Capacity Building Toolkit for Nonprofits

Tools to develop partnerships and peer learning opportunities

Basic and advanced worksheets to enhance communications

Activities to improve management and program planning

Capacity Building Toolkit for nonprofits Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council

Communities Empowering Youth Nonprofit Capacity Building Program 6120 Earle Brown Drive, Suite 230 Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 (763) 503-2520 [email protected] www.nwhhsc.org Produced and edited by Jessica Jerney with Susan Blood and Julie Ha Truong

The Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council was established in 1972 as a Joint Powers Agreement among cities in Northwest Hennepin County to do regional research, planning and coordination of human services that make a difference in the lives of area resident.

© 2009 Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without prior permission, in writing, from Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council.

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capacity building toolkit

Table of Contents Capacity Building: Taking Nonprofits to the Next Level

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Communications Elevator Speech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Talking About Youth Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Organizational Leadership Thinking Strategically about Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Assessing Your Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Board Recruitment Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Financial Management Program Budgeting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Accounting Essentials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Program Planning Developing a Work Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Planning the Next Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Volunteer Development Volunteer Growth Ladder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Partnership Partnership Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Stages of Group Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Peer Learning Creating a Peer Learning Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Partnership Flea Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Roundtables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Assessing Peer Learning Models. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Evaluation Program Evaluation Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Considering Capacity Building Assessment Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Appendix Wiki Factsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Board Ground Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

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Capacity Building:

Taking Nonprofits to the Next Level It is often asked, “Why capacity building?” The focus of not-for-profit organizations (whether they are secular, religiously-affiliated or governmental) is service to their community. Many organizations do not worry much about how their agency is managed as much as the amount of services they are providing. This may make sense at first, but the quality of services you provide often depends on how well your operations run. If an organization is spinning their wheels because of poor planning or management, then they have less time and funds to spend on the work of their mission. It is this stability and structure that provides a backbone and allows the agency’s programs to continue to provide essential services to our communities and grow.

Background

Nonprofit capacity building is a broad area of work. It includes communications and marketing, governance, human resources, management, accounting, program development, evaluation, fund development, technology, leadership development (staff, board and volunteers) and community engagement.

•

Professional and organizational development in these areas is essential for an organization to run well and grow. Sharing knowledge, building leadership skills and gaining tools and techniques help staff respond effectively to the needs of the community and demands for accountability. At Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council, we aim to reduce inefficiencies in the delivery of human services. We do this by creating connections across systems and culture and between government, nonprofit, education, faith-based and business. We also improve service coordination through topic-based networks.

•

During the years 2006-2009, the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council has worked on nonprofit management with agencies that work with youth in the Northwest Hennepin region. Our Communities Empowering Youth Nonprofit Capacity Building Program helped to build organizational capacity by providing technical assistance, funding and peer learning opportunities. It also provided professional development opportunities (trainings and lunch time discussions) for diverse youth-serving agencies in the region. Program goals included: •

• •

Strengthen organizational capacities to function in a changing environment Increase organizational flexibility and stability, develop collaborative relationships Work together to address the roots of youth violence and gang activity Build on the skills and interests of people across the breadth of an organization Increase community engagement to support youth Along the way we developed tools that helped us meet and exceed our program goals. Since they were so helpful to us, we wanted to share them with other not-for-profit agencies that support our communities.

We have always maintained a commitment to supporting agencies in the community with technical assistance, hosting topic-based networks and engaging in community partnerships. Beyond publishing these capacity building tools, we also maintain a library of materials and guides available online and in our office.

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Communications: Developing an Elevator Speech Good communications can make or break an organization. The public needs to know about your organization and you need to know how to describe it in a clear, concise and interesting manner. A classic way to develop this message is through an elevator speech. An elevator speech refers to a quick thirty-second to one-minute overview of your organization. The idea is that if someone asks you what you do in the elevator (or at a professional or family function), you should be able to tell them the most important information by the time the ride ends. If your elevator speech is effective in interesting the person you are talking to, there is room to expand on the work of your organization. When diving deeper, attempt to connect your agency’s work with their interests. Elevator speeches can also be the start of a case statement you can use in grant proposals and other requests for funds. Case Statements should include: a mission statement, goals (what), objectives (how), history (how long), structure (who), and budget (how much, who pays).

Resources Leet, R. (2007) Message Matters. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. Angelica, E. (2001) Crafting Effective Mission and Vision Statements. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. University of Minnesota Konopka Institute’s Frameworks Trainings. www.konopka.umn.edu

Directions Your elevator speech should give an overview of your organization, including who you are (mission and goals), what you do (approach and activities), and why it is important (need statement). Use the questions to the right to develop an elevator speech you can use to communicate who you are to diverse stakeholders (such as family, friends, neighbors or officials). Be concise (cover the basics), show credibility, and be concrete. Use it to deliver a consistent message. Most importantly your elevator speech should be something you feel comfortable saying (in your own words). When you have your elevator speech written down, role play with someone to practice and perfect it.

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Developing an Elevator Speech The first task is to develop an elevator speech to spur listener interest. Your elevator speech should give an overview of your organization, including who you are (mission and goals), what you do (approach and activities), and why it is important (need statement). Use the questions below to develop an elevator speech you can use to communicate who you are to diverse stakeholders (such as family, friends, neighbors or officials). Be concise (cover the basics), show credibility, and be concrete. Use it to deliver a consistent message. Most importantly your elevator speech should be something you feel comfortable saying (in your own words). Questions to help you develop an elevator speech: In your own words, what does your organization do? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why is your work important? Why do you work there? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is one thing you would like to highlight? What are you proud of? (Ex: “We have many youth programs, such as…” or “The program I work on…”) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *If you are asked a question you do not have the answer to, don’t worry! Just let them know you’ll find out and get back to them. Be sure to get their contact information and write down the question so you don’t forget!

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Communications: Talking About Youth Development Agencies need to be able to talk about their programs in ways that reflect respect for participants and their knowledge of research and trends in the field. It is important to be intentional in the language you use to describe your agency’s programs. Too many times we define our participants and work in overly negative ways. This only works to reinforce or create stereotypes about the people we serve. It is our responsibility to accurately represent our community with its issues and needs, but not forget about the strengths that exist in the community. Using positive, strength-based language and principles can give your program a platform upon which to build to address the needs that exist. Being intentional in the language we use can improve our communications with the public and grant proposals. While our program was focused on agencies that worked with youth, the Talking About Youth Development activity can be adapted to any program to help staff understand the deeper meanings of the words they use to describe the people they serve.

Resources University of Minnesota Extension Youth Work Institute www.extension.umn.edu/YouthWorkInstitute University of Minnesota Konopka Institute’s Frameworks Trainings. www.konopka.umn.edu

Directions In the activity on the right we have identified some of the language that programs often use in talking about youth and programs. As you consider some of these terms and phrases, please respond to the following questions in the space to the right of the box. 1.

What is your initial reaction? Define what it means to you or what you think it describes.

2.

Is this term/phrase generally used in a positive or negative way? What does it say about the participants and the program?

3.

How would you use it to describe a program or in grant writing, if at all?

