1. Class 11: Assessing Organizations UTA SSW, SOCW 5306 Generalist Macro Practice Professor Dick Schoech Copyright 2005 (permission required before use Suggest printing slides for class using: Print | Handouts | 3 slides per page | grayscale options

2. Summary of Classes 1-11  Generalist macro practice history, change process, roles, levels of intervention  Theories, values, perspectives  The community as client  Conditions as problems/opportunities  Assessing social conditions/communities  Intervening in social conditions  The organization as client  Administration overview  Assessing organizations §

3. Today’s class: Assessing Via  Purpose: Mission, vision, goals and objectives  Capital management  Financial management  Information management  Personnel management (next week) §

4. Ways to View Purpose  Economic-profit  not for profit, 501(c)(3)  Well defined  ill defined  Few coordinated  multiple conflicting  Stress high accountability  stress low accountability  Stress high effectiveness  stress low effectiveness  Stress high efficiency  stress low efficiency §

5. Purpose Expressed by Mission (KMM p94; Brue p268)  The purpose for being or identity  Encapsulates the program’s overall effort  Easy for public to understand  Grounded in “customer” needs  Grounded in client outcomes  Grounded in definition of quality services  Renewed periodically  Drug treatment agency example: To promote and support the achievement of a positive and productive lifestyle for those formerly addicted to chemical substances. KMM p. 95. §

6. Purpose as Expressed by Vision  What the program wants to become or destiny  What agency would be if resources plentiful  Shows key problems/issues to address  Where the program hopes to be in 15 years §

7. Purpose Expressed in Goals  Describe future outcomes or states of being  Are not measurable or achievable  Focus on outcomes and impacts  Should be ambitious and idealistic §

8. Purpose Expressed in Objectives  Action statements  Clear, specific and concrete  Measurable  Time limited  Realistic  Hierarchical (ultimate, intermediate, immediate)  Build on strengths and reduce need  Focus on outcome or process §

9. Outcome Objectives  Specifies results or ends to be achieved  Use words like: to reduce, to lower, to improve  Focus on client change needed to reduce need  Contain an “as measured by” statement  Provide details for evaluation Example: To lower the number of high school students becoming pregnant in Arlington from 25 per 1000 to 20 per 1000 by 12/1/02 as measured by health department records. §

10. Writing Outcome Objectives Components of Obj  Direction of change  What will be changed  Target of change  Results to be achieved  How measured  Time frame Objective  To increase  parenting knowledge  in 30 teenage parents  by 10%  as measured by the Baby Index  by 12/1/03

11. Process objectives  Specifies how things will be done, e.g., the means or processes involved  Use words like: to provide, to serve, to assess, to train  Provide details for monitoring  Can be immediate, intermediate or ultimate Example: To provide 2 hours of peer counseling to 525 high-risk females high school students by Dec 03 as documented by AISD peer counselor records. Use objective practice worksheet in course pack §

12. Writing Process Objectives Component of Obj  Action taken  Object of action taken  Recipient of action  How measured  When accomplished Objective  To provide  3 hours of parenting classes  To 100 teenagers identified as high risk  As measured by school records  By 1/1/03 §

13. Levels of objectives  Ultimate outcome objective Intermediate outcome objective  Immediate outcome objective  Ultimate process objective Intermediate process objective  Immediate outcome objective Activities See course pack: Writing goals and objectives

14. Examples of objectives  Issues Hard to understand total program from objectives Objectives do not say who is responsible Hard to tell level in hierarchy Make sure objectives reflect program description Good objectives makes the evaluation easy

15. Capital management  Facilities management  M&O mangement (supplies)  Typically not a big concern in the human services  Personnel bias, when agencies get into buildings, they are on their way down §

16. Overview of Financial Management  Financial management Non-profit accounting Budgeting Financial reporting  Funding raising

17. Financial Mana Assumptions  Not a major contingency (people, task, structure, tech, goals)  A tool/resource to support mission (treat same as computer, office, people)  Diversity of funding sources is required  One of the best managed resources (compared to people, information)

18. Basic Terms  Accounting = Standard tools and procedures to handle money  Budgeting = techniques/processes to track income, expenditures & balances  Budget period = That period which the budget covers, fiscal year, calendar year  Direct costs = requires new $s, e.g., salary & equip  Indirect cost = overhead (electricity, bookkeeping)  Match (hard $) vs. In-kind (soft e.g. volunteer hrs)  Costing out, e.g., unit costs  Cash flow and debt management  Capital expenditures = money for equip & buildings

