Assessing Multidimensional Approaches to Measure Program Outcomes in Human Service Organizations

Area of Science:

• Nonprofit Management
• Organizational Performance Measurement
• Human Services Research

Background:

• Measuring performance in nonprofit human service organizations is complex due to unique organizational missions.
• Existing performance measurement models may not be universally applicable across the diverse subsector.
• There is a need for adaptable frameworks to guide evaluation practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose multidimensional frameworks for performance measurement in nonprofit human service organizations.
• To assist researchers and practitioners in refining their approaches to program performance measurement.
• To contribute to the academic discourse on evaluating human service organizations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized survey data from nonprofit human service organizations.
• Incorporated qualitative data from organizations within the subsector.
• Developed three distinct multidimensional performance measurement frameworks.

Main Results:

• Identified key dimensions for performance measurement in nonprofit human service organizations.
• Proposed three adaptable frameworks based on empirical data.
• Highlighted the challenges and nuances in measuring performance across different organizations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed frameworks offer a novel approach to performance measurement for nonprofit human service organizations.
• These frameworks encourage reflection and adaptation of current evaluation methods.
• The research provides valuable insights for various stakeholders, including researchers, managers, and funders.