EDA Performance Measurement and Program Evaluation

EDA collects and reports on performance measures in compliance with Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 that, as amended by the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, establishes requirements for all agencies to collect, analyze and report on their performance.

EDA’s performance goals and specific performance metrics are tied to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s performance management structure. The performance data are analyzed for economic and program trends and used to enhance EDA’s program performance. The data are reported via departmental publications and reviewed by key stakeholders, such as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and Congress. EDA’s performance targets are tied to its annual budget request and appropriations. DOC and relevant stakeholders consider EDA’s performance results when EDA submits its annual budget request. EDA’s Annual Performance Plan (APP) identifies anticipated outcomes based on the investment of appropriated funds by program and by performance measure.

EDA’s performance data are divided into two primary goals:

EDA Performance Goal 1: Infrastructure investments that promote private enterprise and job creation in economically distressed communities and regions.

• Metric: Private sector dollars invested in economically distressed regions as a result of EDA’s investments.
• Metric: Jobs created or retained in economically distressed regions as a result of EDA’s investments.

EDA Performance Goal 2: Non-infrastructure investments that build community capacity to achieve and sustain regional competitiveness and economic growth.

EDA has developed innovative metrics to measure the impact of its non-infrastructure investments from programs that include Build to Scale, Local Technical Assistance, Revolving Loan Funds, Partnership Planning, and Research and National Technical Assistance, on local and regional economic development capacity. Example metrics include:

• Metric: Estimated jobs created and retained for underserved populations and geographies.
• Metric: Private investment funds leveraged for underserved populations and geographies.
• Metric: Estimated jobs created and retained from investments made to support entrepreneurship.
• Total sum of funding secured by entrepreneurs as a result of activities sponsored by EDA investments.
• Metric: Estimated jobs created and retained from investments made to support the travel and tourism sector.
• Metric: Estimated jobs created and retained from investments made to support workforce development.

For more information, visit the Performance Data Collection Instruments and Processes page.