Prepared by:

January 22, 2016

CCAT Refresher Course

Julie SimpsonTCC Group

Director, Nonprofit Strategy & Capacity Building

Presenter:

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Agenda

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o Brief Overviewo Interpreting the Resultso Targeted Capacity Buildingo Future Sessionso Q&A

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CCAT Overview

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1. CCAT is not a report card – it is an organizational learning tool

2. CCAT is a comprehensive framework for facilitating discussion and brainstorming about effectiveness

3. CCAT is not the be all and end all of organizational assessment – it is one tool serving a much deeper process

4. CCAT is a leadership tool

CCAT Purpose

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• Assess the organizational effectiveness of nonprofits

• Create the most cost-effective capacity building

• Build capacity-building plans• Develop capacity-building initiatives

• Evaluate capacity-building efforts• Longitudinal studies

• Frame strategic planning efforts

• CCAT data can be collected across cohorts and aggregated for further analysis

CCAT Applications

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Section Description Outcomes

Introductory Meeting +

CCAT Orientation

• Organization and consultant meet to introduce CCAT and context

• Involves org lead and survey takers

• Open and honest relationship between org and consultant

• Consultant learns about organization

• Survey takers ready for CCATCCAT Interpretation • 1-2 hour meeting to discuss

main themes in CCAT results• Involves survey takers

• Org has established key themes in CCAT results

• Consultant understands org interpersonal dynamics

Targeted Capacity Building Sessions

• Series of conversations to determine priorities and establish

• Involves change agents (Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff), and board if necessary.

• Develop a capacity building plan that is informed by:

• CCAT data• Conversations with org

stakeholders• Consultant expertise• Org’s role in community

and aspirations

Overview of CCAT Engagements

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Interpreting the Results

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• Identify overall themes from the lifecycle chart and prioritized capacity building plan

• Use CCAT interpretation guide• Review entire report for potentially sensitive

issues• Items that point to particular personnel• Interpersonal issues• Low scoring subcapacities

Facilitator Preparation

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Follow this order:1. Where is the organization in the

organizational lifecycle? 2. What are the priority recommendations?

• Are there recommendations that don’t make sense for the organization?

• Can the recommendations be grouped?• What item in the capacity-building plan

really excites you and why?• What item in the capacity-building plan

concerns or scares you and why?3. What are the strengths of the organization?

Questions for the Organization

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Core Program Infrastructure Development Impact Expansion

Capacity

Needs

LeadershipInternal leadership and

vision to sustain and grow program model

Internal leadership to sustain and grow business model

Scalable models for community impact and

system change

AdaptiveNeeds assessment and

ongoing evaluation (R&D) to sustain and grow

Organizational assessment for

sustainability and business planning for independent resource generation for growth

Evaluation, planning, and process implementation for community alliances,

collaborations, and system reform efforts

ManagementStrong program

management and implementation for

sustainability and growth

HR and infrastructure management and

performance measurement for

sustainability and growth

Alliance and partner management

TechnicalProgram delivery,

resources and tools for sustainability and growth

Operational and administrative facilities;

skills and tools for sustainability and growth

Relationships, networks, and resources

Assessing Lifecycle Stage and Capacity Needs

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Example 1

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Example 1

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Example 2

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Example 2

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• Too much focus on low scores/challenges

• “I disagree with the results.”

• Taking recommendations personally

Interpretation Pitfalls

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• Taking recommendations literally

• “These recommendations are too vague.”

• “We just don’t have the resources to do any of these recommendations.”

Interpretation Pitfalls

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• “CCAT Executive Summary”• Lifecycle• Prioritized Capacity Building Plan• Leadership• Adaptive• Management• Technical• Culture• Priorities and Next Steps

Where does interpretation lead to?

“What resonated most for our organization

was…”

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• Survey• Does skipping questions bring an

organization's score down?

• Lifecycle• How is it possible for an established

organization to be in the Core Program Development stage?

• Frequency• What is the value of taking the CCAT more

than once?

FAQs

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• Prioritized Capacity Building Plan• If some of my sub-capacity scores are really

low, why don’t they appear on my prioritized list?

• Comparison Reports• What organizations am I being compared to?

FAQs

2020

Targeted Capacity Building

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Capacity Building Learning Community

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4 Part Learning Partnership

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• Funder• Set strategic direction for capacity building

and learning goals• Create environment and set expectations for

mutual learning• Adjust strategy based on learnings based on

data and lessons learned• Organization

• Commit to change and learning• Work with consultants to develop and

implement capacity building plans• Provide continuous feedback on the process

Capacity Building: Learning Partnership

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• TCC Group…• Collaborates with funders to design the initiative• Trains on the ground consultants on targeted

capacity building • Establishes and maintains a learning

loop/learning communities• Local Capacity Building Providers…

• Work with organizations to interpret the CCAT • Help organizations create capacity building

plans, using targeted capacity building approach and their own expertise

• Empower individuals and provide assistance in implementing plans

Capacity Building: Learning Partnership

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Real-life Example

Expert Facilitation from Local Consultants, Informed by:• Targeted Capacity Building Approach• Local Understanding and Expertise• Learning Loop

Learning Loop:TCC feeds information back into the process via CCAT

data, interviews, and surveys

Stronger Nonprofits/Community/Fu

nder

Funder Supporting a

Cohort

CCAT CB Plan Development

Implementation and TA

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How to Plan, Conduct, & Interpret Targeted Capacity Building Sessions

• Report clear, results-oriented objectives in improving health, education, and quality of life in the community

• Articulate need for CB and effectively marshal resources

• Acquire the internal capacity to absorb additional funds as they enhance effectiveness and impact

• Employ sustainable leadership practices of staff and board to lead and fundraise

• Funding to support internal infrastructure, in addition to program infrastructure

• Ability to "tell their story" and articulate how add'l resources would increase their capacity to succeed

• Access to experts and technical assistance to build skills

• Increased leadership capacity, including board development and succession planning

Grant partners who:

Foundation Goals Grantee Needs

Cap

acity

Bui

ldin

gSu

ppor

ts

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Real-life Example

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• Combined with supplemental data, CCAT data help foundations achieve their own goals

Cohort Data: Targeted Strategy

Clustered delivery of services

Curriculum design

Funding strategies

Capacity building strategies

Building the capacity of capacity builders

Ecosystem building

Informed Approaches to…

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Future Sessions

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• Technical / Content Changes to CCAT• Marketing the CCAT• BoardSource findings and briefing paper• Future discussions / lessons learned

• Interest in LinkedIn group

Down the Road…

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• Insights from webinar participants• Q&A

Lessons Learned and Q&A

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• CCAT website: www.tccCCAT.com • Orientation Video• Interpretation Video• Interpretation Guide• Technical User Guides

• CCAT Report

Resources

For further assistance, please contact:CCATHelp@tccgrp.com

1-866-470-2258