Organizational Assessments of organizational performance

Evaluation of Organization or an Organizational Assessment (OA) is a comprehensive look and systematic process for obtaining valid information about the performance of an organization and the factors that affect performance. Donors are increasingly looking at performance of the organizations they fund to determine the impact of these organizations and to better grasp the capacities these organizations have in place to support the achievement of results.  

The approach taken by Power Your Mission is to evaluate the following:

Organizational Purpose and Identity:

     Mission & Vision

     Strategic Approach & Planning

     Organizational Culture

Organizational Leadership:

     Board structure, processes, 

     Governance, Policies

     Management

Program Strategies:

     Core Programs

     Client / member understanding, satisfaction & Impact

     Program evaluation & effectiveness

     Mission alignment

     Program mix

Operations:

     Staff and HR, or need / potential for hiring paid staff

     Volunteers

     Operational partners

     Financial Management

     Technology including member and donor software

Communications:

     Website, social media

     Written communications

     Communication strategy, internal & external

     How nonprofit is telling their story

Resource Development:

     Fund Development

     Donor Management

     Revenue diversification

     Relationship / partner development

METHODOLOGY

Power Your Mission begins an OA with a document review. This will involve gathering documents such as By-Laws, prior strategic plans, representative board minutes, fundraising plans, prior grants, annual budgets for last 3 years, and bookkeeping & tax returns. PYM will also review all current communications including thank you letters to donors, appeal letters, website, social media, brochures and any other means by which your organization communicates with the public, donors, stakeholders, members and clients. 

The review of documents and communications and research will be followed by the development and dissemination of surveys for board members, key staff and chosen stakeholders.  The surveys can be taken online at the convenience of the board members and staff and will be designed with economy of time in mind.

The online surveys will be followed by one-to-one interviews of selected board members, key staff and potentially a few stakeholders. The interviews can occur on the phone at the convenience of the interviewee.

Power Your Mission will then draft the Organizational Assessment for review by the board and Executive Director.