From the Chronicle of Philanthropy: “In the past few years, measurement has quickly evolved from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must have’ for nonprofits. Government agencies, foundations, and private donors have been demanding answers to the question: Did that program make a difference?
In times of financial turmoil, government funds for nonprofit work are particularly scarce, and we expect continued belt-tightening in the coming months. Domestic discretionary spending is slated to be cut by 5.3 percent this year, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates that reductions from the sequester will grow larger in the coming years.
That means demonstrating results is increasingly critical for nonprofits trying to secure state and federal funds. In many states, such as Washington and Illinois, governments are supporting only those groups whose programs are making a substantial contribution toward state goals. As the Illinois Office of Management and Budget Web Site says, the state will ‘end the automatic funding of programs’ and will support ‘only those programs that can demonstrate effectiveness and help the state achieve its stated outcomes and goals.’
In light of these pressures, here are some tips to help nonprofits show their worth…” How to Impress Donors With Your Programs in a Tough Economy – Measuring Up – The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas.
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