Long-time readers of this blog may remember being among the first to know about the winners of the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grant competition last summer. Back then, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) announced 11 intermediary organizations tasked with identifying and scaling-up promising nonprofits by means of more than $120 million in public/private funding. At the time, a handful of subgrantees were competitively preselected, but the vast majority of subgrantees remained to be chosen by these 11 intermediaries. Read the rest of this entry »
Author Archive for Christopher Frascella
2011 Social Innovation Fund Winners: What Will It Take?
Mar
17
Contributed by Christopher Frascella,
Posted in Social Solutions
Why Securing Non Profit Funds is Critical & How Non Profit Fund Tracking Helps Organizations
Feb
17
Contributed by Christopher Frascella,
Posted in Non Profit Webinars, Social Solutions
This article is a summary about the Non Profit Fund Tracking webinar that occurred in the past. Click on the link above to see the full webinar.
Non profit funds equip organizations to transform vision into meaningful action. Unfortunately, there isn’t always enough for everyone.
Every successful cause started out as a noble idea; but it’s not enough just to have the burning desire to save the world. Making a difference requires the right resources. Resources cost money. And we all know that money just doesn’t grow on trees.
The newest trend in competitive funding for non profits is a method known as the outcomes-based approach.
Funders have become more concerned about the ultimate result of their investment and so are giving to organizations that can thoroughly demonstrate impact.
In the end, the service provider that can prove its productivity lands the non profit grants.
Two faith-based organizations – Catholic Charities of Houston, and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Greater Boston – recently came face-to-face with non profit funding predicaments of their own.
Instead of sitting down at the drawing board to formulate the most brilliant fundraising schemes known to mankind, they focused on improving their non profit accounting and reporting practices to attract sources of non profit funds.
By using Social Solutions’ Efforts-to-Outcomes (ETO™) software, both organizations executed the results-based measurement strategies that are so appealing to both federal and private contributors of non profit endowments.
These are their stories:
Catholic Charities of Houston
Over 90,000 people in the greater Houston area look to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston for hope. Most are without work, daily provisions, education and healthcare.
For over 60 years, Catholic Charities of Houston has administered care and comfort to the needy through its extensive offering of social welfare programs, including:
Adoption and foster care services
- Unplanned pregnancy
- Infant adoption
- Domestic foster care
- Post-adoption counseling
- Unaccompanied refugee minors and St. Michael’s home for Children
- Counseling services
- Food and basic needs assistance
- Food pantry
- Guadalupe Center for families in crisis
- Beacon of Hope for those experiencing financial hardships
- Disaster recovery
- Immigration legal services and refugee resettlement
- Senior services
- Transitional housing for women and children
- AIDS ministries
Over the next 20 years, Catholic Charities hopes to obtain non profit funds for the expansion of its programs, particularly in the areas of senior care and housing assistance.
The charitable organization also set its sights on increasing program capacity by establishing an online system to track non profit resources and generate reports for prospective funders.
In 2009, Catholic Charities integrated ETO non profit management software into its operations. In spite of a significant learning curve and concerns about importing previous case data, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
The user-friendly platform offered the staff the capability to generate client reports, organize data, confirm end-of-the-year numbers, perform outcomes assessments, and launch and maintain valuable relationships with other Catholic charities.
Since implementing ETO software, Catholic Charities of Houston has witnessed substantial progress.
Donations of non profit funds allowed them to open of a new community center in Fort Bend County, and this year the organization accepted its fourth consecutive four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Greater Boston
150 years after its founding, Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Greater Boston (JF&CS) continues to live up to its reputation as a trusted provider of comprehensive human services to those in need.
They are one of the nation’s largest non profit organizations, reaching 30,000 people in 100 communities throughout Greater Boston.
Their programs address issues of teenage pregnancy, financial crisis, disability, aging, legal advocacy, domestic violence, mental health and poverty.
