It Depends..... Insights at the End of the Semester

Being that this is the last post of the semester, I thought it might be prudent to share the development of my ideas concerning effectiveness this semester. Indeed, trying to peg down what constitutes nonprofit effectiveness has been a daily struggle. That is why my definition of nonprofit effectiveness, while more nuanced, is much the same as it was in the beginning of the semester. I really do not think that there is one, or even numerous, ways to determine the effectiveness of a nonprofit due to the diversity of such organizations.

However, there is one 'idea' that I DO think is demonstrative of an effective nonprofit organization. Based upon all the reading that we have done this semester, an effective nonprofit is one that is always seeking to develop, adapt, and improve itself in fulfilling its social mission. We have read that overhead ratios, program ratios, accountability, results reporting are all indicators of effective nonprofits, but, as per usual, all of these things cannot singularly explain nonprofit effectiveness. It largely depends on the organization, its environment, its size, and its mission.

Indeed, I believe that all the measures of effectiveness that we read about are important for future managers in that they provide us with the means to constantly adapt, evolve, and develop when we begin to work in a nonprofit. Being conscious of these indicators allows us to (1) be knowledgeable of environment we will enter; and (2) will provide a way "push the envelope" in both being "effective" and redefining it at the same time.

I guess we weren't far off in the beginning of the semester in our attempt to define nonprofit effectiveness:

It depends....