At the risk of revealing my age, I’ll admit that I’m a huge Dave Matthews Band fan.  My high school and college days were filled with purchasing the latest CDs and caravanning to concerts — One year, I even got to sit in the third row at a concert… it may have been the third row from the back but still a third row nonetheless! My favorite Dave Matthews Band song is “Where Are You Going?” The song was released around the time that I was trying to figure out where my career was going, so I found it incredibly relatable. However, the song’s main premise is still applicable to many organizations today. 

Frequently, non-profit organizations are too focused on where they are — not where they are going. 

Organizations will have "banner years," crushing fundraising goals, engaging donors, and hosting sold-out events, and assume that they can maintain that level for years to come. They can't. Analyzing where your organization’s programs currently stand should not be the main focus but rather serve as the foundation for your strategies and approaches to where you’re going.  

Non-profits must use the information about their current performance to assess, adjust, and achieve their goals in the future.

Objectively assessing programs and initiatives, especially those that you may develop, can be challenging. As with most of our work at The Killoe Group, I recommend relying on data and other metrics to assess your programming. Using quantitative data will allow you to objectively evaluate your initiatives, minimizing the personal opinions and connections that may sway your assessment. Qualitative data and anecdotal information are also important but ultimately, data should serve as the foundation of your assessment to ensure the results are an accurate representation of your organization’s current position.

Use quantitative metrics to assess your non-profit program’s performance.

The average number of new donors over the last three years

• Is your organization’s donor base growing? 

• Is your organization attracting more people? 

• Is your message resonating in the community?

The average number of donors lost. 

• How many people are turning away from the organization? 

• Are you gaining more donors on average than you are losing?  

Your Growth in Giving rate.

• Track your growth in giving rate over several years. Click here for more information on how to calculate this. 

• Are you seeing overall growth in what donors are giving? 

• Are you increasing revenue?

The total dollars raised.

• Don't let your fundraising total be the only indicator of your program’s actual performance but identify trends.

• Analyze if you're consistently raising more money and determine the potential sources of this increase or decrease.

When evaluating a program, assess without blame and seek an outside opinion for an unbiased report.

In his book "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't," Jim Collins talks about the importance of assessment without assigning blame. As a leader and organizational steward, you much be critical of your organization without placing blame on any specific member of your team. Doing so could not only cause team members’ disengagement but also prevent the brainstorming and collaboration required to develop successful programming.

An outside consultant can provide an in-depth, blame-free analysis. This type of assessment by an external stakeholder, rather than someone internal and close to the program they’re assessing, can provide invaluable information and insight.

The external consultant providing your program assessment should be a critical thinker who can perform several functions to ensure a comprehensive evaluation.

The consultant you contract should…

• Provide a 360-degree review of your program's performance, identifying what has worked and what hasn't. They should conduct focus groups and one-on-one conversations meeting with staff to learn about your organization’s history, its mission, pain points, notable successes, etc.

• Perform a projection of fundraising revenue based on previous performance, providing essential information to support your as you determine where your organization is going.

• Share success stories from other organizations that are applicable to your situation. Some of the best ideas can come from organizations similar to yours or those facing similar challenges, and a consultant has the breadth of experience required for you to tap into that knowledge.

The Killoe Group has worked with several non-profit organizations to assess program performance and strategize for future growth. To learn more about these services, contact us.

About the author

Michael J. Buckley, CFRE is a career fundraising professional and Founder and Managing Partner of The Killoe Group. His firm assists nonprofit organizations increase revenue, exposure and capacity through smart, data driven, successive decisions and effective planning. Mike’s experience and passion for the profession of fundraising have made him a sought-after speaker, consultant and presenter. The Killoe Group’s broad experiences include annual campaign audits and management, capital campaign leadership, feasibility studies, interim program leadership, board governance, strategic planning and capacity building.