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Talking About Youth Development In the box below we have identified some of the language that programs often use in talking about youth and programs. As you consider some of these terms and phrases, please respond to the following questions in the space to the right. Questions 1. What is your initial reaction? Define what it means to you or what you think it describes. 2. Is this term/phrase generally used in a positive or negative way? What does it say about the participants and the program? 3. How would you use it to describe a program or in grant writing, if at all? Term/Phrase: 1. Reducing Youth Violence 2. At-Risk 3. Achievement Gap 4. Empower

Question 1: Question 2: Question 3:

5. Parent Involvement 6. Family Values 7. Minority

Term/Phrase: Question 1:

8. Serve 9. Problem Youth 10. New Immigrants

Question 2: Question 3:

11. Diverse 12. Apathetic Parents 13. Generational Gap 14. Increase Participation 15. Single Parent 16. Low-Income 17. Disengaged

Term/Phrase: Question 1: Question 2: Question 3:

18. Attitudes 19. Increasing Youth Opportunities

Term/Phrase:

20. Building Skills 21. Change 22. Valuing Education

Question 1: Question 2:

23. Keeping Youth Busy/Out of Trouble Question 3: www.nwhhsc.org

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Organizational Leadership: Thinking Strategically about Leadership Do you know where your organization fits?

Directions

It is important to determine where your organization fits within your community. What critical needs or gaps does it address? As a notfor-profit organization, it is critical to be able to communicate the importance of your programs to the community you claim to serve.

This activity is designed to allow organizations to dig deep into their purpose and position in the community to reveal their identity.

A strategic look at your position in the community can help strengthen your organization. Take a close look at the needs, people you serve, possible barriers to achieving programmatic goals or organizational mission. Also look at who else is doing the same or complementary work. How are you unique? It can be a time to look at partnerships to better leverage funds or access your targeted population. Once you determine your niche, you can more easily communicate this and promote your programs to your community.

Spend some time thinking about the questions listed on the right. When complete, discuss the results as a group using these questions as a guide. 1. Where is your organization strong? 2. Where does your organization need help? 3. What issues arose during this activity that need to be addressed? 4. How is your organization unique in meeting community needs? 5. Did you identify any new potential partners?

Resources Adapted from Leadership Paradigms www.leadershipparadigms.com McLaughlin, T. (2006) Nonprofit Strategic Positioning. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Brinckerhoff, P. (2000) Mission-Based Management: Leading Your Not-for-profit in the 21st Century. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Krile, J. (2006) The Community Leadership Handbook: Framing Ideas, Building Relationships, and Mobilizing Resources. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance.

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Thinking Strategically about Leadership: Understanding Your Organization’s Role in Meeting Community Needs

1. Who does your organization serve or work with? List three characteristics of each.

2. What are five major factors, problems or issues facing the people that you serve or work with? • • • • •

3. Where else can the people you serve or work with go to access services or address their needs? Include your organization’s competitors and allies.

4. Which organizations or individuals are missing from the allies list that may be critical to your success?

Adapted from Leadership Paradigms

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Organizational Leadership: Assessing Your Board No board is perfect. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your board of directors and providing the support they need is important in ensuring good governance and maintaining active participation and support. Boards should be regularly assessing and reassessing their contributions (financial, time, expertise), knowledge of their responsibilities, engagement level and skills against what the organization needs.

Resources Adapted from Benavides, E. and Sundet Vanderwall, K. Coloring Outside the Box: One Size Does Not Fit All in Nonprofit Governance, 2006 and the Ten Dimensions that Shape Your Board, 2008. Blue Avocado/Board Cafe www.blueavocado.org MAP for Nonprofits www.mapfornonprofits.org Minnesota Council on Nonprofits www.mncn.org

Directions Use the questions to the right to assess your current board of directors. These questions were adapted from Coloring Outside the Box: One Size Does Not Fit All in Nonprofit Governance. When we facilitated this activity, we had each organization began by analyzing their own board based on these questions. They then got into small groups to discuss the results and, using the experience and knowledge in the room, help problem solve.

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Assessing Your Board of Directors 1. Does your organization have the right people on the board? Are they engaged and do they meet on a regular basis? a. Who does your organization need on the board and how do they find them? What skills and perspectives would help the board do its job well? What does the board gain/lose by including people from outside your community?

b. How many of the board and staff are related to each other or know each other from other settings? When is this helpful and when might it be problematic? How does the organization manage that?

c. Do people show up for meetings? Are they engaged?

d. How does the board balance all the perspectives you have around the table?

2. Do board members know what their job is? a. Does the board know what must be done by law? How do you make sure they take care of the core responsibilities? What process does the board have in place for financial oversight?

b. Does the board have agreement on whether it will play a role in fundraising? What role will that be?

c. How does the board decide what else it will be responsible for? Does the board have the time and interest to go beyond these core responsibilities? What else does the board want to take on, given the resources and the people at the table?

d. When there is confusion between board and staff responsibility, how does the board handle it?

Adapted from Coloring Outside the Box: One Size Does Not Fit All in Nonprofit Governance, Ellen Benavides and Kim Sundet Vanderwall

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Organizational Leadership: Board Recruitment Recruiting board members takes some strategic thinking. What type of expertise or background would benefit the agency right now? Having the right people on a board or committee can, at best, propel your organization to programmatic and fundraising success, simply maintain the status quo, or, at worst, well, let’s not discuss the legal issues board members can get the organization into. The Board Recruitment Matrix is a simple, but powerful tool. It allows for a visual representation of your board candidates and the qualities they bring to your organization. This helps to simplify and clarify the vetting process.

Resources Benavides, E. and Sundet Vanderwall, K. Coloring Outside the Box: One Size Does Not Fit All in Nonprofit Governance, 2006 and the Ten Dimensions that Shape Your Board, 2008. Blue Avocado/Board Cafe www.blueavocado.org MAP for Nonprofits www.mapfornonprofits.org Minnesota Council on Nonprofits www.mncn.org

Directions Begin by brainstorming the skills or attributes you desire in board and committee members. Consider your organizational mission, values, strengths and places to improve. Given these factors, what skills or attributes should the board and committee members bring? Place the priority skills or attributes you seek in a board member on the top of your Board Recruitment Matrix (see example at right). You may want to categorize (organization X on the right is looking for diversity in the geographic location and cultural background of their board candidates) these items to organize your Matrix. In the first column list your board candidates. Place a mark in the column of the skill or attribute that each candidate represents.

Other Uses Agencies can also use this tool to determine the skills and attributes that current board members bring to the board. They can then use this information to ascertain the gaps that exist in the board membership and recruit accordingly.



