“Developing Measurable
Outcomes”
Presenter – Ed Allen,Ph.D.
This Session’s Outcomes
 Outcomes Are The Heart
 Terminology & Definitions & Characteristics
 Examples and Resources
 A Word About Benchmarking
 Share Questions/Experiences
OUTCOMES ARE THE HEART
This is the heart of the funding
proposal because it is where you
indicate precisely what you intend to
accomplish through your project and
what you will accept as proof of your
project’s impact.
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RFP FOR OVERALL FOCUS
NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR SPECIFIC FOCUS
OUTCOMES FOR ADDRESSING NEEDS
ACTIVITIES FOR ACHIEVING OUTCOMES
EVALUATION FOR MEASURING OUTCOMES
TERMINOLOGY & DEFINITIONS
& CHARACTERISTICS
 GOAL
 OUTCOME/OBJECTIVE
 PERFORMANCE MEASURE/INDICATOR
Defined: Broad statements of
ultimate aims of the project.
Where you want to be when
the project is finished.
OBJECTIVES
Defined: Precise statements of what the project
intends to accomplish and what will be accepted as
proof of accomplishment. (may be called “outcomes”)
• Specific & measurable (give numbers when possible)
• Specified time frame
• Specified target population
• Tied directly to the NEEDS section
• Aligned with BUDGET section
• Aligned with EVALUATION section
Two Types of Objectives
 Process-Based: State the actions/programs to be
implemented (“to provide,” “to develop,” “to
implement”)
 Performance Based: State quantifiable results and
program impact (“to increase,” “to decrease”)
PERFORMANCE
MEASURES/INDICATORS
DEFINED: Specific, measurable information collected to
track accomplishment of the project’s outcomes.
Where in the Proposal: Objectives, Evaluation, and/or
Separate Section Altogether.
QUALITATIVE (interview, observe, focus group)
QUANTITATIVE (survey, testing, questionnaire)
EXAMPLES OF OUTCOMES
(See Handout)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
 Strengthening Nonprofits: A Capacity Builder’s
Resource Library. www.strengtheningnonprofits.org
 Benchmarking for Nonprofits – How to Measure,
Manage, and Improve Performance. By Jason Saul
OUTCOMES ARE NOT JUST
FOR GRANTS
Nonprofit performance is much broader than program
results. Take the example of PipeVine, a nonprofit that
handled online transaction processing for donations to
charities. Its program (donation processing services)
performed well. However, Pipevine’s deficient
accounting and fiscal management put the organization
and its customers at risk, ultimately forcing it to shut its
doors. This led some observers to refer to PipeVine as
the “Enron of nonprofits.” The bottom line: program
performance does not tell the whole story of an
organization.
Source: Benchmarking for Nonprofits. Jason Saul. P.5.
BENCHMARKING
A SYSTEMATIC, CONTINUOUS
PROCESS OF MEASURING AND
COMPARING AN ORGANIZATION’S
BUSINESS PROCESSES AGAINST
LEADERS IN ANY INDUSTRY TO
GAIN INSIGHTS THAT WILL HELP
THE ORGANIZATION TAKE ACTION
TO IMPROVE ITS PERFORMANCE.
-- Source: International Benchmarking Clearinghouse --
 YOUR QUESTIONS
 YOUR EXPERIENCES