NORC’s staff is frequently asked to provide technical assistance (TA), often to the grantees of government- or foundation-sponsored programs. This may include training, problem-solving, facilitating peer-to-peer communication and learning, and providing information and communication resources. NORC staff includes a range of experts capable of providing TA on virtually any aspect of program administration, social science and evaluative research, IT implementation, and data management. In addition, NORC routinely contracts with consultants and stakeholders with expertise in a wide range of areas to extend our own expertise on TA initiatives.
For topics that are specific to the situation of an individual recipient, one-on-one TA through telephone consultation or site visits may be appropriate depending on the level of need and the materiality of the request to the overall goals of the program. In general the vast majority of TA requests can be resolved by a one-on-one expert teleconference.
Additionally, NORC has planned several major conferences for grantees of government programs. These in-person meetings offer valuable opportunities to deliver hands-on TA via presentations made in large and small settings. These activities are particularly effective when face time with experts and work in break-out groups are necessary to help TA recipients sort through complex issues.
Other specific areas of expertise include: