BY MARY WINKLER

Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy

The nonprofit sector is experiencing increasing demands to produce outcomes and results, yet nonprofits and foundations are often at odds about how or why this really matters, or who should pay. Are we even speaking the same language? Would you be surprised to know that three quarters of foundation CEOs say they currently support nonprofits’ efforts to collect data but that only about a third of nonprofits indicate receiving any financial or non-financial assistance from funders to support their assessment efforts? A good place to start is by changing the dialogue between funders and nonprofits, moving towards one where nonprofits and funders work together to support cultures of learning, analysis and continuous improvement – benefiting both the nonprofit and the larger community.

In spite of the technical and financial challenges faced by nonprofits and funders when it comes to performance measurement and assessment, there is a growing understanding and acceptance of the need to find better solutions, including more collaborative approaches. Progress is possible, but will require funders and nonprofits to challenge deeply held beliefs - indeed sometimes misconceptions – about measurement and evaluation. Changing the conversation between funders and nonprofits – to one that is open, honest, and realistic about these challenges, expectations, and the real costs associated with good measurement – has the potential to yield great dividends.

Join us for the breakout session New Models for Achieving and Assessing Performance where we will explore promising frameworks and collaboration efforts between nonprofits and foundations and invite participants into a conversation wherein they may discover the need for and value in “flipping orthodoxies.”