The Nonprofit Outcomes Toolbox A Complete Guide to Program Effectiveness, Performance Measurement, and Results

by Penna, Robert M.

• ISBN13: 9781118004500
• ISBN10: 1118004507
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781118044445
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-05-03
• Publisher: Wiley
• More Book Details

Summary

The Nonprofit Outcomes Toolbox is a complete resource for the nonprofit, government, or philanthropic professional striving for greater effectiveness in programs or organizations. It provides the tools and explanations needed to achieve program success, including: the basics of using outcomes (identifying outcomes, understanding the language of outcomes, recognizing the characteristics of good outcomes); understanding and assessing capacity; outcome-based communications (capturing gains and telling a story with outcomes); the essentials of a good Lessons learned system; and advanced outcome-based tools (Six Sigma, balanced scorecard, the value proposition and knowing the difference between cost, worth and value). The book will also feature a companion web site where readers can find the tools they need to implement the concepts described in this book.

Author Biography

ROBERT M. PENNA, PhD, is a researcher and consultant, a member of the Charity Navigator Advisory Panel, and one of the nation's foremost experts in comparative outcome models for the nonprofit and governmental sectors.

Table of Contents

Image Credits.

Foreword.

How to Use This Book.

Author’s Notes.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

PART ONE: THE BASICS.

Chapter 1: Approaching Outcomes.

Outcomes: The Third Stage of Management.

The Problem Approach.

The Activity Approach.

The Process Approach.

The Vision Approach.

In Summary.

Chapter 2: The Language of Outcomes.

Understanding the Language.

Shifting Perspectives.

From Funder to Investor.

From Activity to Results.

From Service to Change.

Chapter 3: The Shape of Outcomes.

The Importance of a Target.

Characteristics of Well-Defined Outcome Statements.

Positive Improvement.

Meaningful.

Sustainable.

Bound in Time.

Bound in Number.

Narrowly Focused . . .

. . . and Doable (with a Stretch!).

Measurable.

Verifiable.

Chapter 4: Finding Your Outcomes.

You Get What You Measure.

Results-Based Accountability (RBA).

A Common Outcome Framework.

Outcomes and Indicators.

Knowledge/Learning/Attitude.

Behavior.

Condition/Status.

PART TWO: WORKING WITH OUTCOMES.

Chapter 5: Planning with Outcomes.

Outcome Management Framework.

Another Approach.

Chapter 6: The Capacity for Outcomes.

Another Tool: SEED.

Chapter 7: Tracking with Outcomes.

Chapter 8: Learning with Outcomes.

Data versus Information versus Knowledge.

Chapter 9: Communicating with Outcomes.

The Smart Chart.

Chapter 10: Communicating Our Outcomes.

Scales and Ladders.

The Program Results Story.

Three Core Questions: Audience, Content, and Flow.

The Story Pyramid.

PART THREE: ADVANCED TOOLS.

Chapter 11: The Power of Six Sigma.

Chapter 12: Keeping It All in Balance.

Typical Scorecard.

The Public Sector Scorecard.

A Governmental Scorecard.

A Social Sector Scorecard.

An OASAS Scorecard.

Chapter 13: Budgeting with Outcomes.

Chapter 14: Outcomes in Administration.

Writing the Results Description.

PART FOUR: OTHER TOOLS AND PERSPECTIVES.

Chapter 15: A Different View of Nonprofits.

Chapter 16: Thinking about Value.

Chapter 17: Building Value In.

Chapter 18: A Few Final Tools . . .

Looking for Trouble: FMEA.

Gone Fishin’: A Cause and Effect Analysis.

TRIZ: Considering the Contradictions.

One Final Tool: Process Management.

Process Documentation.

Process Mapping.

Value Stream Mapping.

CONCLUSION.

Wrapping It All Up.

Appendix.

Notes.

About The Rensselaerville Institute.

About Charity Navigator.

About the Author.

Index.