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Board Recruitment Matrix Brainstorm a list of skills or attributes you need in board or committee members. Create a chart in Microsoft Excel or Word, like the example below, and place the priority items on the top of your Board Recruitment Matrix. You may want to categorize these items to better organize your matrix (as done in the example below using diversity, skills and fundraising). When you have determined possible candidates for your board, you can plug them into the first column. Place a mark in the column of the skill or attribute that each candidate represents. Diversity Board Geographic Member or Prospect Name Josue

Cultural

Skills Accounting

Legal

Fundraising Grant Writing

x

Events

x

Anita

x

Maggie

x

Simon

x

Choua

x

x

x

x

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Financial Management: Developing a Program Budget A budget helps an agency plan for and manage the resources it needs to operate its programs. Working with a variety of organizations over the years, we’ve heard a lot about budgeting, such as: “Budgeting takes up a lot of time” “As a small organizations it is difficult to focus; budgeting becomes a secondary issue to serving people” “Budgeting is important because you need to get the foundation correct to survive as an organization” Planning expenses and expected income is not an easy thing to do. When we are composing our budgets, we must begin by stating our assumptions about the activities, documenting them accurately and communicating about responsibilities around the budget with the appropriate people. Researching based on program goals and assumption, learning from experience, asking other agencies and using online resources can help an organization create a budget.

Resources Nonprofit Assistance Fund www.nonprofitassistancefund.org Dropkin, M. (2005) Bookkeeping for Nonprofits: A step-by-step guide to nonprofit accounting. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Dropkin, M. (1998) The Budget-Building Book for Nonprofits. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Directions When we introduced this activity we distributed a request for proposals for $5,000 from which the participants could base their budget. They broke up into teams to create their proposed budget. They were to show their work using the chart to the right. They were allowed to add budget categories. When they were finished, we discussed the process using the following questions: 1. What did you talk about? 2. Did you agree? 3. What did you disagree on? 4. What did you spend the most time on? 5. Did you learn anything new? Come up with some new ideas?



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Developing a Program Budget Use this budget sheet to determine a budget for a sample grant proposal. Use the following criteria to guide your work: The foundation is offering $5,000 grants. Please describe your costs and show your work (breakdown the requested amount). You may add budget categories. Budget Categories Personnel

Cost Description

Requested Amount

In-Kind Contribution

$

$

Contractual Services

$

$

Administrative Costs

$

$

Travel

$

$

$

$

Marketing and Advertising

$

$

Printing and copying

$

$

Postage and delivery

$

$

Occupancy

$

$

Training

$

$

Other (specify):

$

$

Other (specify):

$

$

Total

$

$

Example: -Fringe

Example: -Mileage Program Supplies Examples: -Small Equipment -Office Supplies -Program materials

Examples: -Rent -Furniture -Telephone

Total Funds Requested (requested amount and in-kind)

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Financial Management: Approaches & Methods Successful nonprofit organizations keep their finances in order by maintaining accurate records and having well-run, transparent systems. Financial management is the backbone of a wellrun organization. Our attitudes and philosophy towards finances can effect our internal and external relationships, including our ability to leverage financial support. While the board of directors oversees the organizational operations and finances, the Executive Director is responsible for the everyday, on-going management. It is critical for both the board and director to understand financial management, but it is also important for other staff to have an understanding of the their program budgets and proper financial procedures, as established by the organization. Operating a strong financial system will provide a good model for other systems within the organization and inspire confidence from the community.

Resources Nonprofit Assistance Fund www.nonprofitassistancefund.org Kenny Stevens, S. (2002) All the Way to the Bank: Smart Nonprofit Money Management. Larson Allen Weishair & Co.

Directions To the right, we’ve reprinted Jerad Rassmussen’s (accounting contractor for Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council) metaphor of the driver for the extremes of operating your financial management system. One of the drivers, the lost tourist, is not the person you want to follow on the road. The other driver, from the professional delivery service, is a safer, more predictable and reliable person for whom to share the road. Review the two extremes demonstrated in this chart and then do a quick assessment of your agency by answering the following questions: 1. What is your current role in the organization? 2. How do you get what you need to be successful on the financial side? 3. Do you think an internal financial assessment would be valuable? In which area do you think it is necessary to determine your strengths and areas to improve: your program, department or organization? 4. How can you improve, make changes or influence your current financial management system? How can you, as a program staff or manager, give input to the financial department? 5. How can you figure out which financial aspects you are accountable for? Seek clarity in job descriptions, grant agreements, government contracts, budget responsibility or spending parameters.



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Who’s Driving Your Financial Management System? Financial management is the backbone of a well-run organization. Our attitudes and philosophy toward finances can effect our internal and external relationships, including our ability to leverage financial support. Below, we’ve reprinted Jerad Rassmussen’s (our agency’s accounting contractor) metaphor of the driver for the extremes of operating your financial management system. One of the drivers, the lost tourist, is not the person you want to follow on the road. The other driver, from the professional delivery service, is a safer, more predictable and reliable person for whom to share the road. Review the two extremes below and then do a quick assessment of your agency by answering the following questions. The Lost Tourist: Driving Blind

Professional Delivery Service

Feeling

Survival, chaotic, role confusion, time consuming stressful

Clarity, smooth, creditable, cost effective, focused

Attitude

Spend first, earn later

Earn first, spend later

Bank Account

No reserves exist, the agency is living check to check, week to week

Reserves provide a contingency for agency budget

Management

Centralized - budget management rest with one person (Executive or Finance Director)

Decentralized - budget management done by department managers

Planning

Wing it - They let everything work itself out and hope people are still standing in the end

Plan and organize work, budgets, time, costs and revenue

Vision

Short-term focused - looking to solve next issue, get through week

Long-term focus - have 3-4 year plans, vision, fiscal power

Responsibility

No one person driving or leading fiscal management

Responsibility clear and balanced between Executive Director, Board, Accounting and Program

Controls

Loose - no internal control, low consistency, policy exceptions

Tight - clear policies, compliance, order, clarity

Expectations & Accountability

Profitability expectations - no expectation to hit target or consequences for missing goals

Profit or break even expected and in performance review

Staff Qualifications

Unqualified fiscal staff - right people in the wrong position (office manager, non-accountants, program staff)

Qualified, skilled, trained fiscal staff manage the finances (bookkeeping, accounting, finance director)

Documentation

An informal fiscal system that lives is in someone’s head, is not documented

Written and effectively communicated fiscal system

System

No system exists, money is spent when someone “wants” something

The system is fiscally responsible. Money is spent on forwarding the mission to allow for the biggest bang for the buck.

Overall Assessment

Financially weak organization. No reserves, overspending, no idea on projected profit or loss, no assets, no fundraising or revenue pipeline, cash flow shortages, budget deficits, borrowing money to pay for operating losses, negative retained earnings, etc.

Financially strong organization. Three to five month operating reserves, fundraising pipeline, accurate financial projections, bills paid on time, collecting from clients, positive equity or retained earnings.

1. What is your current role in the organization? 2. How do you get what you need to be successful on the financial side? 3. Do you think an internal financial assessment would be valuable? In which area do you think it is necessary to determine your strengths and areas to improve: your program, department or organization? 4. How can you improve, make changes or influence your current financial management system? How can you, as a program staff or manager, give input to the financial department? 5. How can you figure out which financial aspects you are accountable for? Seek clarity in job descriptions, grant agreements, government contracts, budget responsibility or spending parameters. www.nwhhsc.org

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Planning: Program Planning Basics Thoughtful and thorough program planning is key to sustainable programming. Program planning is important because: it creates clear indicators of success (outcomes); offers an intentional approach to programming; helps to present an organized, professional program; keeps the program and staff “on track”; provides consistency; and ensures that program partners and co-workers are “in the know.” In program planning, an organization should consider: program goals, objectives, strategies, outcomes/results, timeline for completion, who’s responsible, resources needed and budget.

