverty mission
Example: Food pantry isn’t just about distributing groceries—it’s about reducing food insecurity so families can focus on other stability goals
When developing new services, agencies start by asking what outcome that service will produce
This discipline ensures resources focus on activities that actually move families toward economic stability
Connecting Daily Work to Anti-Poverty Goals
Every task you perform connects to ROMA outcomes in some way
It’s the difference between “I schedule appointments” and “I help families take the first step toward achieving stability”
Your agency’s strategic plan should show how different roles and departments support specific outcome goals
Understanding these connections transforms routine work into meaningful contribution
When dealing with challenges, remembering that your work contributes to helping families escape poverty provides motivation and perspective
Supporting Families and Communities Effectively
Effective support means meeting families where they are and helping them progress toward their own goals
ROMA requires individualized assessment and goal-setting with clients—agencies partner with families rather than making decisions for them
Effective support addresses root causes, not just symptoms (job loss, medical bills, lack of financial literacy)
ROMA’s emphasis on outcomes pushes agencies toward deeper support that reduces likelihood of future crises
The three outcome categories work together: strong agency operations enable quality services, quality services produce positive family outcomes, positive family outcomes accumulate into community change
Every positive interaction you have with a client contributes to their experience and reinforces that they deserve support
