PHOTO by sean bonner

The Internet has created a forum for which almost everything posted is interpreted as fact and is immediately available to any part of the world.  Ignoring the Iternet as a tool of communication and publication is asking for more rumor than fact to be stated about you and the organization. 

Does your organization run in accordance to rumors?  If you observe the stock market that is exactly how most investors are investing in their future.  The result has been disastrous lately, so why would you have the organization do the same.  

The collapse of the SEMGROUP has hurt nonprofits in the Tulsa area since it was a huge contributor to the areas nonprofits.  Folks are still asking what happen? 

How about the fact that Bill Gates will now concentrate more of his time and effort accomplishing goals of the the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  I would advise reading some of the articles in which he speaks about making a difference in countries even when you know that the government is corrupt.   

Will the new IRS tax form make it easier or harder for individuals to see how nonprofits spend their money?  My basic view is that those really trying to hide what they do, will and those whom do not know how to report may inadvertently hurt themselves.  I have worked with a number of nonprofits where the 990 was filled out wrong to adequately show the allocation of costs.  So if a document is filled out depicting one fact, when in reality it should be a different fact would you consider it rumor or fact.  It is important to remember most people read documents and it is the first impression that sticks.

What impression do you and or your organization leave a person with?  Remember it is individuals that make decisions on behalf of organizations. 

Just barely making it is not what a company should do.  Nonprofits should not have to be lucky to break even.

Photo by DS4832

Nonprofits making money needs to stop being considered a bad thing.  Investing in the community and building assets is good for everyone.

Photo by Tracey O

Abyssinian Development Corporation, is the nonprofit development corporation created by Abyssinian Baptist Church,   It is a great example of a religious organization building on the strength of its institution and making a bigger impact on a community.  In conjunction with New York city the development arm built the first new school in 50 years, another major achievement.  The achievements of this development corporation show how the creation of a nonprofit service arm of a religious organization can provide lastly and important functions in a community.

 Getting to Yes!!!!

Photo by John C Abell

Photo by Inky

Cartoon by Steve Heath

Networking is about building a foundation of communication.  The success of that communication network has to do with getting your name and organization in front of your connections.  Pose questions, provide an answer, and keep a pulse on your connections.  That means have a sense of what connections are thinking about thorough observation and listening.  The web is the easiest means to do this by seeing and reading the communication among the network of connections you have.  Be at that the forefront of knowing what is happening.  The competitive edge is knowledge and what you do with it.  Yes, you can be successful.

Photo by Ross Myfield

Katrina was by far one of the single worst events to have created the largest migration of people to other states.

Photo by the voice of eye

Government has grown tired of supporting displaced individuals in temporary housing situations  and stops benefits.  However, it never rebuilt the housing that was destroyed. So what does that say about what government defines as displaced?

Photo by Rosefirerising

Many parts of the areas effected by Katrina are still closed, people have been unable to rebuild, businesses gone, jobs lost, and families disrupted.  Today the economy is on the edge.  The perfect storm of economic pain I believe began with Katrina families and now people throughout the country have begun to feel the same economic pain these families have.

If you want to learn how not to do something you only need to look to the local, state and federal government efforts.  The various actions on mobilization and the ongoing progress in recovery efforts from Katrina are so different but the overall failure is still one of the worst in history.  The media just grew tired of reporting it.  Nonprofits, individuals and businesses have had some of the best results in the shortest period of time.  Maybe it is your turn to give it a try.

Array of cartoons By Robin Hutton

When planning to discuss and decide on outcome measures keep in mind the characters in these cartoons.  Creating outcome measures can be fun and fulfilling if done right.

1. Outcome measures do not have to difficult or complex.
2. Nonprofits and management use outcomes measures only if it will result in action.
3. Nonprofits too often decide not to make waves and ignore results.  Outcome measures are not usually about making friends with the individual responsible.
4. Nonprofits organizations should recognize accomplishments by individuals or groups.
5. Nonprofits while not God or might be doing God’s work should not limit themselves to easy achievements.

Photo array by Luckykimball

Components Towards Building Evaluation Tools

1. An Active Board.
2. Nonprofit staff and management organized around the mission of organization.
3. Evaluation is an important component of the strategic plan and no pending issues has a higher priority.
4. Know who is the customer?
5. Know what the customer needs?

What are the tools the organization will use to measure point 4 and 5.

Next steps:

1. Define the inputs for a program.  (process)
2. Define the outputs of a program.  (outcomes)
3. Prioritize what knowledge is needed to make current decisions and long term decisions.
4. Collect and Review the information.
5. Make decisions.

Photo by Richard Parmiter

Reaching as high as you can imagine need not to be as challenging then learning to ride a bike.

Define the time line for which to evaluate.

Define the milestones that shows progress towards success.

Define the indicators of success.

Define the learning loop for the nonprofit organization.

Set up a process that allows for implementing change when milestones are not being met or rules change requiring adjustments to the milestones.

Base outcomes on a position vs an individual.

Base outcomes on a program vs an individual.

Base outcomes on the nonprofit vs an individual.

When dealing with individual goals and objectives, milestones should be used that are reflective and tied to the expected outcomes of the organization.

Photo by Olivander

Is it a challenge to set goals?  Is the organization going in the wrong direction?

Each year most employees expect to get a raise.  Is it automatic or is there an annual evaluation on their performance first?  Why is it automatic if your funders do not automatically give the nonprofit organization an increase?

Each Year does the Board of Directors review with management the  performance of the nonprofit?  If the answer is no than why should the organization expect to receive any funding from outside resources?

Evaluation is about learning and continuously improving the nonprofit or any organization.

The use of measurable outcomes and milestones that challenge the nonprofit only create a stronger nonprofit.

Photo by Rebecca Becky Bex

It is never easy to reach beyond the safe borders of your own nonprofit organization.  However, the strengths of the organization are dependent upon a constant reaching beyond your borders to bring in talented individuals, whether as employees, board members or volunteers.  So, I challenge and push the organization to think of another organization as just another component of gaining more strengths for the organization.

Partnerships should only last as long as there is an identified benefit for both parties.  It is no different than letting go of an employee, board member or volunteer when there is no longer a good fit.

Photo by 7tr23

15 Steps towards a successful partnership:

1. Assess the identified the strengths and weaknesses of each organization.
2. Assign roles and responsibilities to individuals of each organization.
3. Accept that with taking risks ones emotions can sometimes cause untended actions.
4. Ask questions, the only dumb question is the one you do not ask.
5. Admit mistake will be made
6. Adjust partnership goals and objectives as rules change or new information becomes known.
7. Align performance expectations with milestones that are slightly higher than organization is comfortable with.
8. Allocate resources to maximize benefits to both organizations.
9. Anticipate an organizations actions as the result of performance outcomes.
10. Appreciate change
11. Apply what you learn
12. Archive and record the success and failures of actions to provide an environment of continuous learning.
13. Autonomy for each organization
14. Achieve success
15. Arrange recognition of the success