Performance Measurement for
Government Nonprofit Organizations

Instructor: Dr. Theodore H. Poister

Description: A renewed commitment to performance measurement has become pervasive throughout government and the nonprofit sector in response to demands for increased accountability, pressures for improved quality and customer service, and mandates to "do more with less," as well as the drive to strengthen the capacity for results oriented management among professional public and nonprofit administrators. In addition to stand-alone performance monitoring systems, performance measures are critical to the success of strategic planning efforts, quality improvement programs, performance management processes, results based budgeting systems, and program evaluation processes.

While the idea of setting goals and identifying measures of success in achieving them might appear to be a straightforward process, a myriad of conceptual, managerial, logistical, cultural, and organizational difficulties - as well as methodological issues - make this a very challenging enterprise. This course presents a 10 step process for designing and implementing effective performance measurement systems in public and nonprofit agencies, with an emphasis on enhancing utility in improving organizational and program performance. The focus is on the interplay between measurement and management, and all topics are illustrated with examples from a wide variety of program areas.

The first day overviews the basics of performance measurement and looks at the identification of outcomes and other dimensions of performance, data sources and the definition of performance measures, criteria for evaluating potential indicators, quality assurance, the analysis of performance data, and reporting formats. The second day addresses selected topics such as comparative performance measurement, balanced scorecard models, monitoring customer feedback, and developing performance measures to help manage programs through intergovernmental systems or inter-organizational networks. The course concludes with a discussion of the "process side" of the design and implementation of performance measures and strategies for building effective monitoring systems.

Instructor's text, Performance Measurement for Public and Nonprofit Organizations (Jossey-Bass, 2003), and case studies, and other materials are provided.

Certificate: CAEP IIA.c