Years ago, we wrote a post titled “It’s Just a Database,” emphasizing that a database is just a tool, and it’s only as good as the data you put in it. Now, we are revisiting that theme in response to a common request we receive. Nonprofits often reach out to us seeking help to transition[…]
This is our third and final post in a series sharing tips from The IllumiLab team and members of our community of practice for nonprofits that are preparing to hire their first internal evaluator. In our last post, we shared some tips and questions to consider as you decide what type of support your evaluator[…]
This is our second post in our series sharing tips and lessons learned from our IllumiLab team and members of our Community of Practice. In our last post, we encouraged organizations to consider whether their first internal evaluator should be a manager or leader. We also shared a few common scenarios for staffing those roles.[…]
Is your nonprofit planning to create your first internal evaluator? By this we mean a dedicated position to lead or manage evaluation inside your organization. We’ve seen these positions called many things – Outcome Managers, Evaluation Directors and Managers, Managers of Program Performance, Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement, Evaluation and Learning Coordinators, etc. Whatever you[…]
Organizations create lots of files. Plans, budgets, procedures, marketing pieces, grant applications, reports, timelines, proposals, memos, newsletters, meeting agendas and summaries (I hope), and on and on. You create, save, and share hundreds of files each month. As I pointed out in my last post, how we name, edit, and save theses files determines how[…]
A messy shared drive is more than a headache. It’s a business process and knowledge management disaster. An organization cannot plan thoughtfully, design intentionally, work efficiently, and learn continuously if it cannot store, find, and use its decisions, plans, efforts, and insights. Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc. are all powerful tools for file sharing and[…]
Tools are Just Tools In our first years, The IllumiLab’s work was focused almost exclusively on building tools nonprofits could use to measure their performance (logic models, measures, data collection tools, performance management plans, etc.). This was the pain point organizations experienced, and this was the service they requested. But we soon realized that without[…]
If we are too busy to plan, too busy to think, and too busy to reflect, we should stop and ask ourselves, “What are we so busy doing, and are we really committed to doing it well?” As Megan and I have been researching our Theory of Change, we’ve been digging into the literature on strategic,[…]
I love surveys. I love designing them and completing them. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve filled out satisfaction and feedback surveys every time I’ve been asked. My love of surveys has won/earned me free meals and theater tickets, and discounts or refunds on all kinds of products and services. I love surveys! I’ve[…]
If I had a nickel for every time I heard a nonprofit professional say they were building the plane while flying it, I could buy my own fully-built jet! In the context of program design, what does this even mean? Is “building the plane while flying it” just code for “making it up as we[…]