Browse nonprofit capacity Resources
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Performance Management and Evaluation: Two Sides of the Same Coin (Presentation slides) Performance management and evaluation-what's the difference? With an increasing emphasis on measurement and impact, service providers and their funders are pushing for increasingly sophisticated evaluation approaches such as experimental and quasi-experimental designs. However, experimental methods are rarely appropriate, feasible, or cost-effective for the majority of organizations and service providers. Author: Isaac Castillo, Ann K. Emery Type: Presentation Slides Date: Oct 16, 2013 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.42 MB) -
Program Evaluation: Assessing and Measuring Your Program’s Performance Innovation Network's slideshow (from a presentation to the 2007 Nonprofit Technology Conference in Washington, D.C.) about the importance of planning for effective program evaluation, using our online tools, and leveraging online communities for knowledge-sharing. (1.15 MB .pdf file; may take some time to download.) Author: Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Presentation Slides Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.15 MB) -
Room for Improvement: Foundations' Support of Nonprofit Performance Assessment Amidst growing pressure for nonprofits to measure and assess their performance, the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) finds that nonprofits sorely lack the support they need. CEP finds that 81 percent of the nonprofits surveyed believe that nonprofits should demonstrate the effectiveness of their work by using performance measures.
CEP also finds that:
» Nonprofits very much want to be able to understand their performance and are taking steps to do so. Nonprofits want more help in performance assessment efforts than they are currently receiving from their foundation funders.Author: Brock, Andrea; Buteau, Ellie; Herring, An-Li Type: Research & Reports Date: Sep 1, 2012 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.04 MB) -
Software for Nonprofit Evaluation and Case Management Many systems exist to manage the wealth of data nonprofits collect. As part of our evaluation consulting work, Innovation Network team members are often asked to recommend systems to our nonprofit clients. The purpose of this document is to share with the field our most recent scan of existing software (a/o January 2010). We hope this information is helpful to you, and we encourage you to contact us with feedback. Author: Johanna Morariu, Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Workbooks & Guides Date: Jan 31, 2010 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (86.51 KB) -
State of Evaluation 2010: Evaluation Practice and Capacity in the Nonprofit Sector Nonprofits hear a lot of talk about evaluation these days—metrics and measurements, indicators and impact, efficiency and effectiveness. Everyone, from donors to board members, seems to want evaluation results. But what are nonprofits really doing to evaluate their work? How are they really using evaluation results? What support are they getting? What else do they need?
Author: Innovation Network, Inc.; Morariu, Johanna; Reed, Ehren. Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2010 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (5.55 MB) -
State of Evaluation 2012: Evaluation Practice and Capacity in the Nonprofit Sector The State of Evaluation 2012 report marks the second time Innovation Network has surveyed the U.S. nonprofit field to learn about evaluation practices and capacities! To learn more about the project, visit www.stateofevaluation.org. Author: Johanna Morariu, Katherine Athanasiades, and Ann K. Emery of Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2012 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (2.63 MB) -
State of Evaluation in the Social Sector Measurement, evaluation, and learning are hotter than ever in the social sector. Foundations and nonprofits are focused on answering the question What difference are we making? And the field of evaluation has advanced in promising ways, developing meaningful evaluation approaches to better fit the latest philanthropic and nonprofit strategies. Author: Johanna Morariu and Will Fenn Type: Templates & Samples Date: Mar 21, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
State of Evaluation: Evaluation Practice and Capacity in the Nonprofit Sector [Slides] At the Friday Forum for the International Development Program at American University, Johanna Morariu and Ann K. Emery presented on the practice of evaluation in the non-profit sector. They covered the basics of evaluation, the major findings of the State of Evaluation, evaluation capacity, and other related research.Author: Johanna Morariu and Ann K. Emery Type: Presentation Slides Date: Mar 22, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Strategic Communications Audits This Issue Brief, a Working Brief from the Communication Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project, explains how a nonprofit organization can conduct an analysis of its communications efforts in the areas of Strategy, Implementation, and Support and Alignment. The Issue Brief can also be used as a tool, as it includes a table relating Essential Strategic Communications Practices and their corresponding Quality Criteria/Standards. Additionally, there is an organizational "Practice Maturity Scale" to assist a nonprofit in determining its level of communications expertise. Author: Coffman, Julia Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2004
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Strengthening Anti-Hunger Advocacy in California: Evaluation of the California Nutrition Initiative 1998-2001 MAZON launched the California Nutrition Initiative (CNI) in 1998. The CNI’s purpose was "to improve the nutritional health and well-being of low-income Californians by strengthening the capacity of the state’s non-profit and anti-hunger network." This evaluation report on the projects first four years identifies strategies that could be used to replicate MAZON's successes, including network development and awareness-building. Author: Leventhal/Kline Management Inc. Type: Research & Reports Date: Jun 1, 2003 Be the first to review this resource! Download (1.32 MB) -
Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity Capacity building enables nonprofit leaders and organizations to develop the skills and resources they need to improve their work. Since each situation is unique and circumstances are always changing, effective capacity-building support is tailored to best suit the needs of grantees. This publication offers practical guidance and considerations to help grantmakers design an impactful approach. Author: Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Type: Research & Reports Date: Feb 19, 2015 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
TechFinder TechFinder is an online directory of suppliers of ICT goods and services to the non-profit, voluntary and community sectors. The directory lists suppliers and where they are located. Author: CompuMentor Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Terms, Tips, & Trends: Evaluation Essentials for Nonprofits (Mindmap) Are you ready to launch an evaluation, but not sure where to start? Wondering how much you should budget for it, or who should be involved? Although 90% of nonprofits are engaged in evaluation, it continues to be one of the most misunderstood and mysterious functions of nonprofit management. In this Evaluation 101-level webinar, Innovation Network's team introduced key evaluation concepts, approaches, and methods.
