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 WISCONSIN ASSEMBLY FOR LOCAL ARTS  
 

Resource Center

Assessment

Organizational Assessment

An assessment of an organization is a brief internal review that reveals the organization's strengths and weaknesses at the time the assessment is conducted. An assessment enables you to compile somewhat subjective information regarding individual perceptions and levels of knowledge of the individuals completing the assessment board members. The results also provide you with indicators of organizational performance.

Organizational assessment forms are usually designed for use by the board of directors. A sample form is included in this section. Decide which version is most appropriate for your Board, or adapt one to more closely suit your organization.

This exercise can be used as part of an evaluation and planning process or as just a quick check up on management practices. The responses will assist you to:

Look at strengths and identify what makes those areas strong. Develop strategies to address identified weaknesses. Identify areas where you need additional information or training. Examine areas that have mixed responses. These can indicate a lack of understanding or effective communication.

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Assessment Worksheet

I. Board of Directors-
Yes
No
Don't Know
Board meetings are well attended.
 ___ ___ ___
A board orientation session is held for new board members.
 ___ ___ ___
Our board members understand the mission of our organization and how our programs help achieve it.
___ ___ ___
Our board members understand the basic organizational responsibilities that go along
with our not-for-profit (tax-exempt) status.
 ___ ___ ___
Board members understand their individual responsibilities.
 ___ ___ ___


II. Effective Meetings Yes No Don't Know
An agenda for each board meeting is distributed ahead of time.
 ___ ___ ___
A procedure exists to add an item to the printed agenda
(or "Other Business" is written at the end of the agenda).
 ___ ___ ___
The agenda is followed during the meeting.
___ ___ ___
Important agenda items receive sufficient time during meetings.
 ___ ___ ___
The meeting starts on time and concludes within a reasonable period of time.
 ___ ___ ___
The person presiding keeps the meeting under control.
 ___ ___ ___
Minutes are kept and distributed following a board meeting.
 ___ ___ ___
Board members come to meetings prepared.
 ___ ___ ___
The location is comfortable and suitable for a business meeting.
___ ___ ___


III. Planning Yes No Don't Know
Our organization produces an annual work plan which informs staff, board, and
volunteers about our activities. 		___ ___ ___
Most of our activities and events are scheduled at least six months in advance. ___ ___ ___
Our organization regularly evaluates programs. ___ ___ ___
We hold an annual planning meeting. ___ ___ ___
Our organization has a long range plan (3-5 years.) ___ ___ ___
Our city has a community plan. ___ ___ ___


IV. Program Development Yes No Don't Know
The entire board participates in the programming decision making process. ___ ___ ___
We regularly make an effort to discover what kinds of programs the community
is interested in.		 ___ ___ ___
We make an effort to present programs about a variety of cultures. ___ ___ ___
We are familiar with the resources available concerning artists and arts programs. ___ ___ ___


V. Financial Management Yes No Don't Know
We prepare an annual budget and operate within its guidelines. ___ ___ ___
A treasurer's report is regularly presented at board meetings. ___ ___ ___
The treasurer's report includes information on how closely we are following the budget. ___ ___ ___
An income statement and balance sheet are presented as part of the treasurer's report. ___ ___ ___
Project chairpersons understand how much money they must earn and how much money they can spend. ___ ___ ___
I understand how to read and interpret financial statements. ___ ___ ___


VI. Fundraising Planning Yes No Don't Know
Our membership chair is provided with a dollar goal for the annual drive. ___ ___ ___
Fundraising needs are clearly stated in the budget. ___ ___ ___
More than one board member or staff person is proficient at grant writing. ___ ___ ___
Every board member makes a personal donation to the organization.      
We receive income form a variety of sources including donations, ticket sales or admissions, and grants. ___ ___ ___


VII. Audience Development Yes No Don't Know
We try to reach different segments of the community through our marketing efforts. ___ ___ ___
We encourage audience members to return through follow-up contact and targeted marketing. ___ ___ ___
We include funds for publicity costs in our budget. ___ ___ ___
We have a capable individual responsible for planning publicity.      
We have a capable individual responsible for designing publicity. ___ ___ ___


VIII. Volunteers Yes No Don't Know
We have written job descriptions for our volunteers. ___ ___ ___
We maintain volunteer profile records on our volunteers. ___ ___ ___
We actively recruit new volunteers each year. ___ ___ ___
We provide orientation and training for our volunteers.      
We regularly recognize and/or reward our volunteers. ___ ___ ___


IX. Community Partners Yes No Don't Know
I am familiar with the organizations that work as our partners. ___ ___ ___
We actively engage in partnerships/collaborations when appropriate and feasible. ___ ___ ___
We engage in a variety of partnership relationships ranging from simple communication
to co-sponsoring events.		 ___ ___ ___
We explore the full range of partnership benefits including sharing/exchange of material,
human, and financial resources.		      