Resources Fieldstone Alliance Publications, Strengthening Nonprofit Performance University of Wisconsin Extension www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande Saul, J. (2004) Benchmarking for Nonprofits: How to Measure, Manage, and Improve Performance. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance.

Directions To the right is a basic program planning chart to help you through the process. Each program goal has several activities that need to be accomplished in order to reach that goal. Establish a timeline for each activity and designate a person to be responsible for achieving that goal by the targeted date. These are the very minimal items to consider in program planning.

Other Items to consider Mission

Be sure that your program fits within the mission of your organization. 1. Long-term objectives (how does this program help you achieve your mission?) 2. Intermediate goals (how do you know if your program is successful?) 3. Short-term goals (what do you need to accomplish as steps in achieving your intermediate goals?)

Audience/Stakeholders 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Who are the people/ organizations/ stakeholders who will benefit or be impacted by the program? How do you know they will benefit? What changes do you expect? Have they bought into the idea and methods of the program? Are there barriers to participation?

Organization and community considerations 1. 2. 3. 4.

List organizational resources, including staff, money, facilities, connections, expertise, etc. What is your budget? How will your organization be strengthened by this program? List any internal challenges that have to be addressed if the program is to be successful

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Program Planning Basics In program planning, an organization should consider: program goals, objectives, strategies, outcomes/ results, timeline for completion, who’s responsible, resources needed and budget. Below is a basic chart to help guide the process. Each program goal has several activities that need to be accomplished in order to reach that goal. Establish a timeline for each activity and designate a person to be responsible for achieving that goal by the targeted date.

Goals

Activities

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Timeline

Who’s Responsible

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Planning: Planning the Next Steps Revisiting your plan periodically and asking strategic questions is an excellent way to improve and increase the impact of your program. Participation is an essential element to success. We found that asking strategic questions was helpful in mid-program planning. It also served as a check-in for the organizations we were working with on how they are doing and feeling about the progress of their organization and the group.

Directions We used the questions to the right to assess our progress and determine future needs. In designing these questions, we started with the three main areas of our program. We then composed questions that attempted to dig up concerns, what was missing, set new complementary goals and brainstorm on how to use our strengths to tackle issues. We did this as a speed-brainstorming session and followed up with a group discussion, but it can work as a simple group discussion as well.

Resources Connoly, P. and Lukas, C. (2002) Strengthening Nonprofit Performance. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. University of Wisconsin Extension www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande Saul, J. (2004) Benchmarking for Nonprofits: How to Measure, Manage, and Improve Performance. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance.

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Your Voice: Planning the Next Steps It’s time to assess the next steps. Below are the three main areas of the program. Take a few minutes to consider the questions below and how they pertain to your organization and to the partnership as a whole.

3 Questions - Your Voice Community and Youth Development in our Community 1. How can we make connections in the community around youth development? Who’s important?

2. How can we make connections and build on our work with youth?

3. What skills do we needs around youth development in our community?

Needs for Capacity Building 1. What topics would you like to see addressed at our meetings?

2. What individual consulting services does your organization need?

3. How can we help with the growth of your organization? Needs may include: strategic planning, marketing, fundraising or other topics.

Capacity Building Funds 1. Do you have a good understanding of how you plan to spend your capacity building funds?

2. How do you see the capacity building funds helping your organization?

3. What assistance do you need from us in managing your capacity building funds?

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Volunteer Development: Building leadership opportunities into your agency Volunteers can help in invaluable ways if they are properly trained, nurtured and supported. An important step in creating a volunteer program is developing a leadership development plan for volunteers. Not only will it help your organization get some amazing work done, but it helps to prevent burnout and boredom in our volunteers. It also can cultivate the future donors and leaders of your organization. Each organization has its own priorities and will thus have a unique leadership path for volunteers. One thing that is important for all organizations is relationship building. By establishing a strong relationship early and continuing to communicate about the volunteers’ interests, you will have a solid foundation on which your ladder can sit.

Resources Hands On Twin Cities www.handsontwincities.org

Directions Use the ladder to the right as a model for your volunteer development program. Begin at the base of the ladder and establish what the first contact for a new volunteer should look like. From there, work your way up the ladder listing the tasks, projects and roles that make sense for your organization. There are many opportunities for volunteers, the ladder to the right only provides some examples. Keep in mind that some volunteers will not follow your ladder. Some will start in the middle, others may start at the top (becoming a donor) and also attend mailing parties. They may be most comfortable staying at one step or another. This is important to know. You can connect with volunteers about their comfort level and need to be challenged by having regular conversations throughout their time with the organization.



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Volunteer Growth Ladder What does your agency’s ladder look like? Use this model to create your own leadership ladder for your volunteers. There are many opportunities for volunteers, the ladder below only provides some examples. Keep in mind that some volunteers will not follow your ladder. Some will start in the middle, others may start at the top (becoming a donor) and also attend mailing parties. They may be most comfortable staying at one step or another. This is important to know. You can connect with volunteers about their comfort level and need to be challenged by having regular conversations throughout their time with the organization.

Examples: board members advisory board consultants staff

Step 5: Committed, long-term volunteer Financial, time and responsibility commitments

Step 4: Increase their responsibility or ask them to teach others what they know

Step 3: If willing and interested, increase their responsibility or time commitment. Be sure to train them on how to do these tasks and let them know how much time it should take. Step 2: Begin with small activities that are not overwhelming, require too much time, responsibility or communications with the public. You are testing each other out!

Examples: training or supervising other volunteers

Examples: informational tabling or phoning

Examples: mailings or photocopying

Step 1: New Assess what they want to do, what their skills are and their time commitment. Don’t forget to ask why they are volunteering with you! Keep notes of your conversation.

Have a conversation!

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Partnerships: Partnership Types Successful partnerships require trust, cooperative leadership, managing and space to learn together. Partnerships can take on different forms. Participants in the partnership need to take a close look at their agency limitations and strengths and the partnership goals to determine which type is right for them. One type of partnership is not better than the other.

Resources Adapted from LGNTO & EDuce ltd. www.lgpartnerships.com Ray, K. (2002) The Nimble Collaboration. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. Krile, J. (2006) The Community Leadership Handbook: Framing Ideas, Building Relationships, and Mobilizing Resources. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. Mattessich, P., Murray-Close, M. and Monsey, B. (2001) Collaboration: What Makes it Work, 2nd Edition. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. Ray, K. and Winer, M. (1994) Collaboration Handbook: Creating, Sustaining, and Enjoying the Journey. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center, Humphrey Institute on Public Affairs, University of Minnesota www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/pnlc

Directions Use the descriptions on the right to discuss, as a large group, where the partnership is currently, and then use the dot-prioritizing* technique to see where your partnership wants to go. *The dot vote/prioritizing technique: use colored dots to give participants a more confidential voice in the process. Participants each get a dot or more, they put the dot by the item they want to vote for. Multiple colors dots can be used to rank items.

