Nonprofit organizations play a vital role in addressing social issues and making a positive impact in our communities. To effectively serve their communities and achieve their mission, nonprofits must constantly adapt and evolve. One crucial aspect of this evolution is updating program design and curricula, which may not be top of mind for nonprofit staff.
Once you create a program, that’s not the end. Like your strategic plan, your programs aren’t static. Programs (and services, but for today’s post, “programs” will be used as a catch-all term) should be updated based on a variety of factors.
When was the last time you reviewed and updated your programs? In this month’s Ask Nicole, let’s explore six important reasons for nonprofits should regularly review and update their programs. Don’t wait for a funder to recommend this to you.
Meeting emerging needs (and getting more funding)
Community needs are dynamic, constantly evolving, and facing new challenges. Staying relevant by addressing the changing needs of your program participants can be achieved by updating program curricula, Ensuring your programs remain aligned with current societal demands and funder expectations, this proactive approach can help your organization maintain its impact and prevent programs from becoming outdated or irrelevant.
Embracing innovation
Nonprofit work is continuously shaped by new data, innovative approaches, and best practices. By reviewing and updating program’s goals and implementation, your organization can stay abreast emerging trends, ensuring your programs are based on the latest knowledge and methodologies. This not only enhances the effectiveness of your programs but also strengthens your organization’s ability to be more data driven.
Enhancing program effectiveness
Routine program evaluation and feedback aids in enhancing program effectiveness. Incorporating regular program evaluation allows your organization to act on lessons learned and improve program effectiveness. By soliciting feedback from program participants and program staff, you can discover areas for improvement to make necessary changes, improving your ability to deliver programs that are more efficient, impactful, and aligned with their intended outcomes.
Adapting to new advancements
As we move into a post-COVID 19 world, where we witnessed massive shifts in how organizations delivered programs and services, technology (and lack of) proved to be a major component in how organizations were able to pivot their programs. Updating program designs and curricula allows organizations to address and leverage technological advancements and needs, integrating them into their programs. Addressing digital divides and technology deserts can enhance program delivery, monitoring, and evaluation if your program will remain virtual for the foreseeable future. If you’re shifting your programs back to being in-person (especially if you’re considering a hybrid program), keep in mind staff’s capacity to handle in-person and virtual program components.
Stakeholder buy-in
Most organizations only consider participant feedback at the end of a program, but have you ever considered having stakeholders be part of your program’s design? While updating a program can provide opportunities to engage your stakeholders, involving stakeholders (including participants and your program staff) in curriculum development along with providing general feedback helps highlight various perspectives and ensures your programs are well-suited to the needs and expectations of your primary stakeholders. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of ownership and increases stakeholder buy-in.
Addressing equity and inclusion
As more organization prioritize equity and inclusion, updating program design and curricula offer opportunities to highlight diverse perspectives, cultural responsiveness, and address systemic barriers. Revising a program’s design and curriculum ensures that the elements of your program are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of your communities. By promoting diversity and addressing social inequalities, your organization fosters more equitable outcomes and creates a greater impact.
Key takeaway
As nonprofits continue to operate in a rapidly changing world, and the effectiveness of their programs relies on their ability to adapt and evolve. By meeting changing needs, embracing innovation, enhancing program effectiveness, adapting to advancements, engaging stakeholders, and addressing equity and inclusion, your organization can ensure its programs remain relevant, impactful, and aligned with its mission. Regularly reviewing and updating how your programs operate is an investment in the future success and sustainability of your organization.
Raise Your Voice: How often of you update your programs? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.
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