X. Services Yes No Don't Know
We circulate flyers, newsletters, brochures, etc. from state and national organizations
as appropriate.		 ___ ___ ___
We belong to one or more service organizations that I am aware of. ___ ___ ___
Someone from our organization attends at least one workshop, conference, or meeting
each year. 		___ ___ ___


XI. Evaluation Yes No Don't Know
The board of directors regularly evaluates the director, programs, and activities of the
organization.		 ___ ___ ___
When possible, we ask audience members to evaluate the programs they attend. ___ ___ ___
Committees are regularly involved in evaluation. ___ ___ ___
Staff (if applicable) provides evaluation to the board.      

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Arts Services Inventory

This check list can be useful in helping you assess your agency and what it provides to its constituents.

Your City ______________________________
Person in charge of Arts Programs/Services ______________________________
Address ______________________________
Zip Code ______________________________
Telephone

(__________)___________________
Fax (__________)___________________
Email ______________________________
Arts / Cultural Council / Commission Yes___ No___
Full time Director Yes___ No___
Staff (not including Director) 1___ 2___ 3___ 4___ 5+___
Advisory Council Yes___ Number___ No___
Annual Budget $_________________
Cultural Strategic Plan (component of City Plan) Yes___ No___
Needs Assessment in past 3 years Yes___ No___
Re-Granting program Yes___ No___
Provides technical assistance
(professional development to arts organizations)		 Yes___ No___
 
II. Funding Source(s) - check as applicable (estimate percentage of total budget)
Total Yes___ No___ %___
Percent for Arts Yes___ No___ %___
General Fund Yes___ No___ %___
Entertainment tax Yes___ No___ %___
Other tax Yes___ No___ %___
Earned Yes___ No___ %___
State funding Yes___ No___ %___
NEA funding Yes___ No___ %___
Foundation Yes___ No___ %___
Corporate Yes___ No___ %___
 
III. Facilities    
Includes Theatre Yes___ No___
Gallery / exhibit space Yes___ No___
Artists creative space Yes___ No___
Dance space Yes___ No___
Music space Yes___ No___
Children's areas Yes___ No___
Staff Full time___ Part time___
Volunteers ___  
Hours M - F______ Weekend______
Square footage ___  
 
IV. Arts Classes / Workshops
Music Yes___ No___
Dance Yes___ No___
Theatre / Performance Yes___ No___
Painting Yes___ No___
Sculpture Yes___ No___
Crafts (pottery, jewelry, metalwork, other) Yes___ No___
Folk Arts Yes___ No___
 
V. Cultural Tourism
CVB partnership Yes___ No___
VI. Downtown Redevelopment Yes___ No___
VII. Afterschool Arts Programs Yes___ No___
Youth-at-Risk Arts programs Yes___ No___
VIII. Senior Citizens Arts Programs Yes___ No___
IX. Artist "Open Studios" Tours Yes___ No___
X. Special Events Yes___ No___
Art Fairs / Festivals Yes___ No___
Music Concert Series Yes___ No___
Exhibits / Openings Yes___ No___
Gallery Night Yes___ No___
XI. Arts Awards - City Sanctioned Yes___ No___

Please send back a copy of this inventory to WALA. It will give us a better idea of who you are, and how we can better provide services for you!

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Richard Linzer on Board Development/Assessment

For more information or to order publications, contact Richard Linzer, Facilitator and Consultant, P.O. Box 374, Indianola, WA 98342; phone (360) 297-8331; fax (360) 297-8254.

No More Volunteers, Only Unpaid Staff

Americans today are not acting like their fathers and mothers when they join the boards of nonprofit organizations. In the past, a sense of civic obligation, mixed with low expectations for personal reward, created the classic volunteer. This is the person much of the board development literature holds up to us as an ideal board member. Well, times have changed.

Many more people are now needed to serve on the boards of the nation's roughly one million nonprofit organizations. These folks have far less time than Mom or Dad did. In The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure, Juliet Schor points out that leisure time has dropped by thirty percent or more for most Americans.