Like Catholic Charities, JF&CS recognized the value of accurate outcomes-based reporting in the process to obtain non profit funds.
They sought a solution that would measure what was most important (impact), create meaningful proposals for funders, establish greater transparency for all parties involved, and demonstrate measurable results.
JF&CS decided to implement Efforts-to-Outcomes software in 2009 due to its flexibility and customization.
Using ETO software, the organization aggregated data from multiple sources and arranged it according to category (ethnicity, age, geography and income).
By doing so, staff members and leaders were able to track monitor ongoing activities, and address who was served on each level in each of their community centers.
Perhaps their biggest accomplishment was the procurement of $900,000 in federal non profit funds to improve their collaborative Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program.
HPRP is a multi-agency initiative providing direct services and financial support to help people at risk for homelessness maintain housing, and to assist those who are homeless to locate housing.
ETO software measures the progress of clients involved in HPRP, keeps an accurate count of programs in multiple agencies, and enables staff members to cross-reference clients according to specific criteria.
In 2009, 91 new families took advantage of HPRP’s services, and $115,279.29 in financial assistance was made available.
Thanks to ETO software, Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Greater Boston was able to secure desperately needed non profit funds. The gift empowered them to widen their sphere of influence and generate stability in the lives of those in poverty.
To learn more about this subject, view our webinar entitled “Using Outcomes Measurement to Secure Federal and Private Funding.”
Go from non profit fund tracker back to the main Webinar page
Tags: case management software, eto money, non profit fund tracker, non profit software, performance management
How WINGS for Kids After School Program Evaluation Helped to Gauge the Effectiveness of their Youth Development Initiatives
Jan
17
Contributed by Christopher Frascella,
Posted in Non Profit Webinars, Social Solutions
Providers of extracurricular services have long understood the importance of after school program evaluation.
To increase a project’s effectiveness, providers must first be aware of its weaknesses.
After school evaluation reveals areas that could benefit from improvements, e.g. curriculum and activities, funding allocation, staffing, and facility modifications.
Assessment can also help after school non profit organizations to further clarify their overall community impact, short-term goals and future expectations.
Accurate reporting of these findings ensures that these organizations are able to not only provide relevant and effective after school programs but also attract and retain essential funding for after school programs.
What is WINGS for Kids?
WINGS for Kids (WFK), a non profit based in Charleston, South Carolina, is an organization that, for years, has successfully engaged in after school program evaluation.
Since its founding in 1996, WINGS has offered comprehensive training to the city’s impoverished youth through fresh and fun after school activities integrating a revolutionary social and emotional learning (SEL) approach.
WINGS is the only organization in the United States to focus solely on developing social and emotional intelligence within kids involved in after school programming.
SEL empowers children with the skills to practice positive behaviors and build healthy relationships by focusing on 30 elements in five categories:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Responsible decision-making
- Social awareness
- Relational skills
By acquiring these skills, kids in the WINGS programs are more likely to graduate from high school, and are at a decreased risk of delinquency and teenage pregnancy.
How WINGS Assesses Impact and Sets Goals Using ETO
Before Social Solutions’ Efforts to Outcomes non profit software was implemented, WINGS already actively employed school program evaluation tools to measure its level of success against five key indicators of quality:
- Staff engagement with participating youth
- The level of engagement of kids amongst peer groups
- The degree to which children were challenged by their activities
- The amount of quality homework time
- Whether the participants were forging healthy relationships with family members
The introduction of Social Solutions’ Efforts to Outcomes software resulted in a consolidation of WINGS’ after school program evaluation process and the perfection of its existing reporting methods.
With ETO software, individual youth case management became accessible from one central database.
WINGS was better able to track kids’ progress, organize behavioral scores and attendance, and personal development markers, and then use the data to designate opportunities for further enrichment.
But, it didn’t stop there.
Thanks to ETO software, after school management personnel were better able to review staff performance, offer productive feedback and form comprehensive training protocol.
