Title: Outcome Chain
1Thinking Strategically About KIDS
COUNT Performance Measures
Anne Gienapp, MPA Sarah Stachowiak, MPA ANNIE E.
CASEY FOUNDATION KIDS COUNT ANNUAL
CONFERENCE September 26, 2008 206.728.0474
www.organizationalresearch.com
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2WHAT ARE PERFORMANCE MEASURES?
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3Performance Measures
- Include two key areas
- Activities/Outputs Things that you can document
or count that are associated with your key
activities e.g. - What staff, volunteers, partners do
- The amount, dose, duration, breadth, or depth of
activities - Outcomes Information about the short-term
changes that occur among individuals, families,
organizations, or systems because of your
activities
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4Examples of Performance Measures
- Ex. Prepare press release(Activity)
- Ex. Identify and convene key strategic partners
(Activity) - Ex. of meetings held or of people in
attendance (Output) - Ex of media outlets that received press
release (Output) - Ex. of media pieces echoing message/frame
(Outcome) - Ex. increased awareness of issue among key
groups (Outcome)
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5Outcome-Focused Performance Measures Change
Models
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6Connecting Performance Measures with Your Theory
of Change
- What will help demonstrate that you are using
your funding strategically and that your efforts
will help work toward the ultimate goals?
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7Sample Community Organization
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8- Output Measure
- of events and meetings
- of people reached
Sample Community Organization
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9- Output Measure
- of events and meetings
- of people reached
Sample Community Organization
Outcome Measure 70 of participants increase
knowledge
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10- Output Measure
- of events and meetings
- of people reached
Sample Community Organization
Outcome Measure 70 of participants increase
knowledge
Outcome Measure 30 of targeted leaders take a
public action to support High School Redesign
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11- Output Measure
- of events and meetings
- of people reached
Sample Community Organization
Outcome Measure 70 of participants increase
knowledge
Outcome Measure 30 of targeted leaders take a
public action to support High School Redesign
Output Measure At lease 5 leaders from each
sector (grassroots, community organizations,
businesses, colleges / universities, parents)
participate in a one-on-one meeting about High
School Redesign
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12TYPES OF KIDS COUNT PERFORMANCE MEASURES
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13Types of KIDS COUNTPerformance Measures
- Measures of data/policy products reaching
intended audiences - Measures of data/policy products sending primary
messages - Measures of work influencing policy
makers/decision makers - From Application for Continued KIDS COUNT
Support, Nov 2007, Question 5
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14Sample KIDS COUNT Performance Measures from 2008
Proposals
Measures of data/ policy products reaching
intended audiences
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15Sample KIDS COUNT Performance Measures from 2008
Proposals
Measures of data/ policy products sending primary
messages
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16Sample KIDS COUNT Performance Measures from 2008
Proposals
Measures of work influencing policymakers/
decisions
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17What is a Strong KIDS COUNT Performance Measure?
See handout.
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18Case ExampleGeorgia Family Connection
Partnership
- GA FCP participated in pilot of advocacy/policy
evaluation framework - Developed theory of change and outcome maps for
each key strategy, integrating KIDS COUNT work - Prioritized areas for measurement focus
- Operational Measures Measures describing
activities and outputs - Effectiveness Measures Measures describing
desired outcomes
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19Georgia Family Connection Partnership
Georgia Family Connection Partnership Theory of
Change Outcome Map Strategy 3
See handout.
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20GA FCPExamples of Performance Measures
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21PRIORITIZING PERFORMANCE MEASURES
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22General Guidance for Prioritization
- Performance Measures should be realistic and
meaningful measures to which you will hold
yourself accountable. Be thoughtful when setting
targets. - A set of Performance Measures should include both
output and outcome measures. - Limit the number of performance measures you
commit to. The total number should depend on the
scope and scale of your project. We recommend
KIDS COUNT grantees consider 4-10 measures.
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23Considerations for Prioritization
- What are the key strategies or products you will
be producing? What will help you know you are
doing the work with quality and that they are
having the impact you expect to achieve? - What will be most strategic, impactful and/or
important for you to learn about from your work
on an annual basis? - What will be a reasonable expectation of change
within the timeframe you are reporting on? - What is your organizations capacity for data
collection and analysis? - What will give you information to help improve
your work along the way? - What will help you tell your story to funders and
other constituents?
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24Measuring Performance Measures
- Outputs
- You probably already have processes or systems or
documenting your activities and outputs - Examples
- Number of databooks distributed
- Number of attendees at events
- Tracking software for emails or website traffic
- Will the outputs you capture help you be
accountable to your funding and let you know
about the quality of your implementation?
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25Measuring Performance Measures
- Outcomes
- You may or may not already capture outcome data.
- You may be able to adapt existing processes to
capture data on outcomes - Example add questions about changes in
knowledge or awareness to a satisfaction survey.
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26Measuring Performance Measures
- There are example tools and methodologies
available you can use or adapt to collect data on
a select number of key outcomes - KIDS COUNT Network TA Resources
- http//www.kidscount.org/kcnetwork/resources/tools
.htm - ORS Handbook of Data Collection Tools
- http//www.organizationalresearch.com/publications
/a_handbook_of_data_collection_tools.pdf - New methods described in Julia Coffmans
Advocacy Evaluation Trends and Practical Advice - http//depts.washington.edu/mlcenter/assets/docs/a
isle/Coffman.TP.2.pdf
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27Sample Outcome Measurement Tool
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28Sample Outcome Measurement Tool
Example questions for a survey of constituents
receiving issue alerts
1. Please indicate much you agree or disagree
with the following statements.
- 2. Due to an Issue Alert I received, I have
(check all that apply) - Made a donation to support issue
- Read a report or additional material about
issue - Emailed a legislator about issue
- Called a legislator about issue
- Attended an event related to issue
- Volunteered, e.g. collected signatures for ballot
initiative, made calls, done other volunteering
for an organization that supports issue - Forwarded an Issue Alert to other individuals
- Encouraged other individuals to take action
regarding issue - Other (please describe)
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29Case ExampleChildren First For Oregon
- CFFO staff began working with ORS in early 2008
to pilot the advocacy/policy evaluation framework - ORS and CFFO staff decided to focus both on
developing an evaluation approach for one
campaign area while also working on measuring
performance measures for the KIDS COUNT reporting - Work has focused on prioritization of performance
measures and implementation of one outcome
measure for 2008.
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30Wrapping Up
- Questions?
- A-has based on your experiences collecting and
reporting on performance measures?
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31Contact Information
- Anne Gienapp
- agienapp_at_organizationalresearch.com
- Sarah Stachowiak
- sarahs_at_organizationalresearch.com
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