The Nonprofit FAQ: Evaluation
Select an FAQ (18):
| 'A History of Foundations and Evaluation Research' A paper by Peter Dobkin Hall reviews the history of grant-making foundations' use of evaluation in the second half of the 20th century. It includes an extensive bibliography. |
| Do boards ever fire executive directors? If so...how? Sometimes there is a need to do so. Sometimes there is avoidable bad feeling. Here are two views on this difficult theme. |
| How can foundations better evaluate the impact they are having? What are the major benefits of doing so? Measuring the performance of a foundation can be a tricky and difficult process, especially when it's the grantees that actually deliver. But these days, more and more foundations are developing rigorous self-assessment systems. Find out why, and learn how to develop a results-based measurement system to help determine the impact that a foundation is making. |
| How can I determine my program costs easily? A number of factors need to be considered when determining program costs. |
| How can we do an organizational self-assessment? There are a variety of published and on-line resources that address this question |
| How do we develop and evaluate programs? Guidelines to develop and evaluate programs |
| How Do We Evaluate the Board of Directors? The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits suggests it be done annually, and offers some criteria. More information is added from the Free Management Library. |
| How to do performance appraisals Some thoughts about how to assemble and use meaningful information about job performance. |
| If we have no fee-for-service programs, do we still need marketing? Regardless of the makeup of your funding base, you need to market your organization |
| It seems rude to evaluate volunteers. Do we really have to? When people are working because they believe in the importance of the task, it is especially important to let them know when they succeed and when they fail. |
| Resources for many types of evaluation The Free Management Library provides guidelines for a variety of types of evaluation |
| What are the key duties of the board? The National Center for Nonprofit Board's 'Ten Basic Responsibilities' and some references to other materials |
| What are the steps of a strategic planning process? The CompassPoint of San Francisco offers one outline |
| What is 'Founder's Syndrome'? Do we have it? How do we recover? 'Founder's Syndrome' occurs when a nonprofit is shaped by a strong founder and loses track of a more general mission. Transitions can be difficult when the founder moves on, even with good intentions on all sides. |
| What is a strategic plan? The answer to the question: How will we accomplish our goals? |
| What is strategic planning? Strategic planning can be used to determine mission, vision, values, goals, objectives, roles and responsibilities, timelines, etc. |
| What supervision styles work best for volunteers? Define tasks, clarify expectations, and give people permission to proceed |
| Why do we develop an annual operating plan? The strategic plan can only carry you so far |