The pressure is on nonprofits to capture data and report outcomes. Well, let’s be honest. The pressure has been on for quite awhile. Increasingly, our funders, accrediting agencies, and legislative bodies have required nonprofits to capture and report results. Now, it’s becoming more and more mandatory to actually use our data to improve performance! A series of studies report that nonprofit organizations that collect and use performance data to improve service delivery, business systems, and leadership practice, actually do perform better! Amazing! It works! But where to begin?
I think it's important to start with our clients. How well are we doing with them? Are they satisfied? Can we improve? What else do they need? Are we getting results? Collecting this information relies on communicating with users of our services. It can be as simple as capturing point of service surveys or as complex as tracking users via longitudinal studies. Regardless of the research tool, it's critical that clients are comfortable providing honest feedback and that we solicit it in an objective, unbiased manner. It's also important that we are open to acting upon our findings and making changes as needed.
In the NorthSky Online Resource Center, you'll find a number of tools to assist in collecting client satisfaction data. Check it out at http://www.northskynonprofitnetwork.org/resource.php
and share your own tools and ideas by posting them here.
Enjoy the spring!
Pam Evans, NorthSky Principal Consultant
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