Author: Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery, Innovation Network Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Sep 30, 2013 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (316.27 KB) -
The Grantmaker’s Role in Theory of Change Innovation Network developed these three introductory evaluation documents as part of Building Nonprofit Capacity to Evaluate, Learn, and Grow Impact, a workshop we presented in partnership with Grantmakers for Effective Organizations' Scaling What Works initiative. Author: Johanna Morariu, Innovation Network, Inc. Type: Research & Reports Date: Apr 1, 2012 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (419.72 KB) -
Theory of Change Assessment: A Cheat Sheet The Theory of Change Assessment: Cheat Sheet tool can be used to conduct an analysis of a theory of change. The tool walks users through elements common to theories of change, and offers considerations for conducting the assessment. Suggestions for use include:
Author: Ehren Reed Type: Tipsheets & Paper Tools Date: Apr 1, 2011 Point K Pick Be the first to review this resource! Download (110.62 KB) -
Top 10 Spreadsheet Secrets from a Nonprofit Data Nerd In 2010, Innovation Network set out to answer a question that was previously unaddressed in the evaluation field-what is the state of nonprofit evaluation practice and capacity?—and initiated the first iteration of the State of Evaluation project. In 2012 we launched the second installment of the State of Evaluation project. This blog post shares highlights from that research. Author: Ann Emery Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Apr 3, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Top Ten Highlights from State of Evaluation2012 in the Nonprofit Sector In 2010, Innovation Network set out to answer the question: what is the state of nonprofit evaluation practice and capacity in the U.S.? We began the State of Evaluation project with a nationwide survey of nonprofits. In 2012, we launched the second report of the project. So what’s the state of evaluation among nonprofits? Here are the top ten highlights outlined in this post! Author: Johanna Morariu, Kat Athanasiades, and Ann Emery Type: Opinion (blog, editorial) Date: Nov 20, 2013 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
Using Survey Research to Evaluate Communications Campaigns This is the second Working Brief from the Communication Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project. The authors seek to provide advice to nonprofit organizations that may consider using survey research to evaluate the effectiveness of a communications campagin. The Working Brief outlines the questions a nonprofit needs to ask in the design stages of a communications campaign to maximize the benefit of a survey effort. Author: Belden Russonello & Stewart Type: Research & Reports Date: Nov 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (140.12 KB) -
VolunteerMatch VolunteerMatch offers online services to connect nonprofits, volunteers and business leaders committed to civic engagement. VolunteerMatch is used by more than 40,000 nonprofit organizations. Author: VolunteerMatch Type: Websites & Online Tools Date: Jan 18, 2008 Be the first to review this resource! Web Link -
When Will We Ever Learn? This seminal report, which came out in 2006, raised important questions and recommendations for the international development and evaluation sectors. It questioned why, with billions of dollars spent on thousands of programs to improve health, education and other social sector outcomes in the developing world each year, is there little evidence and data to back up development results.
Author: Center for Global Development Type: Research & Reports Date: May 31, 2006 Point K Pick
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Writing a Media Analysis This publication is the third Working Brief from the Communications Consortium Media Center's Media Evaluation Project. The brief discusses key questions that can be answered by performing a media analysis, such as who the main spokespeople are around a particular topic, what topics are being covered in the media, and which reporters are writing about particular issues. Additionally, the authors provide an overview of media analysis methodology that a nonprofit organization could use to structure an in-house media analysis. Author: Douglas Gould and Company Type: Research & Reports Date: Oct 1, 2004 Be the first to review this resource! Download (72.53 KB)