November, 2004 -by Peter C.
Brinckerhoff
This Month's topic:
Outcome Measurement
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Blog!
Problem: There is so
much going on in our field that a once-a-month communication doesn't seem
adequate.
Solution: The Mission-Based Management
Blog. I am trying to post every day with something of value to
nonprofit board, staff, volunteers, and funders.
Check it out, see if
you find things that can help you. My postings are in no particular order, just
what's on my mind, or what has crossed my desk or monitor that I think you
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And, like any blog, you can comment right on the blog
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please do! |
| This Month's Topic: Outcome Measurement |
Each month, this area provides with a
number of my favorite and most helpful sites regarding the topic of the month.
|
Management
Tip of the Month
Each issue, I start with a discussion
of my management perspective on the month's topic, and give you a few hands-on
ideas to consider. |
|
Recommended Publications
Here, I provide you with my
recommendations on the best printed materials available that can help you
become more mission-capable in the area of Outcome
Measurement. |
Technology
I provide you with some good ideas for
uses of tech to better your organization in the area of outcome
measurement.
|
|
Marketing
Tip
So much to say, so little space to say
it.....
|
Next
Issue
In December, we'll examine the key issue of
how to turn your organization into a life-long learning center.
|
Websites of the
Month
This section includes the best websites of interest
on this month's topic, Outcome Measurement. As I say, these are the best
sites I can find, out of dozens on the topic. If you don't see what you like
here, click in the Google bar on the left and search for "nonprofit outcome
measurement"
Back to
Top
Management Tip of the Month
Outcome Measurement
Discussions about outcome measurement are so
common these days that we either get irritated or go deaf. to the issue. And
while you may not like the issue, or feel that it doesn't affect you, I would
argue that you should not only be concerned about outcome measurement
but embrace it. Why? Two reasons:
First: the old adage is true: you can't
manage what you don't measure. If you intend to be a good manager, you have
to measure stuff, and weigh those measurements against goals, or past
accomplishments. Put another way, what gets measured happens. Internally, how
much production are you getting per staff member; what's your customer
satisfaction this year versus last; are you on, ahead, or behind budget; all of
these are important metrics. Beyond that, though are mission outcomes: how many
concert tickets did you sell, how many children did you immunize, how many
abandoned pets did you save, or acres of wetlands did you protect?
Second:, your customers want this: Why do you
think that the weight and/or volume are so clearly marked on canned or frozen
foods in the supermarket? So that you can make sure you get what you pay for?
Same for your funders, donors, the people you serve, and your community. More
on this in the marketing area, but suffice it to say that for many funders, the
responsibility to measure outcomes comes with the money - it's a cost of doing
business.
I am fully aware that some outcomes are both
difficult to measure, and that some are even harder to take the credit (or
blame) for. For example, if your work is in family preservation, and the
divorce rate goes up, is it your fault, or have you failed in your mission?
What about other contributors to divorce, such as family history, the economy,
etc.? So, I know it's hard. But, as the wise person said: All the easy problems
have already been solved!
Outcome measurement is not a fad, and is not going
to go away. As a good manager, you need to develop systems internally to
measure as much as possible with as short a turnaround time as possible. The
sooner the data can be in your and your managers' hands the
better.
If you found this hint helpful, there are
lots more management, marketing, and technology ideas for you in the "Ideas"
section at www.missionbased.com.
Check them out--they're free.
And, remember to take a look at the
Mission-Based Management
Blog.
Back to
Top
Print Resources
My recommendations for books on Outcome
Measurementare shown below. These are good tools, so check them out. And, I
would recommend that you take a look at the new book from
Wilder Publications - Benchmarking for
Nonprofits, by Jason Saul, due out in early November. Click on the Wilder
ling to search at their site.
If you want more information on these
recommendations, click on the cover image. You will go the page about the book
on Amazon.com. There, you can look at more info about the book, and read some
reviews before you decide whether or not to purchase or look for this book at
your local library.
Note: If you want more
recommendations on publications in a wide variety of areas, including
outcome measurement, go to the publications section of my website:
http://www.missionbased.com/publications.htm
Again, If you don't find enough choices there, type
"outcome measurement " in the Amazon.com search box on the left hand
side of the page and you'll have more choices than you probably
want!
