“Developing Measurable Outcomes”

Presenter – Ed Allen,Ph.D.

This Session’s Outcomes Outcomes Are The Heart

Terminology & Definitions & Characteristics

Examples and Resources

A Word About Benchmarking

Share Questions/Experiences

OUTCOMES ARE THE HEART This is the heart of the funding

proposal because it is where you indicate precisely what you intend to accomplish through your project and what you will accept as proof of your

project’s impact.

RFP FOR OVERALL FOCUS

NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR SPECIFIC FOCUS

OUTCOMES FOR ADDRESSING NEEDS

ACTIVITIES FOR ACHIEVING OUTCOMES

EVALUATION FOR MEASURING OUTCOMES

TERMINOLOGY & DEFINITIONS & CHARACTERISTICS

GOAL

OUTCOME/OBJECTIVE

PERFORMANCE MEASURE/INDICATOR

Defined: Broad statements of ultimate aims of the project. Where you want to be when

the project is finished.

OBJECTIVES Defined: Precise statements of what the project intends to accomplish and what will be accepted as proof of accomplishment. (may be called “outcomes”)

• Specific & measurable (give numbers when possible)

• Specified time frame

• Specified target population

• Tied directly to the NEEDS section

• Aligned with BUDGET section

• Aligned with EVALUATION section

Two Types of Objectives Process-Based: State the actions/programs to be

implemented (“to provide,” “to develop,” “to implement”)

Performance Based: State quantifiable results and program impact (“to increase,” “to decrease”)

PERFORMANCE MEASURES/INDICATORS

DEFINED: Specific, measurable information collected to track accomplishment of the project’s outcomes.

Where in the Proposal: Objectives, Evaluation, and/or Separate Section Altogether.

QUALITATIVE (interview, observe, focus group)

QUANTITATIVE (survey, testing, questionnaire)

EXAMPLES OF OUTCOMES (See Handout)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Strengthening Nonprofits: A Capacity Builder’s Resource Library. www.strengtheningnonprofits.org

Benchmarking for Nonprofits – How to Measure, Manage, and Improve Performance. By Jason Saul

OUTCOMES ARE NOT JUST

FOR GRANTS

Nonprofit performance is much broader than program results. Take the example of PipeVine, a nonprofit that handled online transaction processing for donations to charities. Its program (donation processing services) performed well. However, Pipevine’s deficient accounting and fiscal management put the organization and its customers at risk, ultimately forcing it to shut its doors. This led some observers to refer to PipeVine as the “Enron of nonprofits.” The bottom line: program performance does not tell the whole story of an organization.

Source: Benchmarking for Nonprofits. Jason Saul. P.5.

BENCHMARKING

A SYSTEMATIC, CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF MEASURING AND COMPARING AN ORGANIZATION’S BUSINESS PROCESSES AGAINST LEADERS IN ANY INDUSTRY TO GAIN INSIGHTS THAT WILL HELP THE ORGANIZATION TAKE ACTION TO IMPROVE ITS PERFORMANCE.

-- Source: International Benchmarking Clearinghouse --

YOUR QUESTIONS

YOUR EXPERIENCES