Tobi's Volunteer Management Blog

How do you Compare? The State of Evaluation 2010

Interested in how your organization’s evaluation practices compare to your peers?  The Innovation Network just published the first-ever State of Evaluation report at www.stateofevaluation.org.  The State of Evaluation 2010 includes findings from a survey of over 1,000 US nonprofits on their evaluation practices — i.e., metrics and measurements, indicators and impact, efficiency and effectiveness. The survey will be repeated every two years.  

The good news is that most organizations (85%) have evaluated their work in some way in the last year.  Some interesting findings:

• Quantitative evaluation is used more often than qualitative -- for example, 76% of medium-sized organizations use statistics versus 24% who use focus groups.

• Most organizations (98%) use their evaluation findings -- 79% to plan/revise programs, 74% to report to funders, 70% in funding proposals, but only 47% to make staffing or resource allocation decisions.

• Respondents named funders (36%) seven times more than clients (5%) as the highest priority audience for evaluation. 
  

• Even so, evaluation is the second lowest organizational priority (only more important than research). 

These stats also point out areas of opportunity.  Evaluation still appears to be driven by funder requirements, with a focus on numbers.  What if, in addition to meeting our grant reporting requirements and tracking our outcome measures (both important and necessary), we used evaluation to deepen how we understand our organization's ecosystem?  What if evaluation could also support its ongoing health?  

What if we -- 1) found our bright spots and multiplied them, 2) learned what creates a WOW! experience for our clients and put it into practice, and 3) shared our progress with our community of stakeholders?  What if we allocated resources specifically for these activities?  I predict we might see organizations that are even more in tune with their client base, their community, and their own sustainability.

One final word, if you are inspired to take your evaluation efforts to a new level -- insufficient support from leadership is not a significant barrier to evaluation.  The report notes that only 12% of respondents felt it was a significant challenge versus 71% who felt limited staff time was a challenge.  More good news for those who want to evaluate and possibly innovate.

To access the report click here.

 

Book Report: Four Great Ideas from The Nonprofit Marketing Guide

I’ve been following Kivi Leroux Miller’s posts on Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog for about a year, and she always adds value.  So, when her new book The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good Cause was released last Spring I was ready to buy.  It’s bound to become a classic.

The Guide includes plenty of smart, timely, and fresh advice from someone who clearly understands nonprofit realities.  Recognizing the limitations we face, Miller includes not only the Elements of a Comprehensive Nonprofit Marketing Plan, but also adds a section on Nonprofit Marketing the Quick-And-Dirty Way.  If you’re new to marketing, this book will help you get started off on the right foot.  If you’re an old hand at it, I guarantee you’ll find new ideas you haven’t tried before. 

The first chapter, Ten New Realities for NonProfits, is straight talk that is relevant, on point, and a great primer on how things have changed over the last few years.  If you're getting crazy marketing requests from your boss, lend them your copy for a quick read.  It'll be an education.

Here are four tactics from the Guide you can use right away:

1) When defining your audience, use personas.  If your audience is still "the general public," it's time to make a change.  Build representative characters for each target audience; find photos that represent them and describe their age, educational level, hobbies, motivations, values, etc. in detail.  Then, match your messages and communication channels to these personas.

2) Develop your storytelling skills.  Nothing convinces an audience more than stories of real life struggle and achievement.  Miller describes three plot lines -- the challenge plot, the creativity plot, and the connection plot --  you can use to put a human face on the work you do and gives a list of story ideas to help you get started.

3) Focus on the plight of one person instead of many.  When asking for support, describe the needs of one person who represents your cause.  Research shows that people are more likely to feel an emotional connection to one person, and be compelled to act because of that connection.  A crowd, no matter how needy, just doesn’t have the same power.

4) Think of your organization as a media mogul.  It’s time to think beyond the mainstream media.  Let’s face it, they’re not that helpful anyway.  The good news is that the technology exists to create and distribute your own brilliant content.  Miller gives plenty of advice on how to use social media to engage supporters and give tips on how to create an editorial calendar that reduces the social media time suck.

The book also includes a password so that you can access the book’s companion website to keep the ideas flowing.  If you're ready for a marketing makeover or just want to take your game up a notch, check out The Nonprofit Marketing Guide.

What books do you recommend?  Don't be shy!  Add them in the comments link below.

Focus Funds on Development Not Direct Service?

