Edward M. Haugh Jr. ESC Consultant

III. Recommendations for Applying Outcomes Planning to ESC  I. Introduction to Outcomes Planning II. A Sample ESC Project Using Outcomes Planning

I. Introduction to outcomes planning

 Promotes accountability  Helps us know if we are we really getting value for our money  Meets government, and funders demand for real tangible results

 Strengthen existing services  Target effective services for expansion  Identify staff and training needs  Develop and justify budgets  Prepare long-range plans  Focus board on programmatic issues

What are your measurable outcomes? Mark each category that applies to your grant measures.  Increased visibility/awareness of issue  Effected policy change  Engaged constituents & beneficiaries  Increased resources for issue  Educated constituents  Improved condition/quality of life in community  Influenced stakeholders

Tangible benefits or changes for individuals or populations, during or after participating in a program or project

 Improved (nutrition, morale)  Increased (employment)  Reduced (HIV transmission)  Enhanced (knowledge)  Maintained (vaccination coverage)

 Improved board governance  Increased financial sustainability  Reduced volunteer turnover  Enhanced market recognition  Improved strategic focus

 Outcomes are the results  Outputs are the tangible products produced by an intervention  Usually expressed as nouns  Can be counted

 Classes taught  Brochures distributed  Clients served  Contracts completed  Board retreats completed  Strategic plans prepared

 Measure the quantity or quality of the outcome or output

 Outcomes sometimes confused with outcome indicators  Outcome: girls participating in a training program obtain formal employment  Outcome indicators: the # and % of participants employed within 3 months of completing the program

Outcome: Participants in a job training program obtain a job in a timely manner  # (%) of participants employed within 6 weeks  # (%) of participants still employed 3 months after completing the program

 # (%) of participants employed within 6 weeks  # (%) of participants still employed 3 months after completing the program  60% of participants will gain employment within 6 weeks  95% of participants who obtained employment will still be employed in 3 months

ProcessesOutcomesOutputsInputs Impact

Putting it all Together Putting it all Together ComponentIndicatorTargetKey Assumptions Outcome Output Program/ Activity/ Process Input

Outcomes Outputs Programs Activities Processes Inputs If Key Assumptions

 Type I Failure – the model doesn’t work  Type II Failure – the model is not properly implemented

 Explain why an outcome is or is not being achieved  Still need to track inputs, activities, outputs  Prove that the outcome is the result of your program

 Outputs are often more tangible  Outcomes are less tangible  Its easier to count tangibles than to describe intangibles  Outcomes take longer to produce  Measuring outcomes is challenging  Measuring outcomes can be expensive and time consuming

II.A sample ESC project using outcomes planning

 A good problem analysis or diagnosis  Good Planning

Inputs Processes Outputs Short-term Outcomes Medium- term Outcome Staff time Volunteer time CRM Time ESC manageme nt time Board time Funds from scholarship Board & Mgt meeting with ESC Consultants Financial review Develop projections for expanding access Develop plan for access Gap analysis and ED training Progress reports Meetings completed Projections prepared and approved Expansion plan approved Gap analysis finalized Final report ED training completed Improved fiduciary management Improved financial performance Improved ED performance Improved access to oral health Long- term Outcome Improved Health Logic model for the ESC Engagement Deliverables Impact Improved health, economic productivity and lowered emergency room costs for the county

Applying outcomes planning to ESC’s work

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 ESC Project planning  Project implementation/Monitoring  Program Evaluation/ensuring accountability  Communicating value to funders and stakeholders  Annual reporting

 Define desirable outcomes for key activities/programs  Develop indicators to determine if outcomes have been achieved  Identify the means of verifying the performance  Identify a SMART goal relating to the outcomes 30

Outcomes Improved governance - board operating more effectively Indicator Regular board meetings Meetings are more effective Board attendance has increased Board turnover has reduced Board members more satisfied with their volunteer service Means of indicator Discussions with board chair, board minutes, surveys, attendance records, etc. Sample SMART goal Attendance at board meetings increased from 75% of members per meeting to 90% within 6 months; Board satisfaction (as measured by a survey) will be increased from “satisfied” to “highly satisfied” with 6 months 31

Outcomes Improved understanding of board/staff roles Improved committee structure Improved relationships among the board members Indicator Participants can distinguish between the roles of board/staff All necessary committees in place and staffed Board members have increased knowledge of each other’s backgrounds, skills, motivation for joining board Means of indicator Pre-and post-tests, interviews Survey, interviews Surveys, interviews, final evaluation 32

33  Board and management “buy-in”  Consultant “buy-in”  Client “buy-in”  Staff training  Time and effort (financial)  Continuous learning cycle

 Develop a set of model outcomes for each ESC activity  Clearly specify the intended outcome for engagements  Evaluate whether the outcome has been achieved (or is likely to be achieved within an appropriate timeframe)  Provide training and support to secure “buy in”  Collect data and report to our stakeholders  Help our clients measure their own outcomes 34

Board Retreat  ESC facilitated x board retreats which the nonprofits reported improved relations among the board members, x developed improved committee structures and x reported improved board member understanding of the roles the board and staff. 35

Board Development  ESC helped x no of nonprofits to improve their board governance; of these x filled all vacant board positions; x developed more effective committees and x reported more effective board meetings. 36

Thank you!