Outcomes Tracking is Necessary at Any Human Services Organization – Here’s Why

Millions of at-risk Americans rely on government and nonprofit human services organizations for support. In the United States, populations at risk include minorities, victims of abuse, people with disabilities, the homeless population, and families living below the poverty line. Human services organizations play a crucial role in advocating for these groups while also preventing and addressing the challenges they face. 

Nonprofits, public sector government agencies, and private sector organizations can all serve society through a variety of approaches by providing life-changing services. Overall, these organizations aim to help Americans improve their health and well-being. But are they achieving their goals? How should human services organizations measure impact – especially when progress in individual cases can be so nuanced, personal, and subjective? 

In this article, we’ll overview:

• Why Should Human Services Organizations Measure Outcomes? 
• How to Track Outcomes

Why Should Human Services Organizations Measure Outcomes?

1. Funding Sources Expect to See Good Data

Local, state, federal, and private funding sources all have one thing in common: They want to hold grant recipients accountable. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – the largest grant-making agency in the country – provides states, communities, universities, research entities, and eligible nonprofits with billions of dollars in funding annually. Many human services organizations apply for grants from the Administration for Children and Families, a branch of HHS that promotes economic and social well-being in communities across the country. Other organizations – such as those providing homeless assistance programs – may apply for funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Each grant has different requirements, but they are all highly competitive to attain and limited in supply. Organizations applying must meet eligibility criteria and provide a well-researched narrative that defines a community’s service needs, and a demonstrated record of success in addressing those needs.

But applying for a grant is just half the battle. Once the awards are distributed, organizations need to provide regular financial and program reporting. Some grants are allocated in portions, which means if an organization doesn’t meet the criteria mid-term, then it won’t receive subsequent payouts from the granting agency. Private donors may have less stringent requirements than government agencies, but they expect to see results too.

Tracking outcomes not only helps human services organizations secure new funding streams; it helps them maintain positive relationships with the private and public funders they rely on.

2. Tracking Success Metrics Helps Organizations Refine Programs and Maximize Outcomes

Government and nonprofit human services organizations tend to operate on bootstrap budgets, which means they need to be nimble, lean, and adaptable to changing market conditions. Without guaranteed funding, these organizations need to be highly competitive and operate at maximum efficiency to stay profitable while upholding their missions.

There are numerous key performance indicators (KPIs) that nonprofit and government agencies track to analyze success. Managers and leadership use these metrics to evaluate program effectiveness, operational efficiency, resource allocation, and the return on investment for specific expenditures. Periodically checking in on success data helps organizations understand their strengths and proactively address their weaknesses, enabling them to serve more community members while producing better outcomes.

How to Track Outcomes in Human Services Fields

When gauging nonprofit, human service, and public health program success, there’s no shortage of attributes to evaluate and metrics to track. 

Not sure where to begin? Many nonprofits, human services, and public health organizations use logic models to create a shared, visual framework that defines strategic priorities, programs, resources, and outcomes. Get started on a logic model, if your organization doesn’t already have one, with our quick guide, “How to Create a Logic Model.”

Once you’ve defined the metrics that your organization will track, the next steps are to specify how often you will measure them (monthly, quarterly, or annually), and select the data collection tools you’ll use.

Where to Collect Data That Demonstrates Need

Effective grant proposals demonstrate need. Organizations can look to population data, policy reports, and public records to collect macro-level data – such as poverty levels, geographic boundaries, and demographic data. Peer-reviewed research published in high-impact journals can also help substantiate requests for funding for new programmatic approaches in grant applications. With the right tool, your organization can glean insights on your specific community members served and provide that data as well.