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Partnership Types Use the descriptions below to discuss, as a large group, where the partnership is currently, and then use the dot-prioritizing* technique to see where your partnership wants to go.

Recognize mutual benefits and opportunities of working together, unsure how to get there

Co-operation

Knowledge and skill sharing among partners can include technical assistance

Co-Learning (peer learning)

Our Partnership

Collaboration

Co-existence

Increase communication to maximize resources and reduce duplication to more effectively serve the community, may or may not lead to new partnerships

Co-ordination

Co-ownership

Committed to a common vision, making significant changes in what they do and how they do it

Adapted from LGNTO & EDuce ltd.

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Partners work together on strategies or projects, each contributes to achieve a shared goal, shared resources

Little or no communication, take care of own agency before helping others, figure out who does what and with whom

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Partnerships: Stages of Group Development Insight, clarity and maybe some peace can be gained by understanding that groups go through stages of change and growth. Though each group is unique, one common factor —whether it be committees, city councils or youth groups—is the developmental stages they experience. Each group has predictable needs, depending upon how long it has been in existence or how effective it has been in working through problems. Groups come together (forming), semi-separate (storming), reconcile to work together despite their differences (norming) and then, based on the trust they have built, take on their tasks with drive, creativity and cohesiveness (performing). When they have accomplished their goals, group members must part (adjourning).

Resources Adapted from Tuckman, B. Development Theory. http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/osl/ LeadershipDevelopment/LeadershipResources/ pdf/StagesOfGroupDevelopment.pdf AmeriCorps’ Stages of Group Development http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/files/ legacy/filemanager/download/586/groupdev.pdf University of Minnesota. Work Group Development. http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/toolkit/workgroup/index.html

Directions It can be difficult to step outside the current situation and group dynamics to see the importance of the process they are going through. When we introduced this chart during small group meetings, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. It was a relief for participants to have this perspective and know that their frustrations are common, expected and important to group development. We designed this activity to raise awareness of this process and begin a conversation about how these stages effect our interactions and productivity. Begin by introducing the stages and their characteristics. Facilitate a discussion using the questions below to help participants process their current, past and future stages and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. 1. What are your initial reactions? 2. Which stage is your group at? 3. How can we use this information to better understand group dynamics and have patience with the process?

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Stages of Group Development After reviewing this chart of group development, ask the following questions: 1. What are your initial reactions? 2. Which stage is your group at? 3. How can we use this information to better understand group dynamics and have patience with the process?

Stages

Tasks & characteristics of the stage

Examples of issues that may arise

• • • • • •

Joining Welcoming Orientation Understanding the purpose Building relationships Excitement, anticipation and optimism; suspicion, fear and anxiety about the job ahead

•

• • • • •

Cohesion around shared goals Resolution of conflict Acceptance of diversity Reconciled to work together Begun to be effective Strengthened relationships Open communication Establishing goals and processes

•

NORMING Trusting one another

• • • • • • • • • • •

Negativity Competition among members Crisis mode Differences begin to surface Define time/energy dedicated to the task Finding ways through conflict Assessing leadership Assessing member roles

•

STORMING Working through conflict

• • • • • • •

Working well together Sees conflict as an opportunity Leadership Enthusiasm Harmony, productivity Creative problem solving Utilizing “norms of trust” to focus on task at hand

• •

• • • • • • • •

Wrapping up tasks of group Putting closure on relationships Feelings of loss Dissatisfaction Hostility Purging Crisis Preparing for the next group

•

FORMING Exploration

CONFORMING Effective decision making and taking action

ADJOURNING Closure, what’s next?

•

•

• • •

Possible Approaches

If purpose or membership seems exclusive, or people don’t feel welcomed, they might not join or be tentative If leaders set an exclusive tone, others may follow

• • • •

If the leader or organization is attacked, the leader may be defensive and may not lead well If the leader doesn’t deal with conflict in manner expected, members may distrust and judge the leader

• • • • •

Expectations need to be clear, otherwise people may not meet them If expectations are not met, frustrations arise Oppressive behavior may lead members to quit Mismatched goals may lead to frustration

•

Unresolved issues may resurface Lack of support may lead to burn out, attacks on leadership or unappreciative members

• •

Procrastination or sabotage may result if people have unspoken feelings about closure

• • •

•

• •

• • • • •

• • •

• • • •

Adapted from Bruce Tuckman’s “Small Group Development Theory”

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Individual outreach Listening openly to members Involve yourself; involve others Be open-minded; be professional; be yourself Commit to having a good year

Team-building Individual discussions Group discussion Be a motivator! Be a positive force; maintain a sense of humor Accept and be open-minded Be aware of other’s feelings and motivations Collaborate to meet a goal or solve a problem Be a leader, voice your thoughts Training on expectations or communication styles Leaders stating expectations Community awareness Group discussions Group discussions, reflection Appreciations for members and leaders Be a positive force Involve yourself and others Trainings on project planning, development, communications skills and community awareness Promote interaction, reflection Team-building about closure Acknowledging feelings while taking care of tasks Build bridges to continue relationships Voice your thoughts and feelings Give suggestions for improvements Place accomplishments in perspective, celebrate!

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Peer Learning: Creating a Learning Community Begin with a positive exchange by having agencies share their strengths. A peer learning community (sometimes called a community of practice) is a group of practitioners who regularly share practice-related knowledge and experiences. Example of what is shared includes: research, models, resources, ideas, solutions, methods, innovations and tools. As a peer learning community develops and relationships deepen, members are able to trust one another and reveal challenges, problems or weaknesses they are facing. Until this trust develops, its important to create a safe space for people to share. An easy way to build confidence is by giving members a platform for teaching others a subject in which they are experts.

Resources Annie E. Casey Foundation, www.aecf.org Aspen Institute, www.aspeninstitute.org Compassion Capital Fund National Resource Center and Federal Programs Office. (2009) W.K. Kellogg Foundation, www.wkkf.org McNamara, C. (2008) Learner’s Basic Requirements for Effective Learning. Metropolitan Regional Arts Council www.mrac.org

Directions Share your strengths! This mini-presentation warms people up to the idea of sharing agencyrelated experiences, while not putting too much pressure on them to create an exhaustive presentation. Give participants 10 minutes to prepare a 2-3 minutes presentation on a subject in which they are experienced.

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Creating a Peer Learning Community Below are topics you may have some information on or promising practices to share with the group. Choose one of the following topics (or use your own) with which you feel comfortable sharing your experience. Use the chart below to prepare a mini-presentation (2-3 minutes) on your topic. In your presentation you may want to offer an example, your approach or lessons learned. Topics may include: Planning a fundraiser • Evaluating an afterschool program • Facilitating a community meeting Planning a youth program • Doing outreach at a community event • Training on elevator speeches Orientation for new board members • Recognizing volunteers • Running a board meeting Things to consider in preparing a budget • Elements of a successful volunteer program Elements of successful organizational leadership (may include: staff management, leadership style, etc.) Ways of increasing understanding amongst staff of the diverse populations with which we work • Others?

