If you find the answer, it is worth the trip. Research takes a long time if you or your staff do it. Research costs money if you hire someone else to do it. However, if you find the answer or solution you need, it is worth the cost of time or money. If you weigh the problems caused by not having the proper information, for example, rules, requirements, obstacles, inputs, statistics, etc., the trip (cost and time) does not look too bad.
If you pay for an investigation or report, read it. When you hand over your valuable and limited money to someone to conduct an investigation, prepare a report, or conduct an evaluation, it is a waste not to use it. Even if you did it just because it was a requirement of your sponsor, board, or boss, you can still provide useful information. That information can help you improve the performance and effectiveness of your programs and efforts. It can also provide you with useful information on any aspect of your operation: customers, programs, staff, processes, and impediments. If the report or evaluation provides a plan, putting it on the shelf after you’ve spent your money or your staff’s time developing it is not only wasteful, it’s foolish. At the very least, read what you paid for and then make the conscious decision to use it or not.
Exceed reporting expectations. Not many people like to prepare reports (I am one of the rare ones who like it). Because people don’t like to do it, they often put as little time and effort into it as possible. This is a big mistake, especially for sustained or future funding. Here are some reporting mistakes that can ruin your reputation with a funder, board, or boss: 1) Failing to deliver what they request, 2) Failing to use the format they specify, 3) Filing late, 4) Failing to exceed their expectations. The problem caused by n. 4 is that doing the bare minimum will look mediocre compared to someone who goes beyond the requirements. Looking mediocre compared to the competition is the kiss of death to financing in the currently highly competitive landscape.
Quantify. Use facts instead of, or in addition to, stories / anecdotes. It takes time to do the things necessary to quantify your results, but quantification is proof of your effectiveness. Quantification requires research (for statistics), monitoring (of your results, not your activities), and measurement (improvements and successes). Remember that doing the things necessary to quantify is a process, not something you do 2 days before you have to prepare a report for your funder, board of directors, donors, or boss.
Don’t hide from the truth. Many organizations and agencies view evaluation as judgment. It may be, but its real purpose is to help you identify problems (so you can solve them, not be punished), determine your successes (so you can publicize and capitalize on them), modify (so you can be even more successful), and prove your worth. (so you can continue to obtain funds). Assessments uncover important things; they do not invent or cause them. If you stick your head in the sand, you are likely to drown.
Don’t confuse activities with results. Activities are things you do, results are things you accomplish. Taking 10 financial education classes is an activity. Helping 10 families reduce their debt by 50% in one year is one result. Sponsors and boards want to hear about results, not activities. If your reports are full of activities instead of results or your evaluators can only find counts of activities instead of measuring results, their success and effectiveness are unproven.
Fulfill your dreams, not your nightmares. If you raise funds or establish partnerships that are not in harmony with your purpose and programs, you will set yourself up for nightmares instead of realizing your dream. Make sure you are not seeking or accepting funds that do the following: 1) take time and money from your primary mission / purpose, 2) cost you more than it provides you (know this will require a realistic attitude and follow through), 3 ) involves requirements and “obstacles” that cause more frustration than benefit.