What does this mean_ It means that we have board members with far less time available to help us get the job done. In the face of declining leisure time and with a greater emphasis on self-improvement, prospective board members are looking us over carefully, demanding more from our organizations. We have to invest a great deal more time and energy in insuring their satisfaction. And if we have to invest more, they have to be worth more. It is small wonder that Peter Drucker says, "In the well-run nonprofit organization, there are no more volunteers, there is only unpaid staff."

Ask yourself, "Would I hire someone simply on the basis of their willingness to work with me_" The answer, without exception, should be "No." Yet we continue to recruit board members as if their willingness to join us is the most important virtue they bring to the board room. When we think of board members as unpaid staff, it is clear that we are going to have to change the way we recruit. We must begin to think differently.

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Redefining the Function of a Nonprofit Board

Across the land, an active debate is occurring about the function of board members of nonprofit organizations. I propose that we look at boards as groups capable of solving complex problems. By complex, I mean problems that cannot be realistically solved by one or two people. It follows that board members contribute through their ability to assist the organization by bringing intellectual, emotional, and energetic resources to bear on complex problems.

If we identify the function of the board as problem-solving, its roles and responsibilities are clear. Board members are policy makers, evaluators, advocates, and resource gatherers.

As policy makers, board members are asked to determine how the organization will conduct its activities. Staff are assigned to carry out what needs to be done. In governing, the board members use policy to drive the organization rather than run the day-to-day operations. Governance determines and reflects the values to be served and observed by the organization.

As evaluators, board members provide oversight. This means that board members are responsible for recognizing problems early on. The best way to fulfill this function is to spend some time designing assessment and monitoring procedures. The information obtained by evaluation is used to improve the workings of the organization. In this role, board members might evaluate the executive director's performance, board members' performance, and assess the degree to which the organization is fulfilling its mission and maintaining fiscal solvency.

As advocates, board members are asked to defend the organization's policies in public. There are times when advocacy is a difficult and challenging task for board members. At other times, advocacy requires that board members forge links with different sectors of the community, so that friends and supporters will be there in times of stress and conflict.

As resource gatherers, board members are asked to be more than fund-raisers. Organizations need all sorts of resources, including specialized information, facilities, equipment, volunteers, and the ability to borrow from banks and to access credit from vendors. Board members can help to secure many of these resources.

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Rethinking Board Development

The process of board development presented in this kit differs from traditional approaches in two important ways. First, board members are viewed as unpaid staff, in contrast to the idealized volunteers of yesterday. This means that the approach to scouting and recruiting new members is closer to the way we hire new staff than to the procedures that have been followed by most nonprofit institutions in selecting volunteers for board service.

Second, I believe that the primary function of the board is to solve complex problems. In other words, we ask the board to address situations and circumstances that require creative solutions. By working together, an effective board can confront these challenges. Boards will still be required to be policy makers, evaluators, advocates, and resource gatherers; however, the overarching task for the board is to solve complex problems.

If form follows function, then our recruitment efforts need to keep in mind both the performance of specific tasks which the organization requires, as well as the larger arena in which we ask board members to participate. The exclusive use of demographics, or the singular reliance on social or political or economic criteria is simply not adequate. We need to anticipate how people can work effectively together, bringing their diversity to bear on solving complex problems.

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Publications available from Richard Linzer Facilitation and Consultation:

The Board Development Kit—used at a retreat or series of meetings by nonprofit organizations that wish to strengthen their board and to recruit new board members.

The Board Retreat Kit—used at a retreat by board and staff members of a nonprofit organization to develop an action-oriented annual strategic plan for the institution.

The Collaboration Workbook—designed for organizations that are forming partnerships after having participated in a day and a half long retreat using The Board Retreat Kit. Illuminates strategies and issues in negotiation that are essential in sustaining commitment for mutual benefit.

The Strategic Planning Retreat Kit for Public Agencies—used by staff as well as commissions and councils that operate in the public arena. The focus of the retreat is strategic and action planning, with an emphasis on formal and informal mandates, and careful assessment of services provided to constituents.

Money Matters! A Kit for Nonprofit Board and Staff Members—designed to be used in conjunction with It's Simple! Money Matters for the Nonprofit Board Member. A logical sequence of self-administered exercises guides the participants toward a fiscal policies plan for the organization.

  

 

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