Comments on: My worst nightmare is now true: sloppy ratings of nonprofit effectiveness in Haiti http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/ You can change the world... we can help! Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:18:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gayle Gifford http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-1932 Gayle Gifford Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:58:24 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-1932 Pam, I think you are absolutely right about this. I believe that many nonprofits must define their own indicators. See <a href="http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/hope-dignity-and-quality-of-life-are-also-valuable-outcomes-even-when-measured-in-hours/" rel="nofollow">Hope, Dignity and Quality of Life are Also Valuable Outcomes, even when Measured in Hours Pam,
I think you are absolutely right about this. I believe that many nonprofits must define their own indicators. See Hope, Dignity and Quality of Life are Also Valuable Outcomes, even when Measured in Hours

]]> By: Pamela Grow http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-1926 Pamela Grow Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:35:43 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-1926 Revisiting this as I feel it's an important topic. I think it's really important for individual charities to communicate well with their donors -- and to talk about these sites. My clients, and the size of organization that I work with, are often too small to even be on the radar of charity rating sites. But when they ARE, it's important to address the issue head on (I've got a good post on this: http://www.pamelagrow.com/490/successful-fundraising-not-for-the-thin-skinned/). Ya just compare apples to grapefruits, which is what most charity rating sites do. Revisiting this as I feel it’s an important topic.

I think it’s really important for individual charities to communicate well with their donors — and to talk about these sites. My clients, and the size of organization that I work with, are often too small to even be on the radar of charity rating sites. But when they ARE, it’s important to address the issue head on (I’ve got a good post on this: http://www.pamelagrow.com/490/successful-fundraising-not-for-the-thin-skinned/).

Ya just compare apples to grapefruits, which is what most charity rating sites do.

]]> By: Gayle Gifford http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-1613 Gayle Gifford Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:39:00 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-1613 Zack, Unfortunately, there is no easy "rating" for nonprofit effectiveness. I would not recommend any of the charity raters as I think they miss one of the whole points... few charities make progress on their own. They depend on other organizations to help support their work. Are there bad charities? Yes. I suggest that you look at the web site of charities you are thinking about. Ask for their annual reports. Do some research as to what are considered best practices in their field and then ask the charity you are interested in how they know they are making an impact. There is no easy answer. Zack,
Unfortunately, there is no easy “rating” for nonprofit effectiveness. I would not recommend any of the charity raters as I think they miss one of the whole points… few charities make progress on their own. They depend on other organizations to help support their work.

Are there bad charities? Yes.

I suggest that you look at the web site of charities you are thinking about. Ask for their annual reports. Do some research as to what are considered best practices in their field and then ask the charity you are interested in how they know they are making an impact.

There is no easy answer.

]]> By: zack http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-1608 zack Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:00:34 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-1608 So is there a website available that is accurate that will provide good solid guidance for non-profit or charity effectiveness? I see you have indicated the ones that do not do a good job but that is not helping me understand what I should be using. So is there a website available that is accurate that will provide good solid guidance for non-profit or charity effectiveness? I see you have indicated the ones that do not do a good job but that is not helping me understand what I should be using.

]]> By: Great Non-Profits Deserve a Great Rating System – Full Contact Philanthropy http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-804 Great Non-Profits Deserve a Great Rating System – Full Contact Philanthropy Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:52:14 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-804 [...] list was compiled based on a handful of donor reviews, and as non-profit consultant Gayle Gifford pointed out, those organizations “that were listed in the Top 10, had ONLY 1 or 2 Reviews. That’s [...] [...] list was compiled based on a handful of donor reviews, and as non-profit consultant Gayle Gifford pointed out, those organizations “that were listed in the Top 10, had ONLY 1 or 2 Reviews. That’s [...]

]]> By: Nancy Iannone http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-785 Nancy Iannone Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:21:23 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-785 Thank you Gayle for taking on this issue. I saw this list and wondered what the rankings were based on, but didn't take the time to look further. There is a reason I follow every person that has commented on this post thus far - knowledge, dedication to the sector and the willingness to take a stand (among many others). I hope you all will keep the conversation going, not just on how to create sanity in rankings, but on how to measure the true impact organizations are making in our communities. Thank you Gayle for taking on this issue. I saw this list and wondered what the rankings were based on, but didn’t take the time to look further. There is a reason I follow every person that has commented on this post thus far – knowledge, dedication to the sector and the willingness to take a stand (among many others).

I hope you all will keep the conversation going, not just on how to create sanity in rankings, but on how to measure the true impact organizations are making in our communities.

]]> By: Laura Deaton http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-784 Laura Deaton Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:59:29 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-784 I think that's a great idea and would be happy to coordinate/host an invite-only brainstorming conference call for us, if that would be helpful. I'll round up with you separately. I think that’s a great idea and would be happy to coordinate/host an invite-only brainstorming conference call for us, if that would be helpful. I’ll round up with you separately.

]]> By: Gayle Gifford http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-783 Gayle Gifford Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:05:34 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-783 Laura, et al: Perhaps an article we co-author and submit to SSIR or other journals? A joint OpEd for the Chronicle? Laura, et al:
Perhaps an article we co-author and submit to SSIR or other journals? A joint OpEd for the Chronicle?

]]> By: Laura Deaton http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-782 Laura Deaton Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:49:42 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-782 Gayle - You and I have already talked about this, and you're right, this is a shameful example of people trying to scramble and grab PR by creating top 10 lists that not only haven't been vetted, but that do a great deal of disservice to donors and the entire nonprofit community. If there's an opportunity to join you, Heather, and the many others like us who have expressed these concerns for a more concerted effort for advocacy for sanity checks on rating systems, please count on me and count me in. --Laura Gayle – You and I have already talked about this, and you’re right, this is a shameful example of people trying to scramble and grab PR by creating top 10 lists that not only haven’t been vetted, but that do a great deal of disservice to donors and the entire nonprofit community. If there’s an opportunity to join you, Heather, and the many others like us who have expressed these concerns for a more concerted effort for advocacy for sanity checks on rating systems, please count on me and count me in.

–Laura

]]> By: Pamela Grow http://www.ceffect.com/blog/effectiveness/my-worst-nightmare-is-now-true-sloppy-ratings-of-nonprofit-effectiveness/comment-page-1/#comment-781 Pamela Grow Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:17:58 +0000 http://www.ceffect.com/?p=2124#comment-781 Thanks for this post Gayle. My market has always been the tiny nonprofit - those with the budgets of $1.5 million and under (mostly under) who do AMAZING work but tend to score poorly for one reason or another on these rating sites. One organization I'm working with scores a paltry 2 stars on Charity Navigator, despite the fact that every dollar donated results in $6 in services provided! Thanks for this post Gayle. My market has always been the tiny nonprofit – those with the budgets of $1.5 million and under (mostly under) who do AMAZING work but tend to score poorly for one reason or another on these rating sites. One organization I’m working with scores a paltry 2 stars on Charity Navigator, despite the fact that every dollar donated results in $6 in services provided!

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