Like so many things in life, progress is relative.
And you can’t measure progress without first knowing where you’ve been.
If I were to show you a spreadsheet detailing how much an organization raised over the past year and asked, “How is this organization doing?” — you’d have some questions. And rightly so.
- How do these numbers compare to their goals?
- How do these numbers compare to last year?
- How much of this is from recurring donors?
- How many first-time vs returning donors?
Answering questions like these is where to begin. Heck, for the understaffed, overworked non-profit executive: the mere asking of questions like these may be the first step.
No matter how you slice it, you can’t make progress without goals. Goals are the barometer that let you know how you’re doing. Goals help you set priorities. And priorities give you a basis upon which to say, “yes” or “no” to any given opportunity.
- Set goals that directly align with your ability to achieve your mission.
- Track your progress every month.
- Evaluate the factors that affect your ability reach them.
Progress is relative. So measure well.