How do you select the right assessment tool for your non-profit program?

1 Define your purpose

Before you choose an assessment tool, you need to clarify why you want to assess your program and what questions you want to answer. For example, do you want to assess your program's design, implementation, or results? Do you want to compare your program to a standard or a benchmark? Do you want to explore your program's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats? Do you want to inform your decision-making, improve your quality, or communicate your impact? Your purpose will determine the type, scope, and level of assessment you need and the criteria you will use to evaluate your program.

2 Review your options

Once you have defined your purpose, you can review the different types of assessment tools available and see which ones match your needs. Some common types of assessment tools are surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, tests, case studies, portfolios, and logic models. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of validity, reliability, feasibility, and usability. You can also consider the format, frequency, and duration of the assessment tool, as well as the data collection and analysis methods involved. You can consult existing literature, databases, and networks to find examples and best practices of assessment tools used by similar programs.

3 Select your criteria

After you have reviewed your options, you can select the criteria that will help you compare and choose the best assessment tool for your program. Some possible criteria are alignment, appropriateness, accessibility, affordability, and adaptability. Alignment means how well the assessment tool matches your program's goals, objectives, indicators, and standards. Appropriateness means how well the assessment tool fits your program's context, culture, and ethics. Accessibility means how easy it is to obtain, administer, and use the assessment tool. Affordability means how much the assessment tool costs in terms of money, time, and effort. Adaptability means how flexible and responsive the assessment tool is to changes and feedback.

4 Test your tool

Before you implement your chosen assessment tool, you should test it to ensure its quality and suitability. You can pilot your assessment tool with a small sample of your program's participants, staff, or partners and collect their feedback. You can also check your assessment tool for validity, reliability, bias, and errors. Validity means how accurately the assessment tool measures what it intends to measure. Reliability means how consistently the assessment tool produces the same results under the same conditions. Bias means how unfairly the assessment tool favors or disadvantages certain groups or perspectives. Errors mean how inaccurately the assessment tool records or interprets the data.

5 Evaluate your results

After you implement your assessment tool, you should evaluate the results and use them to inform your program development. You can analyze the data using quantitative or qualitative methods, or a combination of both, depending on your purpose and questions. You can also compare the results with your expectations, standards, or benchmarks and identify any gaps, discrepancies, or surprises. You can also communicate the results to your funders, stakeholders, and beneficiaries and show how your program is performing, improving, and making a difference. You can also use the results to plan your next steps, make adjustments, or celebrate your achievements.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?