Guidebook Evaluate

Design Your Evaluation

We encourage organizations to measure their success immediately after their volunteer engagement closes, as well as at designated intervals after the project’s impact is realized (e.g. six months out, one year out). Evaluating the success of your pro bono project consistently over the short, medium, and long term will allow you to gauge and communicate the impact your project has had on your organizational capacity and, ultimately, on your ability to achieve your social mission.

The format and method of your evaluation may range, depending on what is feasible for your organization. Organizations may utilize surveys, interviews, focus groups, or informal group debriefs. We encourage you to consider which method or combination of methods will ensure the most accurate and informative data capture for your organization. The content of your evaluation should be adjusted based on the measurement interests and needs of your project stakeholders.

Consider these sample survey questions as you build out your own evaluation methods.

“This project changed our communication approaches, forced us to get tighter and clearer about our mission, and taught our staff about how to present our programs to various audiences.”

Sample Evaluation

Measure Your Impact

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Project Goals

The project’s role in helping us meet our organization’s overall strategic goals or program strategy remained as anticipated.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

The top 3 project goals that were identified before the project began were met.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

The project success metrics that were identified before the project began were met.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Project Scope

The project met the major project components and milestones as defined in the original project scope.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

The project stayed within the timeline as defined for each of the project components and milestones defined in the original project scope.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

The skilled volunteer team experience and expertise aligned well with the work that needed to be accomplished to reach our project goals.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

The project plan outlined at the start of the project was referred to frequently while the project was in progress and course corrections were made, as needed.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Project Leadership

Our staff project lead was able to dedicate the time required to successfully lead the project for our organization.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Our staff project lead was able to make or facilitate project decisions in a timely matter.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Our staff project lead was able to successfully share the knowledge of the challenge addressed through the project with the skills-based volunteers.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Our staff project lead and volunteer team developed a strong working relationship and were able to communicate quickly and effectively (on project feedback, to resolve any project issues, etc.) during the course of the project.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Post Project Support Plan

Our staff received the required training to ensure that the work on the project was incorporated and maintained in our organization after the volunteers transitioned off.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

The project has been integrated into the organization’s day-to-day operations.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We have saved the project materials developed by the volunteers (project plan templates, decision trees) to use for future internal projects.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

The key stakeholders that need to be kept engaged about the integration of the project and carrying it forward are kept apprised in a timely manner.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We have secured (or developed a plan for) financial resources (cash or equipment grants, corporate sponsorships) to sustain the project in the long-term.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Outcomes Reporting

We have defined metrics that will help our organization continue to measure the impact of this project over time.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We informed our key stakeholders about the start and completion of the project (newsletters, press release, meetings).

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We communicated impact data to our key stakeholders (cost savings, time savings, additional dollars raised, increase in client inquiries).

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We have incorporated the impact data gathered from this project into our marketing collateral (case studies, stories etc.) to demonstrate our strengthened organizational capacity with key stakeholders.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Engagement of Volunteers

We have requested project feedback from our volunteers to understand their perspective on project success.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We have incorporated the project feedback received from our volunteers into our approach to volunteer engagement.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

Our volunteers (or a subset) have remained engaged with our organization after the project came to a close.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We have added the volunteers to our ongoing communication lists (newsletters, annual appeal letters etc.) to ensure continued exposure to our programs.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

We have recognized the work of the volunteers and have kept them apprised of our progress on carrying the project forward within our organization.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

After this project, we are more inclined and ready as an organization to engage another team of skills-based volunteers to meet another organizational challenge.

  1. Achieved
  2. Mostly Achieved
  3. Sort of Achieved
  4. Not At All

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Evaluate: Tell Your Pro Bono Story