Comments on: The Tyranny of Metrics http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:42:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sean Stannard-Stockton http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics/comment-page-1#comment-3535 Sean Stannard-Stockton Tue, 20 May 2008 13:39:18 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics#comment-3535 Thanks for the comment dcr. I think any metric that helps a nonprofit run their organization is a useful metric. If understanding donor behavior is useful, that's great. The comment from a reader that was the basis for this post was framing metrics as something the organization had to do *for* funders. My point is that metrics are not "one more thing" for nonprofits to do. They either are or are not useful in the running of the organization. For an organization like Kiva, useful metrics clearly include both donor behavior and information about how recipients are using the aid they are getting. Thanks for the comment dcr. I think any metric that helps a nonprofit run their organization is a useful metric. If understanding donor behavior is useful, that’s great. The comment from a reader that was the basis for this post was framing metrics as something the organization had to do *for* funders. My point is that metrics are not “one more thing” for nonprofits to do. They either are or are not useful in the running of the organization.

For an organization like Kiva, useful metrics clearly include both donor behavior and information about how recipients are using the aid they are getting.

]]> By: dcr http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics/comment-page-1#comment-3529 dcr Tue, 20 May 2008 05:24:09 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics#comment-3529 I second the points you raise in this post, Sean, but would add that it's important to distinguish between classes of metrics. The operation-oriented metrics that you describe are necessary in zeroing in on an organization's impact, but we should also be discussing impact in terms of donor-centric metrics. Metrics focused on donors are especially important for the micro-philanthropy crowd, as info like repeated giving, ongoing awareness of the given issue, and related volunteering/advocacy offers another view on mission delivery, not just donor demographics. When part of an organization's theory of change relies on citizen philanthropy, donor-centric metrics track the degree of buy-in for a particular model. I second the points you raise in this post, Sean, but would add that it’s important to distinguish between classes of metrics. The operation-oriented metrics that you describe are necessary in zeroing in on an organization’s impact, but we should also be discussing impact in terms of donor-centric metrics.

Metrics focused on donors are especially important for the micro-philanthropy crowd, as info like repeated giving, ongoing awareness of the given issue, and related volunteering/advocacy offers another view on mission delivery, not just donor demographics. When part of an organization’s theory of change relies on citizen philanthropy, donor-centric metrics track the degree of buy-in for a particular model.

]]> By: Sean Stannard-Stockton http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics/comment-page-1#comment-3183 Sean Stannard-Stockton Fri, 02 May 2008 15:07:54 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics#comment-3183 I agree Maureen. Over time we may find that metrics stop being talked about as donors and nonprofits simply get better and understanding organizations and what makes them tick. Metrics will be part of that discussion, but won't be broken out as some separate area to look at. They just illuminate certain trends. I agree Maureen. Over time we may find that metrics stop being talked about as donors and nonprofits simply get better and understanding organizations and what makes them tick. Metrics will be part of that discussion, but won’t be broken out as some separate area to look at. They just illuminate certain trends.

]]> By: Maureen http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics/comment-page-1#comment-3182 Maureen Fri, 02 May 2008 13:54:45 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics#comment-3182 Bravo! This is really the crux of it all. How can we do our jobs properly and communicate to donors how great we are if we don't have a clear idea of what we are doing. Taking time to stop and 'count the roses' is imperative. I went to a great talk yesterday by Penelope Burk on the research behind Donor-Centered Fundraising. The donors have spoken and they want to know what you used their money for, why, and what good it did. If we can't clearly articulate that, then we really need to reevaluate what the heck we're doing. Bravo! This is really the crux of it all. How can we do our jobs properly and communicate to donors how great we are if we don’t have a clear idea of what we are doing. Taking time to stop and ‘count the roses’ is imperative. I went to a great talk yesterday by Penelope Burk on the research behind Donor-Centered Fundraising. The donors have spoken and they want to know what you used their money for, why, and what good it did. If we can’t clearly articulate that, then we really need to reevaluate what the heck we’re doing.

]]> By: Clark Vandeventer http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics/comment-page-1#comment-3177 Clark Vandeventer Thu, 01 May 2008 18:22:33 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/04/the-tyranny-of-metrics#comment-3177 If a picture is worth a thousand words, experience is worth ten thousand. Metrics will always challenge us. How do we communicate the life changing and life saving work that we do? I blog about this at www.worldchangers.us.com. But if we can create an experience for the donor that forever changes the way the donor thinks and feels about us, now we are in a totally different paradigm. It's less about numbers and more about being all wrapped up in a shared mission. If a picture is worth a thousand words, experience is worth ten thousand. Metrics will always challenge us. How do we communicate the life changing and life saving work that we do? I blog about this at http://www.worldchangers.us.com. But if we can create an experience for the donor that forever changes the way the donor thinks and feels about us, now we are in a totally different paradigm. It’s less about numbers and more about being all wrapped up in a shared mission.

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