Resource library · free toolkits, templates and guides

The practical library for people who build nonprofits

211 really practical toolkits, templates and guides for nonprofit and NGO leaders, and the consultants and funders who support them. A mix of the classics and newer methods.

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211 resources · 15 topics · 137 publishers · 197 free to use

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7 resources found

  • Search: organizational capacity assessment tool
  • 1.2C002

    A Guide to Organizational Capacity Assessment Tools

    A memo for funders, consultants and nonprofits on choosing and using organisational capacity assessment tools. Informing Change reviewed 91 assessment tools, checklists and guides for the Hewlett Foundation. Sections cover methodology, what a good assessment experience looks like, cross-cutting lessons, how to select a tool and specific situations for using one. A companion spreadsheet database lists the tools. Its main finding is that the process around a tool matters as much as the tool.

    ClassicKey online resourceFree
  • 1.2C004

    Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT)

    A survey-based capacity assessment that a nonprofit's leaders complete to rate the organisation across a set of capacity areas, producing scores that show strengths and gaps. Social Venture Partners and other funders use it to open a conversation with grantees about where to invest in capacity. Social Venture Partners International hosts version 1 as a free Excel workbook.

    ClassicTool or templateFree
  • 1.2C003

    Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool

    A self-assessment spreadsheet that nonprofits complete to rate their own capacity. Developed by the Marguerite Casey Foundation from The Conservation Company's Capacity Assessment Grid, it covers 4 areas: leadership, adaptive, management and operational capacity. It includes instructions for filling it in and a scoring calculation, so organisations can benchmark progress over time. Grantmakers also use the results to understand grantee capacity and track its growth during a grant.

    ClassicTool or templateFree
  • 1.2C007

    Pact's Organizational Capacity Assessment

    A guide for Pact staff, partners and other organisations that want to run Pact's Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA). The OCA is a participatory, strengths-based method and tool that helps an organisation measure its capacity, rank its organisational challenges and put improvement strategies in place. The guide sets out how a facilitator prepares and runs the process with an organisation. It is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 licence.

    CurrentTool or templateFree
  • 7.3C095

    Organizational Learning Self-Assessment Tool

    An 18-question self-assessment that nonprofits and grantmakers use to gauge their learning culture in 5 to 10 minutes. Items are rated 1 to 5 across 3 areas: organisational habits and behaviours, leadership and strategic direction, and capacity and resources. Each area suggests 5, 15 or 30 minute actions and further resources. Teams use it to start a discussion, and can share it with funders or partners.

    CurrentTool or templateFree
  • 1.2C008

    Bridgespan Organizational Effectiveness Framework survey

    An online team survey on Org360 that runs a Bridgespan-based organisational assessment for nonprofits. It has 85 questions and takes about 34 minutes. Areas include strategic clarity, governance, financial sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion, with rating questions and open reflection questions. Leaders, board members and staff respond, and Org360 produces an automatic report with strengths, gaps and a development plan. It is free to use after sign-up.

    Start hereEmergingTool or templateFree with sign-upNonprofit Builder tool
  • 6.4C082

    Resiliency Guide

    A discussion and self-assessment guide that helps funders and nonprofits talk openly about the pressures nonprofits face and reflect on organisational strengths and weak spots. First developed in 2014, it has gone through several versions and draws on the 2020 study Resilience at Work. Grantmakers use it to decide where, when and how to invest in capacity building, and grantees use it with their funders.

    Start hereCurrentTool or templateFree

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