What is the efficiency measure for the GAANN program?
The efficiency measure is the federal cost per successful outcome. By successful outcome, we mean students that advance to candidacy, as well as students that achieve a doctorate. To be considered qualified for preparing and defending a doctoral thesis, candidates are required to pass a preliminary examination, thus “advancing to candidacy.” Because the three- to four-year grant award period is shorter than seven years*, which is the average time required for students to achieve a doctorate in the areas of national need, this definition is a more realistic assessment of fellows’ progress. The cost used in the efficiency measure is the amount of federal funds expended for a given cohort of grants. This is the total of program funds obligated to all grantees (institutional program or academic unit) divided by the total number of fellows that advanced to candidacy or achieved a doctorate during the grant period. In addition to this overall program level efficiency measure calculation, the
