FIELD GUIDE TO

1 FIELD GUIDE TO. nonprofit PROGRAM design , marketing AND evaluation . Fifth Edition By Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD. Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Minneapolis, MN USA. Copyright 2002, 2017 Authenticity Consulting, LLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means now known or to be invented, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage or retrieval system without written permission from the author or publisher, except for brief inclusion or quotations for review. For reprint permission, more information on Authenticity Consulting, LLC, or to order additional copies of this or any of our other publications, please contact: Authenticity Consulting, LLC + toll-free 4008 Lake Drive Avenue North + direct Minneapolis, MN 55422-1508 USA Trademarks Authenticity Circles , Free Management Library , Free nonprofit Micro-eMBA and Free Micro-eMBA are service marks of Authenticity Consulting, LLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

2 Authenticity Consulting and Leveraging the Power of Peers are registered marks of Authenticity Consulting, LLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Leaders Circles is a registered trademark of MAP for Nonprofits in St. Paul, Minnesota. Credits Cover design by Erin Scott/Wylde Hare Creative, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photographs 2005 JupiterImages , primary cover photo;. Teri McNamara/ Impressions & Expressions and Erin Scott/Wylde Hare Creative, other photos. Illustrations by Erin Scott/Wylde Hare Creative. Clip art by Nova Development Corporation Art Explosion 750,000 Images. Printed by Graphic & Printing Services, Big Lake, Minnesota.

3 Manufactured in the United States of America First Edition, June 2002. Second Edition, February 2003. Third Edition, June 2003. Fourth Edition, May 2006. Fifth Edition, June 2017. Waiver of Responsibility Various web addresses are referenced in this book. The author and publisher have no legal responsibility or liability for the currency or accuracy of these web addresses or the content at these addresses. Information in this book is not to be considered as legal, tax and/or financial advice as if from an expert specifically in those areas. In-depth and technical advice needed in those areas should be obtained from professionals in those areas.

4 Publisher's Cataloging in Publication Data McNamara, Carter, 1953 - FIELD GUIDE to nonprofit Program design , marketing and evaluation / by Carter McNamara ISBN 1-933719-34-6. ISBN 978-1-933719-34-4. 1. nonprofit programs . 2. marketing . 3. evaluation . I. Title Table of Contents Table of Introduction ..vii Focus of this FIELD vii Uses for this FIELD GUIDE .. vii Updates to Produce this Fifth vii How to Use this FIELD GUIDE .. viii Get Help Do Not Do It All By x About the Author .. xi About Authenticity Consulting, LLC .. xi xii PART I: BACKGROUND AND PREPARATION .. 1. Understanding nonprofit Organizations and Benefits of a Systems 3.

5 Understanding the System of Organizations and programs .. 4. System Direction: Mission, Vision, Values, Goals and Strategies .. 8. Nonprofits programs , Configurations and Types .. 8. Organization Chart of a Typical Start-Up 11. Organization Chart of a Typical Small nonprofit with a CEO .. 12. Organization Chart of a Typical Medium-to-Large Sized nonprofit .. 13. Depicting the System of a nonprofit 14. Theory of Change How a Program Really Works .. 14. Understanding Life Cycles of Organizations and 20. Understanding the General Planning Process ..24. Basic Planning Process and Terms .. 24. Guidelines to Ensure Successful Planning and 25.

6 Guidelines for Successful Program Development and evaluation .. 28. Use Board Committees or Task Forces .. 30. How to Acculturate the Processes of Planning, marketing and Evaluating .. 31. Common Approaches to Program Planning ..33. Build It and They Will Come Approach .. 33. Seat-of-the-Pants 34. Incremental Planning Approach .. 35. Business Planning Approach .. 35. A Business Development Approach Earned Income or Social Enterprise .. 37. Good Program Development Is Good Program Management .. 38. Considerations to Ensure Sustainable programs .. 38. Strategic Planning: Overall Direction for All of Your programs .

7 40. What Is Strategic Planning?.. 40. All Else Flows from Strategic Planning .. 41. Developing Your Basic Strategic Plan .. 42. i PART II: PROGRAM PLANNING .. 45. Chronology of Activities in Program Planning .. 47. General Guidelines .. 47. Use a Board programs Committee .. 48. Importance of a Strong marketing Orientation .. 51. Good Program marketing Is Good Program 51. Critical Role of Market Research .. 51. Developing Your Program Framework .. 53. Assessment of Community Needs and 53. Vision for Program Participants .. 56. Desired Outcomes for Program Participants .. 57. Program Methods to Help Participants Achieve the Outcomes.

8 59. Outcomes Goals/Targets and Indicators Toward Hitting the Targets .. 60. Outputs/Tangibles Produced by the Program Methods .. 62. Preliminary Program Logic 62. Conducting Your marketing Analysis .. 64. Use a Board marketing Committee .. 64. Target Markets and Their Unique Features .. 67. Perceived Program Benefits to Each Target Market .. 68. Packaging .. 69. Unique Value Proposition .. 70. Naming and 71. Pricing 72. Know Your Competition .. 73. What Current or Potential Collaborators Exist? .. 74. Applicable Laws and Regulations .. 75. Intellectual Property Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents .. 76. Summary Description of a Program.

9 76. Remaining marketing Analysis Tasks and Considerations .. 77. marketing Goals .. 77. Planning Your Program 78. Guidelines for Estimating Your Program Costs .. 78. Starting Your Program .. 81. Planning Your Program Operations .. 83. Advertising and Promotions .. 83. 85. Customer 86. Delivery of Services .. 87. Personnel Management .. 88. Materials (Supplies, Tools, Equipment and Facilities).. 89. Planning Your Program 91. Key Financial 91. How to Develop a Summary Program Budget .. 92. ii PART III: PROGRAM 101. Understanding Program Myths About Program evaluation .. 103. What Is Program evaluation ? .. 104.

10 Reasons to Do Program Evaluations .. 104. Basic Ingredients for a Program evaluation .. 105. Major Considerations in Designing Your Program 106. Common Types of Program Implementation evaluation What Are We Actually Doing? .. 108. Process evaluation How Does Our Program Actually Work? .. 109. Goals-Based evaluation Are We Achieving Our Goals? .. 110. Outcomes evaluation What Are the Impacts On Our Clients?.. 112. Planning Your Program Should You Hire a Program Evaluator? .. 114. Who Is the Audience for Your Program evaluation ?.. 115. What Management Decisions Do You Need to Make? .. 115. What evaluation Questions Should You Ask?