Dreams for the Future
According to WINGS’ five-year plan, the organization hopes to expand its vision further by using Efforts-to-Outcomes software to:
- Establish programs in 4 more schools
- Equip over 600 kids with SEL by the end of the 2012/13 school year
- Develop a sustainable, reproducible model for programs nationwide
- Create a performance management system to protect program quality
- Build an airtight case for the organization’s enduring impact
By engaging in outcomes assessment, and consistently producing comprehensive after school program evaluation reports, WINGS is confident they will sustain their status as the nation’s best SEL provider currently shaping the lives of at-risk youth.
To learn more about the collaboration between WINGS and ETO software, view the Social Solutions’ webinar entitled, “Managing Progress of an Afterschool Program.”
Go from after school program evaluation back to the main Webinar page
Tags: after school program evaluation, case management software, learning outcomes software, non profit software, youth services software
Gang Prevention Program Evaluation: Apprising Performance
Dec
17
Contributed by Christopher Frascella,
Posted in Non Profit Webinars, Social Solutions
What does it take to undergo a gang prevention program evaluation? How do you define success?
Delinquency prevention programs are constantly struggling to secure the limited funds necessary to effectively combat gang problems.
They do this by identifying multiple threats, developing fresh initiatives, and employing accurate outcomes assessment techniques.
To ensure that they receive their fair share of financial support, a gang prevention program should not rely on project alone, but must also actively demonstrate widespread impact.
Turning the Heart and ROCA are two organizations that have recognized this dilemma.
By integrating Social Solutions’ Efforts-to-Outcomes (ETO™) software, both non profits have taken steps to effectively measure - and continue – their intervention programs.
Gang Prevention Program Evaluations:
Why Are They So Vital to Youth Development
While gang violence is less prominent than it was two decades ago, the trend still indicates steady growth, especially during the first decade of the new millennium.
In their most recent survey, the National Gang Center estimated that 32.4 percent of municipalities experienced gang problems in 2008, a 15 percent increase from 2002.
Their data also revealed an active population of 774,000 gang members and 27,900 gangs in the United States the same year. The number of gangs jumped 28 percent, and the number of members, 6 percent, within a six-year span.
Currently, about a quarter of all gang members are between the ages of 15 and 17.
The need for an established gang prevention program in each community – or the expansion of existing organizations – is becoming increasingly clear.
They may be the only available lifelines to rescue at-risk youth from addiction, destitution and criminal behavior.
Unfortunately, without adequate tools, gang intervention organizations risk failure and subsequent disregard by major benefactors.
That’s the driving force behind Social Solutions and Efforts-to-Outcomes non profit software.
ETO’s customizable platform makes it easy for gang prevention program evaluators to measure project efficiency, thus guaranteeing future funding.
Three Straightforward Functions of Efforts-to-Outcomes Software
The face of teenage violence is always subject to change.
To keep pace with emerging trends, interventionists require a certain level of flexibility. They need to be prepared to launch new or alter existing initiatives based on shifting data.
ETO empowers organizations to quickly respond to change by identifying target groups often, tracking progress, and measuring performance of new programs.
Pinpoint a Target Group
One of the most advantageous features of ETO is its capability to identify groups in need.
Turning the Heart, for example, utilizes this function for its youth development program, dividing targeted groups according to demographics such as age, citizenship and gender.
ROCA does the same to ensure that its programs are consistent with the needs of its targeted populations – street gangs, high school dropouts, young parents, and refugees and immigrants.
Both organizations track changes in demographic groups and make recommendations for improvement based on the data.
With ETO case management software’s date range function, staff members can also break down demographics even further and produce real-time, up-to-the-minute progress reports for funders.
Track Progress
Gang prevention program evaluators can continually monitor attendance and personal development using ETO software.
Turning the Heart has taken advantage of the system to create assessments gauging emotional, educational and intellectual development.
