2 Operation AmeriCorps Organizational Capacity Survey

Capacity Assessment Grid: Survey Supplement for OPAC Grantees

Beyond providing a critical mass of national service members to support transformational community change, Operation AmeriCorps seeks to build the organizational capacity of participating non-profits. Organizational capacity is your organization’s ability to develop, operate, and sustain programmatic activity. The following survey questions ask about a few areas of organizational capacity. Your answers to these questions will not be shared outside of this evaluation, and you will not be identified by your responses. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Please indicate whether the following statements are true or not by selecting “Yes” or “No” for each question, or by selecting the appropriate response, and completing the response as requested.

1. [Mission] Our Operation AmeriCorps project has a written expression of the project’s reason for existence, such as a mission statement. [Y/N]

   • If N…How is the reason for the project’s existence expressed? [Free response]

2. [Vision] All organizations involved in our Operation AmeriCorps project have a shared understanding of what success looks like for this project. Select the response you feel comes closest to the truth: [Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

   • If Not at all…Please describe how the partner organizations disagree about what success looks like for this project. [Free response]

3. [Overarching goals] The project’s vision has been translated into a concrete set of measurable goals. [Y/N]

   • If Y…proceed to 3b. radio box

     • 3b. To what extent are these goals [Question matrix w/ radio buttons, not at all, somewhat, mostly, fully]:

       • Clear;

       • Measureable;

       • Linked to a timeframe for achievement.

   • If Not at All …Please explain. [Free response]

We would now like to ask you some questions about the partnerships established for your project. The first set of questions focuses on the project’s operating partners. Operating partners can be thought of as those individuals, groups, and organizations involved in carrying out the day-to-day activities of the project. These partners can range from non-profit organizations and foundations to private businesses to schools and government agencies, to name a few.

Before responding to the questions below, please list the names of up to 5 Operation AmeriCorps project operating partners who are necessary to carrying out the project:

4. [Operating Partners] For the project’s operating partners as a group, to what extent are the following statements true?:

4a. Roles and responsibilities among operating partners are clearly defined.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

4b. Roles and responsibilities among operating partners are well understood.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

4c. Operating partners are frequently involved in making decisions about the project.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

4d. Operating partners communicate regularly with each other.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

4e. Operating partners have an easy means of sharing information and data with each other.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

4f. This project has brought together a diverse set of operating partners.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

4g. Operating partners work together to develop long-term strategy.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

5. We are now going to ask you three short questions about your relationship with each of the operating partners you listed above:

5a. Formal communications can generally be thought of as scheduled, and often recurring, such as presentations, routine meetings, quarterly board meetings, or newsletters. How frequently do you have formal communication with [Partner X]?

[Daily, weekly, monthly, a few times a year, once a year or fewer]

5b. Informal communications can generally be thought of as casual, often on an as-needed basis, such as an email exchange, a direct phone call, or an impromptu meeting. How frequently do you have informal communication with [Partner X]?

[Daily, weekly, monthly, a few times a year, once a year or fewer]

5c. Which of the following characterize [Partner X’s] contribution to the project? Check all that apply:

• Service provision, meaning providing direct services to beneficiaries and making referrals

• Systems management, such as fiscal management, record-keeping, IT systems, monitoring and evaluation

• Organizational support, such as consulting, training, advertising or outreach, overseeing service members and volunteers

• Resources, such as providing or sharing funding sources, sharing facility/office space, contributing other materials

• Staff

• Other: Please describe ________

• Don’t Know

We would also like to know about your peripheral supporters. Peripheral supporters are those individuals, groups, and organizations that are not involved in the day-to-day activities of the project but rather contribute or provide support in more infrequent ways. These supporters can range from non-profit organizations and foundations to private businesses to schools and government agencies, to name a few.

Before responding to the questions below, please list the names of up to 5 Operation AmeriCorps project peripheral supporters whose support is necessary to the project:

6. [Peripheral Supporters] For the project’s peripheral supporters as a group, to what extent are the following statements true?:

6a. This project has brought together a diverse set of peripheral supporters.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

6b. Peripheral supporters contribute to the success of this project.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

6c. Peripheral supporters take part in developing long-term strategy.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

6d. Peripheral supporters advocate for the project to influential leaders.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

6e. Peripheral supporters advocate for the project in the communities being served.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

6f. Peripheral supporters have made formal agreements to support the project.

[Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

We would now like to ask you some questions about the staffing, infrastructure, and resources for your Operation AmeriCorps project. Several of the following questions will refer to “national service members” and “volunteers.” By “national service members” we mean individuals working on your Operation AmeriCorps project who are serving through AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, or AmeriCorps NCCC. By “volunteers” we mean both individuals working on your project through Senior Corps as well as individuals from the general community who have chosen to work on your project and are not being paid to do so.

Please indicate whether the following statements are true or not by selecting “Yes” or “No” for each question.

7. [Staffing levels] Staff positions that are essential to running the project, not including national service members or volunteers, are fully staffed. [Y/N]

• If N…Which key positions remain open? [Free response]

8. [Staffing levels] National service member and volunteer positions that are essential to running the project are fully staffed. [Y/N]

• If N…Which of the following have positions that are not fully staffed? Check all that apply:

  • AmeriCorps State and National

  • AmeriCorps VISTA

  • AmeriCorps NCCC

  • Senior Corps

  • Other volunteers

9. [Resources] The project is fully resourced, including funding, space, technology, and materials to carry out the project as planned. [Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

• If Not at all…Which of the following is not fully resourced? Check all that apply:

  • Funding for Operating Budget

  • Space

  • Technology

  • Materials

  • Other. Please explain:_________________

10. [Financial strategy] The project has a strategy in place to ensure that the project is fully resourced over the course of the Operation AmeriCorps grant. [Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

    • If Not at all…What are the reasons for not having a financial strategy? [Free Response]

11. [Board] The project has a formal community advisory group, board, or oversight committee of relevant constituents. [Y/N]

• If Y…To what extent are the following statements true about your formal advisory group, board, or oversight committee of relevant constituents: [Question matrix w/ radio buttons; not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

  • Group membership is representative of the community served.

  • The group contains broad variety of expertise and experience.

  • Group members provide direction, support, and accountability.

12. [Board] The project has an informal community advisory group, board, or oversight committee of relevant constituents. [Y/N]

    • If Y…To what extent are the following statements true about your informal advisory group, board, or oversight committee of relevant constituents: [Question matrix w/ radio buttons; not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

• Group membership is representative of the community served.

• The group contains broad variety of expertise and experience.

• Group members provide direction, support, and accountability.

• If N to both 11 and 12…Please describe the project’s strategy for providing community oversight and input into the project. [Free response]

13. [Sustainability] Our Operation AmeriCorps project has a plan for how it will be sustained beyond the Operation AmeriCorps grant. [Y/N]

• If Y…Check all that currently apply to this sustainability plan:

  • The plan is documented.

  • Necessary operating partners have formally agreed to the plan.

  • Necessary peripheral supporters have formally agreed to the plan.

  • Adequate resources and financing have been formally committed to make the plan viable.

• If N…What are the reasons for not having a sustainability plan? [Free Response]

14. [Tracking Outcomes] Our Operation AmeriCorps project is collecting the data that it needs to know it is on track to achieve its desired outcomes. [Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

    • If Not at all, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true…What additional data could the project collect to know that it is on track? [Free Response]

15. [Achieving Goals] Our Operation AmeriCorps project is able to demonstrate that it is making progress toward its goals. [Not at all true, somewhat true, mostly true, completely true]

    • If Not at all, somewhat true, mostly true…What are the barriers to being able to demonstrate progress? [Free Response]