Summary

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In order to remain competitive and consistently improve the quality and effectiveness of the services provided to their clients, nonprofit organizations must make a concerted effort to continually identify, implement, and promote effective practices. After review of this lesson, you should now be able to: differentiate between the three different types of effective practices— best, promising, and innovative; identify and validate existing and new practices, and promote these effective practices in order to improve organizational performance. Thank you for taking the time to learn about identifying and promoting effective practices.

Benchmarking helps nonprofits to reach their mission.

When identified and successfully implemented, effective practices can help nonprofit organizations to improve the quality and quantity of services they provide to their clients; increase productivity and efficiency; replace poor processes and systems with evidence-based strategies and practices; and increase overall performance from management and staff.

Learn more about benchmarking at the links below.

Center for What Works

The Center for What Works is a nonprofit organization that aims to help social service organizations enhance their performance measurement processes, benchmark results, and strive for improved effectiveness. Members of the Center can access a number of resources, including e-learning lessons, toolkits, recorded webcasts, and case studies.
Nonprofit Good Practice Guide

This searchable online database, maintained by the Nonprofit Leadership Institute at Grand Valley State University's Johnson Center for Philanthropy, was created in 2002 to capture, organize, disseminate, and promote knowledge-based decisions in the nonprofit sector.
Promising and Effective Practices Network

As part of the National Youth Employment Coalition, PEPNet is one of the country's premier resources on what works in youth development and employment. The PEPNet website offers an online index to effective practices featuring more than 500 specific practices identified from PEPNet awardees.
Promising Practices Network
Operated by the RAND Corporation, PPN offers summaries of programs and practices that work to improve the lives of children, families, and communities.