Chapter 9
Evaluating Your Work: Are You Meeting Your Goals?
IN THIS CHAPTER
Recognizing the need for evaluation
Orienting yourself to what the evaluation process involves
Analyzing the results and implementing them
How do you know whether your nonprofit organization is meeting its goals? How do you know whether your approach is valid, your staff is qualified, and your clients benefit from what you do? When your nonprofit's resources are scarce, you may want to put all of them into providing direct benefits to the people you serve. But, wait. When resources are scarce, they must be used in the best possible way. That's why you have to set aside some of the organization's time, money, and attention for evaluation.
Most organizations gather information during the normal course of doing their work. A good evaluation can be one in which you collect information in a consistent, systematic way and ask the right questions so that you learn from its patterns and particulars. This chapter outlines what goes into a meaningful evaluation and explains how to interpret the results and implement any necessary changes.
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