Staff members, in turn, assign a score after each assessment, and by comparing them with past scores, can evaluate the extent of an individual’s personal growth.
Meanwhile, ROCA tracks participants through each of their five stages of change and measures progress against three key indicators:
- What is their level of engagement?
- Are they self-sufficiency and economically independent?
- Is there a noticeable decrease in risky behavior?
Not only can ETO software gather this raw data into one central location, but it can also translate it into visual representations for use by both service providers and funders.
Deliver Results
Gang prevention program grant makers and sponsors want assurance that their investment will not be wasted. That’s why most funders demand that organizations present clear evidence of impact.
Thanks to ETO software, Turning the Heart is able to deliver regular updates about target groups, individual progress, and measurable outcomes to their benefactors.
This has allowed the organization to persist in its mission to change youth and families by providing thriving education, leadership development and family enhancement services.
ROCA employs ETO software to track staff competency, maintain transparency, and analyze patterns in behavior and program effectiveness.
Consequently, the organization was recently named a recipient of a $2.3 million “Pathways Out of Poverty” federal grant, and $150,000 award from the State Street Foundation for its High-Risk Youth Intervention Model.
Turning the Heart and ROCA are real examples of how Social Solutions is working to re-invent human services and create a better world for all.
Interested in learning more? View the webinar for yourself!
Click here to view how Social Solutions helps gang prevention program evaluations.
Tags: case management software, gang prevention intervention, gang prevention program evaluation, non profit software, outcomes software, performance management, Social Solutions, youth services software
How A Housing Case Management Software Helped Project Hope Improve Outcomes in a Transitional Housing Program
Dec
17
Contributed by Christopher Frascella,
Posted in Non Profit Webinars, Social Solutions
How can a housing case management software be used to improve outcomes directly in a transitional, low-income, or senior housing program?
In the wake of the recent economic downturn, transitional housing programs have been challenged by an increase in demand for services.
Foreclosure, job loss and unemployment are pushing families out of their homes every day.
This is why transitional housing placement programs such as Project Hope are turning to more effective outcomes assessment and housing case management software systems to assist them in meeting the increased demand for services experienced nationwide.
To fully meet the needs of the homeless and nearly homeless, supportive housing providers are constantly launching new and revamping existing initiatives—but doing so requires funding, and benefactors have limited resources.
Ensuring a piece of the pie (so to speak) entails that transitional housing programs produce clear evidence of their success. And that’s where a housing case management software like Social Solutions’ Efforts To Outcomes (ETO) non profit software can be of great value.
With access to revolutionary tracking, case management & reporting features, organizations like Project Hope are securing donors and funding they require to more effectively make a difference.
Read on to find out how ETO software has enabled Project Hope to fulfill its mission and broaden its scope of influence.
What is Project Hope?
Founded in 1981, Project Hope is a Boston-based non profit organization dedicated to ending homelessness through early intervention and prevention. They provide transitional housing for families in poverty, as well as other services described below.
Project Hope serves approximately 450 families each year. Most are located in the Dudley neighborhood, where 27 percent of residents live below poverty and over 60 percent of those families generate income below the economic self-sufficiency standard.
Participants in Project Hope’s transitional housing programs have access to:
- Emergency services
- Assistance with rental arrearages and utilities
- Financial education and counseling
- Affordable housing options and stabilization of existing living situations
In addition, Project Hope’s “Housing First” initiative empowers low-income and homeless families to secure housing through:
- Amicable relationships with local landlords
- Intervention on behalf of tenants with shallow rental subsidies
- Housing and budget counseling
- Long-term services to increase income
How Project Hope Uses ETO Housing Case Management Software to Meet its Goals
The ultimate goals of Project Hope’s transitional housing programs are to move families up and out of poverty, develop long-term housing solutions, and provide education and resources to those in need.
To achieve those goals, Project Hope has implemented ETO non profit performance management software for housing initiatives and uses it in several key operational areas.
