Measuring Success

I've been participating in a conversation on Tactical Philanthropy that's being moderated by Sean Stannard-Stockton regarding how to measure success in the non-profit sector. It's a fascinating conversation and I encourage all of you to add to the thread if you have a chance.

The basic question is this: what common measurements should we use in the non-profit world and why? People from all over the sector have chimed in - with widely ranging viewpoints. Some have insisted that metrics have no place in philanthropic work, others have insisted that philanthropy is worthless without some way to measure its effectiveness.

The impetus for this conversation is the addition of non-profit organization data to the pool of information available via Google finance - something that investors regularly use to evaluate their options, and something that could eventually serve a similar purpose for donors. Take a moment to search for organization's data and see what information comes up. Is it an accurate reflection of your work? Does it tell potential donors what you do and why they should become a part of your efforts? What additional or different information would you add if you could?

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Leave your comments on this blog, or on Sean's, and let the world know what you think!