In my last post, I introduced a widely accepted definition of quality – meeting or exceeding customer expectations – and how a narrow (and uninspired) interpretation and application of that definition in the nonprofit sector has led to a focus on compliance rather than improvement. Rather than defining high quality service for ourselves, nonprofits define[…]
Why Should You Care about Quality Improvement? There is no shortage of well-meaning business leaders, public officials, and bloggers who think they’ve diagnosed what’s “wrong” with the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits are inefficient or poorly managed. Nonprofits need to think and act like businesses. Nonprofits aren’t innovative. I don’t get offended by or hung up on[…]
This is my last in a series of four posts that explore the causes and implications of a difficult reality. In the interest of being strategic and making greater impact, many grant funders are becoming increasingly focused, structured, and in some cases, prescriptive, in their funding. This leaves nonprofits to juggle overlapping, divergent, and, in[…]
This is my third in a series of four posts that aim to provide nonprofits with some insights and tips for managing the multiple, sometimes overlapping, divergent, or competing demands of their funders. Last time, we pulled back the curtain to understand some explanations for some funder strategies. This week, I’m suggesting some ways nonprofits[…]
There have been a few distinct moments in my career when I’ve had the opportunity to pull back or step behind the curtain of some much-revered, awe- or fear-inducing thing. Each time, I’ve found that what’s behind it is often more manageable than mystifying. This was never more true than when I transitioned from my[…]
I’ve heard a few metaphors used to describe the delicate balance and skill required to secure, satisfy, and balance funding from multiple sources. Some describe it as a patchwork. Others describe it as a mobile, and if one side goes up or down, it unsettles the whole apparatus. Others describe it as juggling flaming batons.[…]
Every nonprofit leader I know would SAY that they value and support evaluation, but few know how to SHOW it. This is critical to organizational success. Here are 5 tips for leaders.
I got your attention with that title, didn’t I? Am I saying evaluation is a waste of time? Absolutely not. But I am saying that, often, the ways organizations invest their time in evaluation creates a lot of wasted effort and missed opportunities. Do you know a nonprofit that has time, energy, and resources to[…]
What is evaluation, really? Don’t get hung up on jargon, tools, and technology. The heart of evaluation is asking the right questions for the right reasons and answering them in meaningful and useful ways.
According to Innovation Network, only 28% of nonprofits have “promising evaluation capacity.” What does that mean? Promising evaluation capacity includes a certain organizational culture, some level of internal skill, and a standard practice and system for evaluating regularly. Learn more about those ingredients and see how your organization stacks up.