Did any of this really happen?

I  recently had someone tell me about the success of an open house she had coordinated. She told me about the large turnout of new friends and longtime supporters, and about the many opportunities the new friends presented for her organization. She was very excited and I shared in her excitement, while it lasted. Then I asked about her about her sign-in sheet. She froze and then reported to her own dismay (and mine), “We didn’t have one.”  

 

EEEK!!

 

I didn’t doubt any of what she had previously told me. But what if I had? I might have wondered, “Did any of this really happen?”

 

Anyone whose participated in my workshops or been a colleague of mine has heard me say, “If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.”

 

I’m a do-gooder, so I get it when other do-gooders express their urgency to…

 

…feed children.

…conduct job trainings.

…recruit youth mentors.

…collect and distribute winter coats.

 

But in an effort to do good, one cannot lose sight of the importance of documentation. Like performing the charitable work, documenting is critical to a nonprofit’s success – to its ability to measure its impact and to effectively evaluate its programs and services. Documentation is a necessity when an organization is supported by a third party such as a foundation, corporate sponsor or individual donors. But don’t make satisfying donors the only reason you document.

 

Think documenting has to be difficult or complex? Here are a couple examples of simple tools nonprofits can use to document their efforts and measure their impact:

 

Sign-in Sheets – A simple piece of paper can provide you with documented proof that an event or activity occurred and the number of attendees. It can also be used to capture attendee contact information and any data you may find valuable (i.e., age, gender, referral source

 

Pre/Post-Tests – Having participants answer 5 to10 questions before and after they receive a service can help a nonprofit to effectively measure changes in participant behaviors, attitudes, and choices. These tests can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of service delivery.

 

So document your efforts to ensure sure you never leave someone wondering, "Did any of this really happen?"