Your Topic Elements that make it successful

Benefits

Risks

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Peer Learning: Partnership Flea Market Creating mentor-type relationships between members is another way of building bonds of trust and respect. Members of a peer learning community work collaboratively with others, taking responsibility for their own learning and deepening their understanding of specific subject matter. Learning is enhanced by working on real-world challenges and exchanging feedback with others at the same time. It is important for a peer learning group to include members with a range of experiences, skills are areas of expertise. These elements allows members to put their work in the broader context within which they operate and offers continual challenges and learning experiences.

Resources Annie E. Casey Foundation, www.aecf.org Aspen Institute, www.aspeninstitute.org Compassion Capital Fund National Resource Center and Federal Programs Office. (2009) W.K. Kellogg Foundation, www.wkkf.org McNamara, C. (2008) Learner’s Basic Requirements for Effective Learning. Metropolitan Regional Arts Council www.mrac.org

Directions The Partnership Flea Market helps co-workers or organizations share amongst themselves. Each person or agency identifies needs and ways they can help others. They are then matched up according to their needs and skills, knowledge or other resources that they can contribute to help fulfill the needs of others.

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Partnership Flea Market Each person or agency identifies needs and ways they can help others. They are then matched up according to their needs and skills, knowledge or other resources that they can contribute to help fulfill the needs of others.

YOUR NEEDS What do you need help with?

How will it help your organization?

How much time will it take?

Do you have any concerns or constraints?

HOW YOU CAN HELP What skills/knowledge/other resources do you have that may benefit others?

How much time do you have to offer?

Do you have any concerns or constraints?

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Peer Learning: Roundtable Discussions Peer learning demonstrates the value and expertise of each participant by engaging peers as experts and co-learners, building trust, respect and cohesion among peers.

Directions

Members of a peer learning community must have a sense of ownership and responsibility in the process. Not only must they respect one another’s expertise, but also their time. It may be beneficial (especially in the beginning) to provide a specific format for members to ask for help and to give feedback. This simplifies and clarifies what is needed and constitutes appropriate feedback.

Roundtable discussions began as a way to have a structured sharing and problem solving dialogue. Members presented a problem to the group and had to give background as far as the purpose of project. They were also given the opportunity to clearly define the feedback they wanted from the group. These elements worked well in soliciting thoughtful and creative, but also specific, feedback for other members.

Resources Annie E. Casey Foundation, www.aecf.org Aspen Institute, www.aspeninstitute.org Compassion Capital Fund National Resource Center and Federal Programs Office. (2009) W.K. Kellogg Foundation, www.wkkf.org McNamara, C. (2008) Learner’s Basic Requirements for Effective Learning. Metropolitan Regional Arts Council www.mrac.org



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Roundtable Discussions Roundtable discussions are a way to have a structured sharing and problem solving dialogue. Use the chart below to facilitate this conversation and take notes. Members present a problem to the group and give background as far as the purpose of project. They are also given an opportunity to clearly define the type of suggestions they want from the group. These elements work to soliciting thoughtful and creative, but also specific, feedback for other members.

Project

Purpose

Question for the Group

Fundraising opportunities for youth

Youth are going on a trip to Washington DC and need to raise money to make the trip possible

Any suggestions on projects, businesses that they can use to raise some money?

-Cub Foods -Twins games -Sell programs at Timberwolves games

Develop connections to local youth agencies

-Build connections

Who should we connect with?

-Need to find out what they need (re: service, collaborative, partnerships)

Does anyone have connections with these agencies?

-Resources in Guide to Human Services -Attend Networking 4 Youth NW meetings -Establish key connections, then it will snowball -Referrals help to break down barriers

-Want to find out what resources already exist

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Feedback/Suggestions or Partnership Opportunities

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Peer Learning: What should it look like? Peer Learning looks differently in different places because of needs, interests and time constraints. Peer learning can enhance our work in many ways. It can work to expand, deepen and enrich the information learned in trainings. It helps to develop networks and collaborations. Peer learning embraces and reinforces the core value of sharing knowledge for a group’s collective benefit. It can also decrease burnout and turnover in an organization by allowing peers to take ownership, develop a sense of accountability and invest in their own and each others’ learning. Peer Learning is considered a low-cost way of spreading skills across an organization or network. On a small scale, a committed group can implement a project for little money (besides staff time). Though there are costs involved, an outside facilitator can also be helpful in bringing theory, best practices and facilitation skills to the group. Either way, a group needs to decide which format will work best for them.

Resources Annie E. Casey Foundation, www.aecf.org http://www.aecf.org/~/media/PublicationFiles/ PeerNetworking_full.pdf, accessed on 3.16.09 Aspen Institute, www.aspeninstitute.org www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/communitychange/racial-equality-society-peer-learning, accessed 3.16.09 W.K. Kellogg Foundation, www.wkkf.org, accessed online 3.16.09 McNamara, C. (2008) Learner’s Basic Requirements for Effective Learning. Metropolitan Regional Arts Council www.mrac.org www.mrac.org/grants/PLGGrant.asp, accessed 3.16.09.

Directions What do you need in your peer learning community? Review the summaries of the peer learning models to the right and assess them in small groups by responding to the following questions: 1. What did you like about the model? 2. What do you think would work well for the group? 3. Which aspects would be challenging to implement?

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Assessing peer learning models What do you need in your peer learning community? Review the summaries of the peer learning models below and assess them in small groups by responding to the following questions: 1. What did you like about the model? 2. What do you think would work well for the group? 3. Which aspects would be challenging to implement? Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Topic-focused model that rotates yearly. For instance, the 2008 topic was: Art Organizations Leadership and Organizational Development Led by and Providing Services to Communities of Color, facilitated by Mai Moua of Leadership Paradigms. The Peer Learning Group program brings together six organizations with a professional consultant to share, explore, and learn personal leadership competencies and core management skills that will encourage organizational effectiveness and growth. Groups benefit from peer exchange as well as the guidance of an expert in the field. Each Peer Learning Group includes:

• 6 training sessions (3 hours sessions) for education and group discussion • 10 hours of individual consultation time for your group with the consulting team around the development of your action plan. Participants will develop a personal leadership plan for themselves and an organizational development plan for their organizations that are based on the following session topics: • Leadership style and skills • Strengthening management knowledge and skills • Strategic management and change • Team building • Organizational culture, and • Networks and partnerships Sessions will incorporate skill building activities, education, and assessments to help participant learn and lead and manage on both a personal and organizational level. The workshops are designed for communities of color and will address cross-cultural leadership and related management issues.