Dan Pallotta’s Nov 22 Harvard Business Review Blog Post is an intriguing one.  He argues that philanthropic foundations should switch their support from evidence-based grant-making, or funding programs with the biggest impact, to funding nonprofit fundraising efforts, thus multiplying the available funds for projects and services.  He cites philanthropic investments in AIDS Rides and Breast Cancer 3-Days, both well-known fundraising machines that earned phenomenal returns on investment, as evidence. 

If you want to read the post, check it out:  You Say You Want Impact.

It also got me thinking about volunteer and community engagement.  What if grant-makers and program managers focused more resources on volunteer engagement and partnership development and less on direct service?  In many programs, these functions are merely add ons to a staff person’s already hectic workload.  What if we changed our priorities?  Would we also experience phenomenal returns and an enhanced ability to reach more people in need?

 

The Attitude of Gratitude

Some personal musings as we approach this Thanksgiving...

I think gratitude is a powerful tool that’s underutilized.  We are conditioned to focus on what we lack rather than what we have.

People will commonly complain they don’t have enough time.  Each day, however, has the same number of hours.  Complaining we don't have enough isn't going to change things.  The difference is in how we choose to make use of those hours.   So, it’s a false lack.  People complain they don’t have enough staff or funding.  But, there are plenty of people in the community who are willing to their donate time and resources.  You just have to tap into them.  Another false lack.

Does this mean that things aren’t stressful or hard?  Not at all.  We struggle to be sure.  But, things may get easier if you switch from a mindset of deficit to one of abundance.  The next time you encounter a challenge, list the ways the problem might actually be a blessing in disguise.  Then, think about all the resources you have on hand, both inside yourself and outside in your organization.  And, you'll find you have many.

Try embracing an attitude of gratitude and see what happens.  Gratitude opens the mind to new possibilities.  It helps relieve stress, too.  Suddenly you have options; what seems impossible has a number of solutions to choose from.  It’s really quite remarkable how a slight shift in perspective can make all the difference.

 

Recruiting Generosity: Four Lessons from Three Superstars

Nonprofits constantly struggle with how to recruit volunteers and generate funds. If you’re doing it the same way you’ve always done it, you’re probably having trouble. The expectations of supporters are changing, whether they give time, money, or expertise. In this post I take a look at three organizations that are hugely successful at generating support and analyze what’s in their special sauce.

The Superstars

• To date Kiva has loaned over $172,995,900 to entrepreneurs in developing nations to alleviate poverty.
• Last year Heifer International raised $102,831,459 in donations to purchase livestock and training in environmentally sound agriculture to end hunger and poverty.
• Kickstarter, a for-profit enterprise, has generated millions of dollars in funding for creative projects in both the for profit and non-profit worlds. 

Here’s How They Do It 

1) Shared Participation -- Interactions go beyond the simple transaction (i.e., I give you money, or time, or expertise and you give me a newsletter, thank you note, recognition luncheon, etc). Instead, supporters actually help shape the organization’s priorities and who the organization delivers services to, by choosing how their support will be directed. When lenders visit the Kiva website, they can browse a listing of entrepreneurs and learn more about how their prospective loans will be used, and they make decisions based on their best judgment, not the organization’s. 

2) Digestible Opportunity Design -- Calls to action are project specific, rather than general.  Instead of an all-encompassing “come help us do good,” the site showcases specific projects or people needing support, broken into bite-sized chunks. People want to throw their weight behind a fight they believe can be won. Heifer International, for example, offers achievable solutions -- a chance to help one family at a time by purchasing livestock and at a variety of manageable gift amounts.

3) Trackable Progress -- Both Kiva and Kickstarter post simple bar graphs for each project or entrepreneur that display how much is funded to date. Supporters can easily see whether they are part of a larger community of “angel investors.”

4) Accountability -- Supporters, whether they give time or money, want to know their contributions have an impact.  Kickstarter has an “all-or-nothing” funding policy. It the project does not raise enough funding before the deadline, no money changes hands. That means money isn’t wasted on projects that aren’t compelling or don’t have enough support.

Learning from these superstars, how can you better design your organization's support opportunities and articulate why people should participate?

