As I talk about in the book, they need to apply what Good to Great Author, Jim Collins says in his monograph: Good to Great for the Social Sector, “A great organization is one that delivers superior performance and makes a distinct impact over time. For a business financial returns are a perfectly legitimate measure of performance. For a social sector organization, however, performance must be assessed relative to mission, not financial returns. In the social sectors, the critical question is not ‘How much money do we make per dollar invested?’ but “How effectively do we deliver on our mission and make a distinctive impact, relative to our resources.”

In my opinion, too many organizations are focused on running their programs, yet not measuring the outcomes of all they are doing on their bottom line, their mission.

This really speaks to the paradigm shift that nonprofits are almost being forced to undergo, albeit, with a different set of terms. For many, the word, “business” is taboo and sets up a defensive response. Yes, I’m generalizing, but this is based on my own experience.

I agree that organizations should be monitoring and evaluating their activities for community impact and alignment with the mission. I don’t understand why so many are eager to expand programs and services when they often struggle to maintain or build the ones they have. This speaks to their “heart” – the desire to do more for the people or cause they serve.