Participant Intake Management
When Project Hope case managers perform the initial intake, they take a general assessment – specifically customized using ETO HMIS software – in which they reveal economic background and the extent of their needs.
Project Hope uses the information to gauge a family’s economic self-sufficiency and to take inventory of their needs. Then, at the end of the program, they compare exit assessment scores with those of the first intake to determine degrees of change.
ETO has all the features you would expect to find in a social services intake software.
Tracking Client Demographics
Efforts to Outcomes can also be used as a robust demographic software, enabling Project Hope to classify participants and program offerings according to demographic.
For example, in the entry assessment, families are asked to reveal the cause of their homelessness or financial hardship. Most participants who enter Project Hope experience hardships due to:
- Changes in family structure
- Eviction
- Violence
- Physical and mental disability
- Prison
- Inability to pay rent
Families can also be sorted according to their income level at any stage of the program.
Staff members use this information to match participants with specific classes and to target potential gaps in programming.
Workshops and Training Programs
Project Hope’s transitional housing programs also feature subject-specific workshops for both participants and staff.
Using ETO housing case management software, they can schedule workshops on such topics as:
- Budgeting
- Parenting and childcare
- Landlord relationships
- Immigration issues
- Adult education/GED
- English as a Second Language
Additionally, ETO software makes it simple for Project Hope to form seminars to train staff in childcare, education and employer partnerships, and track their efforts.
Outcomes Reporting
Efforts-to-Outcomes non profit reporting software can be used to track the progress of each individual.
At Project Hope, agency leaders and educators can monitor client progress in several ways:
- Financial Reporting – How much do families spend and where? What expenses can be cut? Are there areas of weakness?
- Referral Reporting – Participants can be directed to internal Project Hope programs or to services in the surrounding community.
- Scoring – ETO software evaluates change by analyzing scores from entry, program-specific and exit assessments.
Having in-depth case management and outcomes reporting mechanisms is one of the keys to effective performance management. Good non profit reporting software also helps attract funding because it enables an organization to demonstrate the impact it’s having.
Resources
Project Hope’s undertaking extends beyond other traditional housing assistance programs.
They also provide resources to help families in poverty achieve financial independence, emergency assistance, counseling, physical health, and basic life skills.
The ETO housing case management software platform also keeps record of these resources, in terms of availability, allotment and overall adequacy.
Relationships
Project Hope frequently relies on collaboration with other transitional housing programs, agencies and funders.
ETO software empowers them to facilitate and preserve relationships with multi-building property owners, state government representatives, health care professionals and agencies such as Project Place and United Way.
Responding to Unexpected Change
Any non profit organization is subject to the unpredictable. New trends come to light every day, and target groups and needs are always shifting.
Project Hope recently experienced changes of their own, but instead of reacting in alarm, they put ETO software to work.
For example, the economic collapse and widespread loss of employment gave a new face to homelessness. White-collar families were suddenly confronted with a form of poverty once reserved for the working class.
Intake tracking coupled with intake assessments revealed that families needed resources to help them endure until employment became available again.
Instead of concentrating solely on long-term transitional housing programs, Project Hope used this information to formulate short-term solutions for these families, including:
- Temporary subsidies
- Credit card debt reduction strategies
- Food stamp distribution
- Assistance filing for unemployment
In another case, Project Hope also experienced an influx of immigrants from countries of origin not previously regarded.
Using ETO software’s assessment and tracking features, Project Hope became aware of a need to reshaped existing programming in order to identify the needs of these new ethnic groups.
Specifically, their analysis revealed a requirement for interpreters and culture-specific advocates.
Taking the Next Step
Interested in learning more about the relationship between Project Hope and ETO software?
View the webinar for yourself or contact Social Solutions directly at 866.732.3560.
Tags: case management software, hmis software, housing case management software, housing software, Social Solutions
