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Nonprofit Organizational Assessment Tool
Marketing
by: Andrew Lewis*
University of Wisconsin Extension
This section of the Nonprofit Organizational Assessment Tool can help guide a group
discussion about an organization's marketing program. This group discussion
ideally should include board members, staff, volunteers, and service recipients, but could
be used as a self-assessment tool by anyone associated with a nonprofit organization.
Review the assessment form below. First, check the indicators that have been completed or accomplished. Next, indicate
the amount of improvement that you think is needed for that indicator (None or Not
Applicable, Some, or much improvement needed). It is your perception of the organization.
There are no right or wrong answers. If used with a group, each individual should complete
the assessment tool. After allowing adequate time, compare responses and discuss any areas
where there were different perceptions. As a final step, identify the top 2-3 priorities
where there was a high level of consensus on an indicator needing "much"
improvement. If you are doing this as a group, have each individual select their top three
priorities and then tally the "votes" for the group to identify the top three.
Begin developing an action plan that would address these issues (A suggested action plan
format can be found at the end of the document). After successfully implementing your
action plans that address your top priorities, revisit your assessment tool and begin
developing action plans for the other indicators that need attention.
This particular section of the assessment tool focuses on the marketing
process and concepts presented during the educational programs produced by the Learning
Institute for Nonprofit Organizations. The complete Nonprofit Organizational Assessment
Tool will be comprised of eight sections based on the content presented in the eight
programs that make up the curriculum of the Learning Institute for Nonprofit
Organizations. The Learning
Institute for Nonprofit Organizations was a collaboration involving the
University of Wisconsin Extension and the Society for Nonprofit Organizations.
The University has ended its formal relationship with the SNPO, but videotape
presentation kits reside in most of the University of Wisconsin Extension County
offices.
*LI faculty contributor for this section: Karen F.A. Fox
Marketing Assessment Tool**
Internal Planning
| Indicator |
Done? |
Needs
Improvement ? |
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None/
N.A. |
Some |
Much |
| 1. The organization has a clear mission statement that is
used to guide the organization’s overall marketing strategy. |
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| 2. The organization has a strategic plan that clearly
communicates what the organization wants to accomplish and it is reviewed on a regular
basis. |
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| 3. The strategic plan identifies clear goals for the
organization that drive the marketing activities. |
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| 4. The organization has a written marketing
plan(s) that is
consistent with the strategic plan. |
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| 5. The organization has reviewed its market plan on a regular
basis (i.e. used marketing check list in the participant print packet). |
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| 6. The organization understands and values the role of
marketing. The leadership of the organization is committed to marketing and supported
throughout the organization. |
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| 7. Marketing is perceived as an effective way to serve some
area of human need and as a means of making wise use of limited resources. |
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| 8. The organization has completed a "marketing field
trip" (See participant print
guide). |
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Basic Marketing Tasks/The 7 "P's"
| Indicator |
Done? |
Needs
Improvement ? |
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None/
N.A. |
Some |
Much |
| 1. The organization has a written marketing plan that
identifies what it has to offer to attract employees, volunteers, donors, clients, and
positive media/public attention. |
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| 2. The organization has conducted market research to identify
effective programs that meet the needs of clients. |
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| 3. The organization has strategically identified convenient
places and channels for delivering programs. |
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| 4. An affordable price for programs, products, and services
has been established that takes into account monetary, time, energy, and psychic costs for
its constituents/ customers. |
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| 5. The organization has a promotion plan in place that
communicates with key constituents. |
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| 6. The organization receives favorable coverage from the
media on a regular basis. |
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| 7. Individuals have been identified to provide the products,
programs and services of the organization and their roles are clearly identified and
understood. |
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| 8.
The organization has completed a "marketing field trip" (See
page 18 of the participant guide). |
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| 9. The organization has processes and procedures that enable
the organization to provide valued services. |
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| 10. The organization has a clear understanding of its image in
the community. |
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| 11. The physical infrastructure of the organization has a
sensory feel that supports the programs, products and services that are being delivered. |
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Market Research/Understanding the "Customer"
| Indicator |
Done? |
Needs
Improvement ? |
| |
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None/
N.A. |
Some |
Much |
| 1. As a means of understanding constituencies, the
organization has identified distinctive groups or segments that make up its constituencies
(staff, clients, volunteers, donors, and other sub-segments of each). |
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| 2. Research has been conducted to gain a better understanding
of the needs and wants of each constituency segment. |
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| 3. Market Research (mail surveys, interviews, focus groups
etc.) is used to tailor programs, services, and products to the needs of various
constituencies (As opposed to research which is used to identify who will use a product
that was created without a full understanding of the clients needs). |
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Sample Action Plans:
Use the following format to begin formulating an action plan that would improve your
organization's performance relative to a specific indicator listed above.
Indicator:
As a means of understanding constituencies, the organization
has identified distinctive groups or segments that make up its constituencies (staff,
clients, volunteers, donors, and other sub-segments of each).
Task |
Time Line |
Who |
Will Do What |
Evaluation Measure |
Task #1 |
7 days |
Cindy (Executive Director) |
Will schedule a staff meeting devoted to identifying the
various constituencies that the organization serves. |
Constituency segments are identified. Staff and volunteers
are able to communicate who their customers are. |
Task #2 |
14 days |
Brian (Board Chair) |
Reviews constituencies identified by the staff and volunteers
with the Board of Directors. Board contributes to further identification of
constituencies. |
Consensus is developed around who the organization needs to
serve to fulfill its mission. Exercise leads to additional steps being taken to develop
a marketing plan. |
**Part of an 9-part
series of assessment tools that address critical management issues within a
nonprofit organizations. This tool was developed for the Learning Institute
for Nonprofit Organizations and is based in part on two existing tools:
Community Organizational Assessment Tool, Bright, Robert D., University of
Wisconsin Extension, 1995 (Adapted from Citizens Involvement Training Program., University
of Massachusetts, Amherst).
Checklist of Nonprofit Indicators, United Way of Minneapolis Area, 1998.
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