OKR (Objectives and Key Results) has become the go-to goal-setting and strategy-execution framework across many industries; now, nonprofits are beginning to embrace the OKR framework for. OKRs is a simple, easy-to-understand methodology that can benefit organisations in any industry, but it is especially beneficial to nonprofit organisations because OKRs encourage organisations to set ambitious stretch goals, create outcomes-based objectives, align everyone with the nonprofit's mission, and foster an organisational culture of trust, accountability, and transparency.
OKRs are made up of two parts: an objective and key results. An objective is the descriptive goal you are attempting to achieve within the time frame specified, and key results are the benchmarks that can be used to measure the achievement of the objectives.
OKRs are simple, but it is critical to properly set them in order to get the most out of them. The following are some useful tips to consider when creating OKRs for nonprofits.
- Set Objectives collaborative with inputs from both top-down and button-up
- Align team OKRs with the organization mission
- Each team or individual should have 3 to 5 OKRs
- Continuously track progress
- Update OKRs regularly with previous learnings (recommended quarterly)
- Objectives should be
- Qualitative
- Ambitious & inspirational
- Simple, clear and understandable
- Time-bound
- Controlled by the Owner
- Key Results should be
- Outcomes/results to achieve the Objectives, not tasks or activities
- Specific
- Measurable & verifiable
- 3 to 5 Key Results per Objective
Sample OKRs for Nonprofits
Here are some sample OKRs for nonprofit organizations, please feel to use it in your nonprofit organizations
Build a self sustaining organization
- Raise 60% of the operation cost through direct donations
- Collect 30% of the operation cost through corporate donations
- Receive 10% of the operation cost through grants
Raise strong volunteer community
- Prepare strategy and vision for building volunteer community
- Implement recruitment capabilities including process & technology
- Build strong onboarding and retaining programs for volunteers
Run successful programs to achieve organizational mission
- Identify programs aligned to mission
- Achieve 90% of the target set for the programs
- Review program results and make adjustments to programs
Build strong marketing program to attract potential supporters
- Launch 5 new marketing campaigns
- Increase leads by 25% through web channels
- Increase leads by 30% through social media channels
- Increase leads by 15% through direct marketing channels
Increase fundraising from supports to record levels
- Increase one-time payment fund by 10%
- Increase recurring payment by 20%
Subscriber record number of supporters to recurring donations
- Subscriber 20% of past one-time supporters to recurring programs
- Subscribe 25% new recurring payment supporters
- Increase 10% of existing recurring supporters monthly contributions
Build connections with corporate to increase corporate donations
- Build a corporate outreach strategy and plan
- Create campaign and reach out to at least 1000 corporates
- Add 100 companies as part of the corporate program
Launch monthly virtual fundraising event
- Build a strategy and plan for monthly fundraising event
- Identify and signup a platform to run the virtual event
- Build potential attendees list and send monthly invites
- Achieve the set monthly participant target
Create Impact through grants
- Review past grant performance and finalize 5 grants for this year
- Receive 20% more applications this year for the grants
- Finalize & approve all grants in 30 days or less
- Distrube payments timely for 100% of grants
Implement self registration to increase applications & reduce processing time
- Meet 100% of the stakeholders to understand the requirements for self registration portal
- Customize and implement Salesforce Nonprofit self registration feature
- Work with marketing team to change 100% marketing materials with new self-registration information
- Increase registration by 20%
- Reduce time of registration by 40% than previous registration process
Improve grant tracking with programs
- 100% approved grants should have a program
- 100% funded programs should have progress updated weekly
- Monthly review meetings with program managers for 100% programs