Got the IT Bottleneck Blues? Four Solutions for Collaborative File Sharing Outside the Fortress

Let's face it, your IT Department is overworked.  When it comes to getting your new content posted, you’re likely at the bottom of the list.  Even though you can see the pressing business need why your requests should take top priority, they fall on deaf ears.  And, you sit and wait, losing one more opportunity to connect with your network. Sound familiar?

It’s time to truly reap the rewards of robust online collaboration beyond your organization’s fortress walls. Here are four tools you can use to get around the IT traffic jam, listed most simple to more complex.  You’ll probably need permission to download new software from your higher ups, but after that, you can move forward with little, if any, support from IT.  It’s a win-win -- most tools are free, simple to download and use, and won’t be a drain on your IT folks.  Good to go! 

1) You Send It -- Free, if you send one file at a time; monthly fee if you want to send multiple files or folders.  Email large files that have trouble making it through email programs with file size limitations.  Drag and drop files and folders into the template and send via regular email.  The receiver clicks on the link to download.  The only drawback is that the links expire after 7-14 days, so your recipient needs to download within the timeframe.

2) Dropbox -- Free service to share files across computers, even PC to Mac.  Files are synched automatically, so if you change a document in one place, it changes everywhere else, too.  Collaborate with others through shared file folders that you can access from any computer or mobile device that has an internet connection.

3) Wikispaces -- Setting up a basic wiki is free.  Create your own customized interactive web space where approved users can upload and download files, photos, videos, presentations, calendars, etc. and get access to your links to other websites.  You can also post comments and receive email notifications when content is changed.  This wiki is easier to use than many and caters to nonprofits and schools.

4) Basecamp -- Small groups can use it for $49 per month.  You can share files, documents, images, etc. and post ideas and comments.  It also has easy project management software built in.  You can schedule project milestones, create to-do lists, notify the person responsible via email, and track the time spent on each task.  The software also has ready-built project templates that you can tweak and save them as your own.  Ideal for teams who work remotely.

Are there easy tools that boost your team's productivity?  Post them in the comments below.

 

Cool Tool: Boost Your Marketing with Easy Animated Slide Shows

I’m always on the lookout for cheap and easy tools to enhance the impact of nonprofit marketing and communications.  Animoto is a great tool for that.  

You don’t have to hire an expensive video production team, or have a lot of tech savvy, to create an animated slideshow that packs a punch.  This online software helps you make a compelling case without a lot of hassle.  And it’s cheap -- $3 per video (free if it’s under 30 seconds long).  All you need to do is pick a style, drag and drop photos and/or video shorts, enter any text you like, and pick music.  And, presto! in a few minutes it spits out a finished video.  You can complete the whole process in less than an hour.

There are lots of uses for these.  Post them on your website or screen them at events to:

• Recruit Potential Volunteers
• Recognize the Impact of Current Volunteers
• Make a Pitch for Donations
• Highlight a Successful Community Partnership
• Share What Happened at Your Last Big Event
• Orient New Staff and Volunteers 
• Report Progress to Your Board of Directors

And, you don’t have to do it alone.  You can also “crowdsource” the content for your video.  A few months ago I created an Animoto video for the participants of one of my trainings.  I asked them to take pics with their smart phones and email them to me. I used their photos, combined with mine, to make the video.  To everyone’s delight, we screened it at the end of the two-day conference. 

Ask your staff and volunteers to do the same.  Have them send you short videos (10 seconds or less) and photos (close ups of smiling faces work great).  To encourage them, give out prizes for the best submissions.  Then put together your final product and post or email it.   One caveat: make sure everyone is OK having their picture taken.  If they’re not, leave them out.

Curious how they turn out?  Here’s a sample of one I put together for my nephew’s visit last summer.

Do you have cool tools that make your life easier?  Share them with us!

The State of Nonprofits: Opportunities for Greater Community Engagement Await

Blackbaud’s 2010 State of the Nonprofit Industry Survey was released last month.  I had a chance to review the North American Survey results and arrived at some interesting conclusions.  Here’s a quick rundown:

• Despite the economy, growth is not predicted to decline -- 60% of the organizations surveyed expect their income and expenses to increase in 2011.  55% expected individual donations to increase in 2010.

• Paid staff will likely continue to feel stretched -- Over 70% expect the demand for services to increase, but 52% expect staff levels to remain flat.  

• The use of unpaid volunteers to support program operations is almost nonexistent -- Only 2-5% of jobs in in the areas of fundraising, marketing, grant writing, data, and accounting were staffed by volunteers, even though for the majority of paid employees, these duties are part of a larger set of responsibilities.

