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Benchmarking for Nonprofits: How to Measure, Manage, and Improve Performance
Binding Information: Softcover Product Code: 069431 ISBN: 978-0-940069-43-5 Publisher: Fieldstone Alliance Pages: 144 Size: 8.5" X 11" X .3125" Price: $34.95 Discount available: 15% The no-cost way to improve your organization on a daily basis Most nonprofits are already benchmarking informally. This unique books defines a formal way to benchmark. You'll learn how to prepare your organization, measure performance, and implement best practices as well as
Practical tools help you benchmark what matters Real-world examples illustrate benchmarking in action. Exercises and worksheets guide you through processes such as drafting a benchmarking plan; identifying and analyzing the things in your organization that need improvement; prioritizing which processes to focus on; identifying your CTQ (critical to quality) outcomes; and more. The way to survive as a nonprofit in today’s market is to thrive. With so many organizations seeking the same dollars, only the best will endure. Benchmarking ensures that your organization is always operating at peak performance. It’s something you can’t afford not to do—especially since you can do it for free! Quotes: What others are saying about Benchmarking for Nonprofits... “An essential companion for anyone trying to thrive in today's nonprofit sector. Benchmarking offers nonprofits a critical instrument for communicating and learning from shared experiences. Developing this capacity is important if we are to become more than sideline players in influencing social and economic policy.” —Ricardo Millet, CEO, Woods Fund, Chicago “Saul makes the term benchmarking less ominous and more approachable for nonprofit managers. This book makes the case as to why benchmarking is critical and clearly guides organizations through the benchmarking process with special considerations for smaller nonprofits.” —Kathleen P. Enright, Executive Director, Grantmakers for Effective Organization “Benchmarking for Nonprofits is an important new resource that nonprofits can use to improve their performance in all areas of their operations including programs, finance and development. The book provides a step-by -step approach, worksheets, and filled in examples. I intend to use it as a textbook in courses on benchmarking and continuous improvement for nonprofits. It brings methodologies used by major corporations to be effective and competitive to the nonprofit sector.” —Marion Conway, Principal, Marion Conway Consulting “Saul offers a realistic, easy to implement process that can greatly improve your organization's performance. With the increased focus on collaboration, community impact funding, and value for resources donated, organizations will not only demonstrate intent, but show results in improving services delivered.” —Frank C. Polkowski, President, NonProfit & Management Consultants Table Of Contents: Introduction So Why Bother? Who This Book Is For How to Use This Book Benchmarking Basics So What is Benchmarking for Nonprofits? What Are Best Practices? What Do You Benchmark? Internal versus External Benchmarking Terminology Benefits of Benchmarking Common Concerns about Benchmarking Summary Chapter One: Prepare Your Organization Step 1A: Assess Organizational Readiness Step 1B: Identify Your Mandate to Improve Step 1C: Commit to Quality Step 1D: Form a Benchmarking Team Step 1E: Assemble Benchmarking Resources Step 1F: Write a Benchmarking Plan Summary Chapter Two: Analyze What to Improve Step 2A: Determine What Needs to Be Improved Step 2B: Identify Your Critical to Quality Outcomes Step 2C: Attach Performance Measures Summary Chapter Three: Measure Performance Step 3A: Be Sure to Measure the Right Thing Step 3B: Collect Internal Data to Set a Baseline Step 3C: Set Internal Benchmarks for Your Measures Summary Chapter Four: Learn What Works Step 4A: Select Benchmarking Partners Step 4B: Collect Data Step 4C: Analyze Performance Gaps Step 4D: Identify Best Practices Summary Chapter Five: Implement Best Practices Step 5A: Create an Implementation Plan Step 5B: Overcome Staff Resistance Step 5C: Create a Staff Communication Plan Step 5D: Implement the Best Practice Summary Conclusion: Today’s Benchmark Is Tomorrow’s Baseline Appendix A: Common Outcomes and Performance Measures Appendix B: Benchmarking Software Selection Criteria Bibliography
Review By:
By: Colleen Boland, CharityChannel - December 4, 2005
Benchmarking for Nonprofits: How to Measure, Manage, and Improve Performance Jason Saul - Fieldstone Alliance (October 30, 2004) - 96 pages Reviewed by Colleen Boland, CPA Benchmarking has hit the nonprofit world as one of the latest "must do's," similar to when everyone was doing "strategic planning." And as "benchmarking" is a trend that has been swirling around both the corporate and nonprofit world for the last several years, it has taken on a reputation that can be quite intimidating and sound like a lot of money. Jason Saul has done a nice job taking what can be a scary topic and making it seem like the next natural step is an organization's life: a step that every good manager would like to tackle. Benchmarking for Nonprofits: How to Measure, Manage, and Improve Performance is a workbook that lays out, in the simplest of terms, what benchmarking is, why it is important, how to do it and the traps that may be encountered along the way. Starting with defining what is benchmarking, the author encourages the user to start in the workbook at the most appropriate place for your organization. He even provides an overview of where that may be. If the case needs to be made for why benchmark, start at the beginning. If the organization needs help where to begin or the "what," start at Chapter 2. And if the question is how, jump ahead to chapter four. The tone of the workbook is conversational, providing the why's and how's of each part of the process. Of the most value is the many worksheets (comprising about 20 percent of the book is the worksheets) and samples/examples of how to complete the worksheets. In addition to these "hands on" resources in the workbook, they are also available at the publisher's website (identified in the book) for downloading and customization. I think this workbook will be of value in my own consulting practice as both a reference and a source to my clients. Although the workbook uses large nonprofits as examples of the various steps, the workbook appears to be geared to small nonprofits with limited staff and significant involvement of volunteers. The easy style is of value when talking to clients about why and how to incorporate measurement activities into the normal course of operations. And as many of my clients are small with limited staff, Benchmarking for Nonprofits will serve as a low cost, "self service" approach to continuous improvement. I recommend Benchmarking for Nonprofits to the smaller nonprofit organization. Larger, highly professionalized organizations may find it simplistic. Award By:
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