Aspen Institute: Peer Learning Forum The Peer Learning Forum provides seminar alumni with a number of resources, enabling them to revisit course content, and communicate and share information about their local efforts. The website provides a link to organization doing similar work. Programs can submit information to be posted on the website, such as summaries of work they have undertaken, links to important organizations, and articles relevant to building racial equity in your city. The webpage also provides an array of resources, contacts and modes of communication on the issue of structural racism, including: • Publications on structural racism from the roundtable • Recent research on emerging practices in the racial equity field • Syllabi and selected reading from the racial equity seminars • Information on structural racism and racial disparity in various policy domains • Resources for talking about structural racism and advocating racial equity • Organizations working toward racial equity • Documentaries on race and racism • Case studies of group that work for racial equity in a particular area with a structural racism analysis • Contact list of leaders, advocates and researchers in the field of racial equity Dismantling Structural Racism Google Group enables participants and staff to share data, articles and insights. Staff can contact seminar participants and keep them posted on upcoming events, developments in the racial equity field, as well as updates to the Peer Learning Forum. They can also use the group to post documents and media relevant to their local work and share with the group. We intend for this group to work in tandem with the Peer Learning Forum to provide continued support, communication and knowledge building between seminar participants.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation: Rural People, Rural Policy Initiative Overview Rural People, Rural Policy builds and strengthen skilled networks and organizations to advocate and act in the rural policy arena. Rural People, Rural Policy energizes and equips networks of organizations to shape policy that improves the lives of rural people and the vitality of rural communities. Attending Peer Learning Sessions is a required of participants in the Rural People, Rural Policy Initiative. Each grantee organization designates two lead participants who attend three week-long Peer Learning Session in the first year of their grant. These include representative from all the Rural People, Policy networks. To maintain continuity, it is important that the same two designated participants represent the organization at all of the Peer Learning Sessions. These sessions builds their network’s capacity to engage in effective policy change, strategic communications and network over the duration of the Initiative. Each Network meets on a regular basis to build and strengthen Network ties and, ultimately, to explore and pursue policy activities.

Annie E. Casey Foundation: Peer Networking and Community Change The Making Connections Initiative has used peer networking approaches extensively to strengthen its community interventions through an overall learning agenda, following principles such as the importance of active participation of those doing the work on the ground, and providing ongoing capacity building as opposed to one-time, “drive by TA.” Peer matching, which brings together two or more sites for mutual exploration and problem solving, usually at one of the community sites, to enhance learning. In some cases, these peer networking activities were very labor-intense and expensive in the early years of the initiative, but now have simpler goals and may involve fewer meetings or telephone rather than in-person interactions. At present, the Making Connections initiative is moving into its next phase with a deliberate transfer to local management, in order to promote sustainability of the community activities past the ten-year period of Casey’s support. The peer networking activities just described will likely play a favorable role in this evolution. In addition, the Peer Matching system brings together people from Making Connections sites for targeted, mutual exploration and problem solving. Peer matching happens between two individuals or groups, so one can learn about activities of the other (often the process is reciprocal as well). Sometimes peer matching includes a site visit by one or more leaders of an organization or community to the location of a successful change effort, so that replication or problem-solving can be based in part on direct observation. Only one peer matching effort was studied here, but it involves a large, well-developed system whose activities have many important implications for effective peer networking, and which has had considerable validation of its impact.

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34 |  Capacity Building Activities

Program Evaluation: Assessing your Progress We all conduct mini-evaluations everyday. Whether we are grocery shopping, planning a lesson or creating a youth activity, we make value judgments that determine what choice is better. Evaluation is the systematic analysis of the activities, impacts and effectiveness of a program. It is information you can use to learn about and make future decisions about your program. Many things influence program development: research findings, practice wisdom and evaluation findings. Evaluation is an important component of program development because it offers a path to program improvement. The goal of evaluation is action. It is a tool to improve action through information. Program evaluation is an ongoing cycle of design, implementation, monitoring and improvement.

Resources From the Compassion Capital Fund National Resource Center and Federal Programs Office, Performance Progress Report 2009. W.K. Kellogg Foundation www.wkkf.org P. Mattessich, (2003) The Manager’s Guide to Program Evaluation. St. Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. University of Wisconsin Extension www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande Checkoway, B. and Richards-Schuster, K. Participatory Evaluation with Young People. University of Michigan.

Directions The chart on the right contains some common capacity building performance measures. Take a few minutes to identify a few of the activities your agency has accomplished. Write them in the “activities completed” column below. Then, think about how your activities have impacted your organization. In the columns to the right of the “activities completed” section, identify if and how each activity has met the stated measures.

Do It Yourself After you have tried it out, design your own mini evaluation that includes the outcomes specific to your program. The phases of an evaluation are: design, data collection, analysis and reporting. Begin by stating the goals of your program and then decide what you want to find out from your evaluation. This is your evaluation question. Everything you do should connect with this question. Evaluation questions can be large or narrow and specific. Research on a specific question is a good place to start. Then, determine the methods you will use to gather your data (surveys, focus groups, interviews, observation, staff assessments, document review). Choose more than one relevant method so you can crosscheck the information you receive. Once you have collected the data, process and analyze the information. What does it tell you about your program? What are you doing well? What can you improve upon? Please note: While outcome-based evaluation is a common type of evaluation, it is only one way to approach it. See the Resources section for more information.

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Program Evaluation Basics The chart below contains some common capacity building performance measures. Take a few minutes to identify a few of the activities your agency has accomplished. Write them in the “activities completed” column below. Then, think about how your activities have impacted your organization. In the columns to the right of the “activities completed” section, identify if and how each activity has met the stated measures.

Activities Completed E.G. created board policies; provided a board or staff training; created a strategic plan; New budgeting system; Implemented systems to track participants; Created a new brochure; Created or updated a website

Increase in Funds

Increase in funds as a dollar amount from grants and contracts with federal, state and local gov’t sources, individual donors, earned income, grants

New Funding Source List new funding source: annual gifts, major gifts, events, grants, contracts, cause-related marketing, corporate giving, etc.

Increase in Persons Served Enter the increased number of clients served, if any

Improved Effectiveness

Expansion of Service

Interagency Collaboration

Improved success rates in achieving desired social service outcomes

Expansion of current services to a new geographic area, reached an underserved group, or increased the scope of services

Describe staff time, money, volunteers to inter-agency effort that resulted in: 1) new/improved social service, 2) interagency data collection/ evaluation or referral system, 3) community engagement/ awareness campaign

From the Compassion Capital Fund National Resource Center, www.ccfgrantees.org

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Considering Capacity Building: Organizational Assessments Organizational assessments are an important first step in any capacity building effort. An organizational assessment questionnaire helps agencies get a quick overview of their organization’s basic systems. It can identify strengths and weaknesses of the organization as a starting point for future planning and provide a way for agencies to learn more about what builds the health and wellbeing of an effective agency. It should not be used as a way to judge or take away funds from an organization. An assessment will be most helpful to your organization if your answers are as objective as possible. The answers to these questions will serve as an entry point for developing trainings that meet the needs of your organization to build its capacity to realize its mission. The Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council coordinated trainings and provided technical assistance to build organizational capacities of agencies that work with youth in the Northwest Hennepin region based on community and organizational assessments. The tool we used was divided into 10 categories: 1. Community 2. Mission and Planning 3. Governance 4. Organization Policies and Procedures 5. Fundraising 6. Finances 7. Human Resources 8. Communications and Marketing 9. Program 10. Technology

Resources Adapted from the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation (2006) Learning About Your Organization Assessment Questionnaire. St. Paul: Wilder Foundation.

