Nonprofit Executive Director Assessment

Article Highlights:

• A executive’s job in a nonprofit is more about results than about activities.
• Organization Wide: Program Development and Delivery (Circle one)
• Administration and Human Resource Management
• Community Relations
• Financial Management and Legal Compliance
• Fundraising and Income
• Board of Directors

A executive’s job in a nonprofit is more about results than about activities.

In one sense, the executive director’s performance can be measured by the performance of the organization. Non-CEO jobs are often evaluated based on completion of activities. But the executive’s job in a nonprofit is more about results than about activities.

Instructions:

Rate your assessment of each category of performance as Exceptional, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory or Don’t Know

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Organization Wide: Program Development and Delivery (Circle one)

1. Ensures that the organization has a long range strategy which achieves its mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

2. Provides effective leadership in developing program and organizational plans with the board of directors and staff.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

3. Sees to it that the organization meets or exceeds program goals in quantity and quality.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

4. Demonstrates quality of analysis and judgment in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

5. Shows creativity and initiative and responsiveness to constituencies in creating new programs and changing/closing existing programs.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

6. Maintains and utilizes a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the field (such as AIDS, developmental disabilities, community theatre, sustainable agriculture, etc.) and in the relevant community (such as neighborhood, city, Latino engineers, healthy seniors, etc.)

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

Comments:

Administration and Human Resource Management

1. Organizes and assigns work effectively, delegating appropriate levels of freedom and authority.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

2. Establishes and makes use of an effective management team.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

3. Maintains appropriate balance between administration and programs.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

4. Ensures that job descriptions are developed, and that regular performance evaluations are held and documented.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

5. Ensures compliance with personnel policies and federal, state, and local regulations on workplaces and employment.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

6. Ensures that employees are licensed and credentialed as required, and that appropriate background checks are conducted.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

7. Ensures that dimensions of diversity (race, gender, age, sexual orientation, economic background, etc.) are identified as important to the organization’s mission and business goals, and recruits and retains a diverse staff.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

8. Ensures that policies and procedures are in place to maximize volunteer involvement.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

9. Encourages staff development and education, and assists program staff in relating their specialized work to the total program of the organization. Leadership development is embedded in organizational practices as appropriate.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

10. Maintains a climate which attracts, keeps, and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

Comments:

Community Relations

1. Serves as an effective spokesperson for the organization; represents the programs and point of view of the organization to other nonprofits, government, foundations, corporations, and the general public.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

2. Establishes sound working relationships and cooperative arrangements with community groups and organizations.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

Comments:

Financial Management and Legal Compliance

1. Assures adequate control and accounting of all funds, including developing and maintaining sound financial practices.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

2. Works with the staff, Finance Committee, and the board in preparing a budget; sees that the organization operates within budget guidelines.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

3. Maintains official records and documents, and ensures compliance with federal, state and local regulations and reporting requirements (such as annual information returns; payroll withholding and reporting, etc.)

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

4. Executes legal documents appropriately.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

5. Assures that funds are disbursed in accordance with contract requirements and donor designations.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

Comments:

Fundraising and Income

1. Develops realistic, ambitious fundraising and earned-income plans that combine to a business plan for financial sustainability.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

2. Sees to it that the organization meets or exceeds revenue goals, ensuring that adequate funds are available to permit the organization to carry out its work.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

3. Successfully involves others in fundraising and revenue generation.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

4. Establishes productive relationships with government, foundation and corporate funders.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

5. Establishes positive, productive relationships with individual donors.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

Comments:

Board of Directors

1. Works well with board officers.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

2. Provides appropriate, adequate, and timely information to the board.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

3. Provides support to board committees.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

4. Sees that the board is kept informed on the condition of the organization and all important factors influencing it.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

5. Works effectively with the board as a whole. Appropriately balances supporting the board and providing leadership to the board.

Unsatisfactory • Satisfactory • Exceptional • Don’t Know

Are there specific performance objectives, either for the executive director or for the organization as a whole, which you would suggest we add for the coming year?

Are there any other comments you would like to make?

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