KPI Cheat Sheet for Government Meeting Accessibility Projects
Outcome-focused metrics for SIPA GovGrants applications and other grant-funded accessibility initiatives. Adapt these KPIs to your municipality's size, meeting volume, and current baseline.
SIPA GovGrants applications are scored in part on how well you define measurable outcomes — not just what you'll build, but what will change for the residents you serve. This guide provides ready-to-adapt KPIs specifically for meeting video accessibility projects, organized by the framework SIPA uses in its KPI Refinement Worksheet (opens in new tab).
Outputs vs. Outcomes
SIPA scores on outcomes, not outputs. Before drafting KPIs, make sure you know the difference.
| Outputs | Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|
| What they measure | Project milestones and deliverables | Changes or improvements for residents |
| Examples | “Captioning system installed” · “Staff trained” · “QR signage deployed” | “95% of public meetings include live captions within 6 months” · “Accommodation requests drop by 40%” |
| Role in application | Describe in your implementation timeline | Use as your KPIs |
Two Types of KPIs
SIPA's KPI framework recognizes two types. Your application should include a mix of both where possible.
BaselineKPIs
Measure change from a known starting point. Use these when you already have data to compare against.
Example: “Reduce accommodation requests related to meeting access by 40% within 12 months, measured against the prior 12-month baseline.”
TargetKPIs
Set a new goal when no baseline exists. Use these for capabilities you're introducing for the first time.
Example: “95% of regularly scheduled public meetings include live captions within 6 months of deployment.”
KPIs by Outcome Area
1. Public Access to Live Meetings
These KPIs measure whether residents can access live meeting content in real time.
| Type | Outcome Metric | Sample Success Target | How to Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Percentage of public meetings with real-time captions | 95% of regularly scheduled public meetings include live captions within 6 months of deployment | Track captioned vs. uncaptioned meetings per month in your meeting log or captioning system |
| Target | Caption availability across meeting types | Live captions available for all meeting types (council, board, commission, committee) within 9 months | Inventory meeting types at project start; track which types are captioned each quarter |
| Target | In-room caption access for in-person attendees | Caption displays or mobile QR access operational in primary meeting chambers within 90 days of deployment | Confirm installation and test; track whether captions were available at each in-person meeting |
2. Archived Meeting Accessibility
These KPIs measure whether residents can access recorded meeting content after the fact.
| Type | Outcome Metric | Sample Success Target | How to Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Captioned archived recordings | 100% of newly archived meeting recordings include synchronized captions within 3 months of deployment | Compare total archived recordings vs. captioned recordings per month |
| Target | Audio description availability | 100% of archived recordings that contain visual-only content include audio descriptions within 12 months | Identify recordings with visual-only content (maps, charts, slides not described aloud); track audio description completion |
| Baseline | Backlog remediation | Caption 50% of the existing pre-deployment archive within 12 months | Count total pre-deployment recordings; track how many are captioned each quarter |
3. Multilingual Access
These KPIs measure whether residents with limited English proficiency can access meeting content.
| Type | Outcome Metric | Sample Success Target | How to Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Languages supported for live captions | Captions available in the top 3 non-English languages spoken in the municipality within 9 months of deployment | Identify top languages from American Community Survey data; confirm availability in captioning system |
| Target | Multilingual usage | At least 5% of caption sessions include a non-English language selection within 12 months | Track language selection data from the captioning platform or mobile access logs |
| Target | In-room multilingual access | Non-English-speaking attendees can access translated captions on personal devices via QR code at all captioned meetings | Confirm QR access is operational; track non-English language selections from in-room mobile sessions |
4. Resident Engagement and Reach
These KPIs measure whether accessible meeting content reaches more residents.
| Type | Outcome Metric | Sample Success Target | How to Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Meeting video viewership | Increase average views per archived meeting recording by 20% within 12 months of captioning deployment | Compare average views per recording for the 12 months before and after deployment; use your video platform's analytics |
| Baseline | Live stream viewership | Increase average concurrent viewers of live-streamed meetings by 15% within 12 months | Compare average concurrent viewer counts before and after deployment |
| Target | Post-meeting accessibility satisfaction | At least 70% of surveyed viewers report a positive experience with captioned meeting content | Add a short post-meeting survey (3–5 questions) to your meeting video page or follow-up communications; track response rate and satisfaction score |
5. Operational Readiness
These KPIs measure whether your team can sustain the solution independently.
| Type | Outcome Metric | Sample Success Target | How to Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Staff independence | Non-technical staff operate the captioning system independently for 100% of meetings within 90 days of training | Track whether a trained staff member (not vendor support) ran the system at each meeting |
| Target | System reliability | Captioning system operates without unplanned downtime for 98% of scheduled meetings within the first year | Log any meetings where captioning failed or was unavailable due to technical issues |
| Baseline | Workflow integration | Reduce the average staff time required per meeting for accessibility workflows by 30% within 12 months, compared to any prior manual captioning or accommodation process | Time-track staff effort for accessibility tasks before and after deployment |
6. Compliance and Accommodation
These KPIs measure progress toward meeting legal accessibility requirements.
| Type | Outcome Metric | Sample Success Target | How to Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Accommodation requests | Reduce formal accommodation requests related to meeting access by 40% within 12 months, measured against the prior 12-month baseline | Pull accommodation request logs for the 12 months prior to deployment; compare with post-deployment volume |
| Target | WCAG coverage for meeting video | Meet WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria for captions (1.2.2, 1.2.4) and audio descriptions (1.2.5) across 100% of newly produced meeting video within 12 months | Audit a sample of meeting recordings quarterly against the specific WCAG criteria |
| Target | Accessibility statement | Publish an updated accessibility statement that includes meeting video within 60 days of deployment | Confirm publication; review statement content |
Building Your Theory of Change
Your KPIs should connect back to a clear theory of change. Here's a template for a meeting accessibility project:
Problem:
Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing, who have low vision, or who speak a primary language other than English cannot meaningfully access our public meetings — either in person or through our video broadcasts and archives.
Theory of change:
If [your entity] implements captioning, audio description, and multilingual translation for public meeting video, then more residents will be able to access and participate in local government proceedings, reducing barriers to civic engagement and improving compliance with HB 21-1110 and ADA Title II.
Outcomes and KPIs:
Select 3–4 KPIs from the tables above that best match your project scope and community needs.
Tips for Strong KPIs in Your Application
Be specific about what you're measuring. "Improve accessibility" is not a KPI. "95% of public meetings include live captions within 6 months" is.
Include a timeframe. Every KPI should state when you expect to hit the target. Align timeframes with SIPA's quarterly reporting schedule where possible.
Use a mix of KPI types. If you have existing data (accommodation request logs, video view counts, staff time records), use baseline KPIs to show measurable change. For new capabilities, use target KPIs.
Connect each KPI to a resident-facing outcome. SIPA prioritizes community impact over internal benefits. Frame KPIs in terms of what changes for the people you serve.
Don't overcomplicate it. Three to four well-defined KPIs are stronger than eight vague ones.
Expect to refine post-award. SIPA's grants team has indicated they're happy to help refine KPIs during onboarding. Your application KPIs show intent and direction.
Need Help Defining Your KPIs?
We can help you think through which KPIs best fit your project scope, meeting volume, and community needs.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not grant application advice. KPI targets are illustrative — adapt them to your municipality's data, meeting volume, and community demographics. Verify all SIPA GovGrants program requirements through SIPA's official resources (opens in new tab).