2 - Identifying Areas of Need - Identifying and Promoting Effective Practices

Identifying Areas of Need

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Performance improvement lies at the heart of all benchmarking studies. Because of this, your organization's needs should drive the process of identifying effective practices. When brainstorming areas in which to identify effective practices, consider both current and anticipated areas of need. Where is your organization weakest? What events do you anticipate affecting your organization in the coming months and years? How do you think the cultural climate in your geographical area will impact your ability to provide needed services to your clients? The need areas you identify through these brainstorming activities will fall into one of two categories: programmatic needs and organizational needs. Once you identify these areas of need, you will be ready to move onto the next step of the benchmarking process: identifying effective practices.

Programmatic needs are client-facing.

Programmatic needs address the methods or activities that your organization uses in providing services to your clients. Programmatic needs can include, but are not limited to:

Program design

Work plans

Project management

Information or reporting systems

Community organizing

Volunteer recruitment

Evaluation

Context-specific processes (i.e., practices that apply to organizations that serve certain populations or address a specific set of needs)

Conducting regular needs assessments within your community or client base can be a vital step in the larger capacity building process and the identification of programmatic areas in need of improvement.

Analyze client needs.

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Organizational needs are internal.

Organizational needs address the methods or activities that, when implemented, impact your organization's ability to implement and manage programs. Organizational needs may include some of the following topics:

Governance

Board development

Human resources management

Financial management

Grant acquisition

Grant management

Strategic planning

Partnerships and collaborations

Outcomes and quality improvement

Informational technology management

Fundraising

Marketing

Identifying organizational needs requires a proactive approach. Survey program leadership and stakeholders to identify potential strategic needs and survey all staff to identify what processes and systems would benefit from improvement.

Programmatic needs can sometimes create an organizational domino effect.

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