• Organization websites are underutilized as a volunteer communication, motivation, and engagement tool -- Only 50% report that volunteers are one of the primary groups who visit their website.  The largest group reported was contributors (79%).

• Many programs are operating without a clear plan to mobilize support -- 54% reported they have a branding/marketing strategy, but 29% (almost a third) report it is “in development,”  and 18% do not have a plan of any kind.  In addition, only 19% have a written online strategy (with 15% “in development”).

Although this may look like doom and gloom, it really isn’t.  The survey results point to some clear paths of opportunity and relatively simple ways to strengthen our work.  Does this data resonate with you? Think about ways to increase your community engagement to help you build your capacity. 

For a free copy of the report, click here.

A note about the respondents: Over 1,200 people were surveyed, representing nonprofit organizations in Canada and the US.  Most were from the healthcare industry (20%) and social services (16%).

 

Short on Time? Three Micro-volunteering Resources Here

Need a flier designed?  A brochure written?  An application form translated into Russian?  Some letters sent?  A grant application proofread?  A Facebook page set up?  Research done? 

Micro-volunteers (AKA virtual volunteers, eVolunteers, online volunteers, episodic volunteers, etc.) engage in short-term efforts that generally take place off site and often make use of a computer, the internet, smart phones, or other tech.  The idea isn’t new, but the technology (in the shape of new web portals and smart phone apps) is getting more sophisticated and easy to use. 

Will micro-volunteering bring about a sea change in our community impact?  The jury’s still out on that.  Regardless, if you're buried in work, don’t suffer in silence.   

Check these resources out!

Sparked -- Matches organizations with pro-bono and professional volunteers who are willing to take on short-term projects.  A great place to go for help with marketing, social media, research, graphic design, etc. Some businesses are offering employees release time to volunteer through Sparked.

Help From Home -- Lists volunteer gigs that take less than 30 minutes to complete.  Opportunities are divided into three categories (Do Good, Green, & Advocacy), many of which are “click and go” and internet based.  A good place to get help with online fundraising and letter writing campaigns. 

Volunteer Match -- If you work with volunteers, you probably already use Volunteer Match.  But, have you thought about using it to advertise your nontraditional, short-term needs?

Healthy Nonprofit Programs are Like Healthy Bodies

I’m developing a performance management system with a client.  In order to communicate what we’re doing in a nonthreatening way, we came up with this analogy.  If it helps you, steal it. 

You promote a healthy program the same way you care for your own health.  

You Start with Your Vital Statistics -- When you go to the doctor’s office, they take your vitals -- your blood pressure, weight, temperature, etc.  This gives the nurse a quick overview of how you are doing and, if an issue is detected, initiates the diagnosis process.  Your vital stats can also be tracked over time.  Similarly, a performance dashboard or set of report metrics you follow can be used to detect and begin to diagnose program issues that need attention.

Next, You Undergo a Physical Exam -- The doctor takes a look at your body and asks you a series of questions about how you are feeling.  Your doctor may be trying to diagnose an illness, or they may be monitoring your healing process. A medical exam is similar to a site assessment or monitoring visit.  Evaluators ask questions and examine documentation to better diagnose what is improving and what needs intervention at the program level.

If you are Ill, a Treatment Plan is Prescribed -- This may include taking Rx drugs, getting some rest, or avoiding certain activities.  A program improvement or corrective action plan is similar to a doctor’s treatment plan.  It includes taking specific steps to solve a program problem.  A doctor’s treatment plan may include a referral to a specialist.  In nonprofit terms “seeing a specialist” is like getting technical assistance.  This assistance might include participating in training, developing a community partnership, or hiring a consultant to help out. 

Finally, a Wellness Plan may be Suggested -- Your doctor may recommend you take specific vitamins, increase your exercise, or engage in relaxation activities.  Choosing a best practice to adopt locally is like following a wellness plan.  You try new strategies or techniques because they have been proven to be good for you.  They usually need to be adjusted for each person; for example, some people respond to certain exercises better than others.  The same is true for best practices -- they must be adapted to work in your situation.

Hopefully, increased attention to your program’s health will result in a higher quality of life for your bottom line, the clients you serve.  What do you think?  Are there other helpful analogies you use to explain change?