Back to
Top
Technology Ideas .
Outcome measurement: A great place for a
tech enhancement...
Measuring most things these days is a combination of
attitude (you and your team need to want to measure) and capability. Tech can
really help here.
The first place to start is in the integration of
your financial reporting and budgeting software and your management needs.
Exporting data into an Excel spreadsheet is a pretty common feature on most
widely used accounting software such as QuickBooks, Fundware, or Blackbaud.
Make sure that you look at key metrics in the overlap, such as income per FTE,
outcomes per FTE, and have the spreadsheet set up to review current data versus
goals, and compared to past years or quarters. Also, having integrated
fund-raising and donor/volunteer management software can really ease the burden
here---so make sure you ask tough questions about measurement and integration
before you purchase such a package.
Then there is the management information input. If
you are in health care you already have dealt with this, if not, wireless
technology really helps get started with less expense.
If you have a large project, or multiple inputs, you
may want to go for some outcome management software. B2P systems
http://www.nonprofitbooks.com/,
offers such a package, which I have heard is pretty good. As always, see if you
can look at a demo, and ask for references.
If you found this hint helpful, there are lots more
management, marketing, and technology ideas for you in the "Ideas" section at
www.missionbased.com. Check them
out--they're free.
Back to
Top
Training
Schedule for Peter Brinckerhoff
Below you'll see the date, location, and topics
of training I'm scheduled to do in the next three months. For more information
on a particular speaking engagement, get in touch with the contact person
listed in the right hand column, or email me.
For more information on my availability throughout
the next 12-18 months, available topics, sample agendas, and fees go to
www.missionbased.com/training.htm
Marketing Tip
Marketing and Outcome
measurement---getting a key customer what they want.....
I said it above: outcome measurement is what
your markets want, and they want more and more of it. Whether it is a
government funder or a foundation, an individual donor, or a local newspaper
reporter, a person choosing to use your services or a competitor's or a
government official reviewing your property tax exemption, people want to know
what you've done, and how efficient you are at it.
Put another way, this is a marketing
thing....your customer's want it, so get on board. But, we should not just deal
with the surface wants, we should use marketing techniques to dig a bit deeper.
Here are some ideas:
1. Ask, ask, ask. I know, the outcome and
audit wants for most large funders are right in the contract, but you should go
beyond that. Talk to your funders and find out what they really want...is it
just numbers, or causation, or productivity, or, or , or. Be frank. Make sure
that they know that measuring is expensive, and of your limitations without
additional funding. Ask for more resources if you need them. A measuring
mandate without the money to pay for it should not go unchallenged.
2. Listen. Carefully, and creatively. Perhaps
a funder wants data every month. Ask why? Does such regular reporting and
oversight really benefit the people you serve, or are the quality turns (the
time it takes to turn a new idea or method into a quality output) longer than
30 days. If so, would every 90 days suffice, or 6 months. If you discuss this,
always emphasize the mission benefit as your bottom line...how is this
measurement in this frequency benefiting mission? Funders are concerned with
mission so start there.
3. Don't look at outcome measurement as only a
marketing response. As I said in the management section above, it's good
management. If you are successful in acquiring resources for measuring, use
them wisely, to put in place systems that will benefit the entire
organizational structure for a long time to come.
HANDS ON-HINT: Start NOW to post your 990
reports online in PDF form along with a brief review of your other outcomes.
Get ahead of the Sarbanes - Oxley/transparency curve here. This will also allow
you to do some outcome reporting online, so that you are forced to report out
what you've measured.
Wants rule!
If you want to see more about this in detail, take
a look at more about my book
Mission-Based Marketing; Second
Edition
If you found this hint helpful, there are lots more
management, marketing, and technology ideas for you in the "Ideas" section at
www.missionbased.com. Check them
out--they're free.
Back to
Top
Future Topics in 2004
and 2005 for the Mission-Based Management
Newsletter....
| December |
Life-Long
Learning |
| January |
Strategic
Planning |
| February |
Leadership |
| March |
Core
Competencies |
| April |
Expanding to New
Markets |
| May |
Endowments |
| June |
Sustainability |
| Send me
your topic suggestions at peter@missionbased.com |
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You asked, so here they are:
Past Single-Topic Issues of the Mission-Based Management Newsletter...
|
