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As we know, figuring out the best way to measure the impact of nonprofit work can be tough. It is not enough to have good metrics in place and to evaluate program outcomes against them. As we discovered at the Academy
, if a nonprofit lacks an organizational culture that values asking tough questions and continuous learning,
that nonprofit will likely miss the chance to truly understand, and ultimately improve, its impact in the lives of those it serves.Earlier this week, more than 35 local nonprofits got together as part of the 2014 Applied Materials Advancement Academy to explore the topic of “impact and outcomes measurement.” It was an amazing half-day attended by more than 80 of our community’s hardest working nonprofit leaders, all made possible by the Applied Materials Foundation!Here are a few key questions to consider when thinking about whether
your organization has a culture that values not just evaluating what you do, but also improving how you do it based on what your data is telling you:
- Would you say that your organization’s leadership, including your board, is committed to learning as a top priority?
- Does the leadership model the use of data as a main method for improving outcomes?
- Are you collecting and reporting only on the data that grant funders ask for? Are there other key indicators of how well you are achieving your impact that are not required, but that you could be measuring?
- Can everyone on staff articulate how they use data to improve the effectiveness of their work?
Thank you to the Applied Materials Foundation, especially Michele Walker-Moak, for hosting us again at their annual Academy and especially for exemplifying a culture of learning. As always, you’ve given us a lot to think about!
