What Impact? A Framework for Measuring the Scale and Scope of Social Performance
Leaders of organizations in the social sector are under growing pressure to demonstrate their impacts on pressing societal problems such as global poverty. This Social Enterprise Initiative, Harvard Business School working paper reviews the debates around performance and impact, drawing on three literatures: strategic philanthropy, nonprofit management, and international development. We then develop a contingency framework for measuring results, suggesting that some organizations should measure long-term impacts, while others should focus on shorter-term outputs and outcomes. In closing, we discuss the implications of our analysis for future research on performance management.
Performance Measurement and Management
Performance Measurement and Management helps governments and nonprofit organizations track and improve their effectiveness and efficiency. Performance measurement is the process of regularly tracking progress on a series of program indicators. Performance management is the practice of using that data to inform decisions and make improvements. The Urban Institute has been a leader in performance measurement and management for four decades. Early on, we pioneered performance management techniques that government agencies still use to evaluate and improve public services, from garbage collection to human services to economic development. Our research also helps public agencies and private nonprofit organizations identify what questions to ask, what data to collect, and how to use that data to manage and improve their work.
Nonprofit Program Evaluation Made Simple
This is a lovely book that simplifies all the academic program evaluation language so it can be readily used by nonprofits. This is a nice, easy book to read. A nice, easy primer in program evaluation, written for nonprofits. However, the book does assume that you know you need to do program evaluation - which most small- and medium-sized nonprofits do not really need to do. And, while she presents a section on reports, it's a little lean. This book is really great to read if you *want* to understand all the terms in program evaluation so you can do fancier impact measurement or talk with outside evaluators who are conducting a program evaluation with you.