Like the leaders of private companies, nonprofit executives and managers need to know whether their programs are providing satisfactory results. Outcome management enables organizations to define and use specific indicators to continually measure how well services or programs are leading to the desired results. With this information, managers can better develop budgets, allocate their resources, and improve their services.

A successful outcome management program includes a process to measure outcomes plus the use of that information to help manage and improve services and organizational outcomes.

This is the first in a series of guidebooks from the Urban Institute. It covers the necessary steps for nonprofit organizations that wish to implement outcome management (also known as “managing for results”), and includes guidance on establishing an outcome-oriented measurement process and practices for using the information internally.

Additional guides in the series will examine in more detail some components of outcome management, such as undertaking client surveys. Please check http://www.urban.org to see what guides are currently available.