19. Non-profit Accounting-- bookkeeping methods  Cash method credit, debit or encumber as $s exchanged  Accrual method record when transactions occur, accumulate debt and credit  Modified cash/accrual method record revenue on cash basis, expenditures on an accrual basis

20. Non-profit Accounting -- bookkeeping  Accounts the categories/funds $s are charged or credited to  Chart of accounts standard list of accounting codes, usually based on items in the budget  Journals list of entries recorded as they occur, e.g., accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll  Ledgers list debit and credit column for each account

21. Budget type: line item Definition = cost by item Pg 88 of CS& is a good example to use for grant Advantages  Easy to understand Disadvantages  Focuses attention on input & throughput vs. outcomes

22. Budget type: program Def = costs out by each program Advantages Relates resources to programs Focus on programs & output Helps planning and evaluation Disadvantages Must cost out everything by program Time and complexity

23. Budget type: performance/functional Def = cost out outcome objectives Advantages  Easy to understand outcomes  focuses on output Disadvantages  Requires cost per unit of service  Requires calculating indirect costs

24. Budgeting Techniques Cost Benefit analysis Translates outcomes into economic benefits Cost effectiveness analysis Focuses on cost-efficiency Break even analysis Focuses on when you stop loosing money Zero-based = levels from 0+ Links planning, budgeting, and evaluation Challenges basic service assumptions Time consuming Focuses attention on costs vs. outcomes Destructive to staff morale: threatens jobs

25. Financial reporting (C&S p 88)  Statements (periodic summary) Income, expenditures, balance Changes in fund balance  Audits (using approved procedures)  Annual reports

26. Implications for grant  Always budget total costs  Always show donated column  Budget justification is very important Include all items Address potential issues  Be clear on budget period Hire accordingly, 10 months vs. year

27. Conclusions  Financial management should be Proactive vs. Reactive Planning vs. Control Outcome vs. Input  Use good software, NP accounting, fundraising  Use board & committees for expertise/ oversight

28. Information management overview  Information/technology as a basic resource  Information Systems/data warehouses  Development Process  Managing Information Systems  Issues  Guidelines for success  Tasks for future §

29. Information Systems  An information system is an collection of people, procedures and equipment working together to collect, manipulate, retrieve, and report data.  In today's world, almost all information system are computer-based and some are enhanced to operate over the Internet.  A key issue in information systems is data security and protecting client privacy.

30. Information System Components  Data Collection  Data Processing  Data Reporting  Data Security and Privacy

31. Information Management Terms  Database vs. Database Mana System Database=a collection of data (records in fiscal, client, services, and staff files) with minimal redundancy and easy manipulation and access. DBMS=software to manage a database (MS- ACCESS)  Computer vs. Information System MIS=system of people, procedures, and equipment for collecting, manipulating, retrieving, and communicating information  ASP, Internet, Intranets, extranets §

32. Information/technology as basic resource  Treat as any other basic resource, e.g., $s, people, etc.  One of easiest resources to change & manage As compared to people, task, goals, structure  Management more difficult If resource is shared across departments & outside agency  Information resource is easily sabotaged by workers garbage in—garbage out  Computers add power to information management, but errors can be bigger and more disastrous  Technology keeps changing requiring constant attention §

33. Examples  Policy & community (meetup)  Management (networked IS)  Direct practice support (YFT)  Client self help (fearfighter)

34. 8 Step Development Process 1.Assess Preparedness & Feasibility 2.Analyze Existing System 3.Conceptual Design 4.Detailed Design & Development 5.System Testing & Agency Preparation 6.Convert from old to new system 7.Evaluation 8.Operation, maintenance & modification

35. Guidelines for Success  IT needs separate high level dept  Planning with stakeholders is essential  Centralize control, distribute power  Avoid relying on small # technicians  10/40/50 rule and 80/20 rule  Design for privacy/security/accessibility  Use continuous improvement mechanisms  Expect frustrating and time consuming (2-3 years for basic system §

36. Conclusion  Key to all types of management Planning Continuous quality improvement Treat people with dignity and respect Give authority with responsibility Empower rather than accumulate power §