Directions The chart on the right is an example from our initial organizational assessment. The questionnaire was designed for use by executive directors, board members, supervisors, and staff of nonprofit agencies. For each item, the respondent should mark an “x” in the box that contains the most appropriate response. At the end of each section total your responses. Add the numbers and record at the bottom. In our assessment, the grand totals from each of the ten sections were totaled, which identified priority areas for the organization to work on. Respondents were then given an opportunity to interpret and reflect on the results.



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Organizational Assessment Tool The chart below contains sample assessment questions on mission and planning from the Learning About Your Organization Assessment Questionnaire. For each item, the respondent should mark an “x” in the box that contains the most appropriate response. At the end of each section total your responses. Add the numbers and record at the bottom.

Technology 1

Our organization has an updated computer with access to the internet

2

We have a database (e.g. Microsoft Excel, Access, Filemaker, etc.) that we use to store data about our programs and participants or donors

3

We have other basic office equipment to operate our programs and run our organization (printer, copier, fax, phone)

4

Staff (and volunteers, if relevant) are trained on how to use all pertinent computer programs and the organizational database

5

Staff (and volunteers, if relevant) are comfortable using all pertinent computer programs and the organizational database

6

The organization has a system for backing up data that is on computers (on a CD, etc.) and storing the data at a secure off-site location

7

Our organization has a sufficient computer system to meet our programming needs (networked, reliable, user friendly)

8

We have access to services (an individual or company) for the troubleshooting or repair of equipment

9

Our organization has a clear and efficient electronic filing system (minimizes searching for document, increases ability to share resources and decreases duplication)

Yes

Partially Yes

No

Doesn’t Apply

Don’t Know

4

3

2

1

0

Technology Totals Technology Grand Total

/48

Comments on technology needs: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation’s Learning About Your Organization Assessment Questionnaire.

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Appendix A

Wiki Factsheet What is a Wiki? A wiki is software that allows users to easily create, edit and link pages together. Ward Cunningham, the developer of the first wiki, originally described a wiki as “the simplest online database that could possibly work”. A wiki is not a painstakingly constructed site for spontaneous visitors. Instead, it is a place for visitors to create new content and collaborate with other users to constantly change the site.

What is a wiki used for? Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites. People visit a wiki both to gather information and to add information to the site. Wikipedia is one of the best known wikis, but a lot of people use Wikipedia without contributing to it so it is not necessarily the best example to think of when trying to define a wiki. Think of a wiki as a community site where everyone is contributing to a common goal.

For additional content control, a group may designate a person wiling to monitor the pages. This person will be notified of edits to the page and then can immediately verify the validity of the changes. Lars Aronsson, a data systems specialist, summarizes the balance between open editing and verifiable content as follows: “Most people, when they first learn about the wiki concept, assume that a website that can be edited by anybody would soon be rendered useless by destructive input. It sounds like offering free spray cans next to a grey concrete wall. The only likely outcome would be ugly graffiti and simple tagging, and many artistic efforts would not be long lived. Still, it seems to work very well.”

Wikis that allow fewer users to edit content tend to grow slowly, but can be more secure and reliable. Wikis that are open to more users tend to grow more quickly, but can be seen as having more unverified content.

Why use a wiki? Allowing everyday users to create and edit any page in a Web site is exciting in that it encourages democratic use of the Web and promotes content composition by nontechnical users. The basic premise of a wiki is that the collective is always stronger than the individual. You might be able to create a fantastic website on your favorite restaurants in your neighborhood, but if you allow others to edit your page and contribute their ideas, you will likely create a much more comprehensive site about restaurants. “Open editing” has had a profound effect on how people use the Web.

Resources Networking 4 Youth Wiki http://networking4youth.wikispaces.com/ Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki Wiki: What Is Wiki http://www.wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki Wikis in Plain English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY

How can we make our wiki safe and a reliable source of information? A good wiki is designed so that users can easily correct mistakes, not so that it is difficult to make mistakes. Therefore, even though wikis are open and easily edited, they do provide a way to track and verify recent changes. Most wikis have a “recent changes” page, which lists all the edits make to the wiki within a given time period.

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Appendix B



Capacity Building Toolkit

| 39

Board Ground Rules Basic Rules for Boards, Committees and Commissions Operational Considerations

Social Behavior •

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Actively listen – seek first to understand. Listen carefully to teammates and those your organization serves. Ensure you are suitably informed. Participate actively in meetings discussions and actions. Show respect for others. When conflicts arise, be mindful of what is best of the organization; don’t be critical of personal opinions. Take a system’s perspective on issues and challenges. Do not use the organization or any part of it for your personal advantage. Provide opportunities for community involvement; beyond the circle of family and friends. Be inclusive, permeable, transparent and open. Make decisions in the best interest of the organization, not another entity or yourself. Be dedicated to the mission and organization’s success. Build teamwork. Practice inclusiveness and promote participation. Work in good faith with organization committee members as partners towards achievement of our goals. Be responsible for understanding your role and responsibilities as a member. Always work to learn more about your role as a member and how to do it better.

Logistical Guidelines Be on time.

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Have an agenda and stick to it. Allow members to suggest agenda items prior to meeting. Ensure the group has a specific charge or set of tasks to address and ensure members understand the charge. Have clear member roles and responsibilities. Strive for group representation that is reflective of your organization’s constituents. Have consecutive term limits. Call to attention issues that may have an adverse effect on the organization. Have regular meetings (at least quarterly). As a group expect regular attendance. Members should receive no monetary compensation for their duties other than reimbursement for related expenses. Take written minutes of meetings.

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Recognize that all authority is vested in the group as a whole when it meets in session, not with individuals. Represent all constituents of the organization and not of a particular interest group. Connect and be mindful to the (changing) needs of constituents. Have a good chairperson. Don’t try to do everything at once. Refer constituent or staff complaints to the proper chain of command. Have a written conflict of interests policy. Declare any conflict of interests, and avoid voting on issues that appear to be conflict of interests. Do not divert agency opportunities for personal gain. Do not discuss the confidential proceedings outside of the meetings. Respect the majority (quorum) vote decisions. When voting remember to record: “All in Favor”, “All Opposed” and “Any Abstentions” Do not promise prior to a meeting how you will vote. Be mindful that the organization is mission focused, well maintained, financially secure, steadily growing and operating in the best interest of constituents. Avoid interfering with duties of the executive or undermine the executive’s authority. Support the organization and the chief executive. Work with the executive on ensuring adequate resources to fulfill mission. Boards should ensure resources are managed effectively by assisting in developing the annual budgets and ensuring financial controls are in place. Focus on the future, not the past. Build relationships for the future. Assess performance. Make needed changes. Celebrate successes. Enhance the organization’s public image. Act as a good spokesperson.

Resources Adapted from: Office of Economic Opportunity, The Training Book for Non-profit Boards; Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence (2004); Office of MN Attorney General Lori Swanson (2007); Institute on Governance, Tips on Strengthening Board Governance; Nonprofit Board Responsibilities, Susan Blood (2002); Typical Types of Board Committees, Carter McNamara; Board Café-Board Member Agreement, Jan Masaoka.

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