How to Measure Behavior Change and Impact in a Federated Nonprofit or Membership Association

?I work with a lot of large federated nonprofits, and I'm often asked how organizations like this measure behavior change and impact.??

I wish I had a simple one-size-fits-all answer, but if I did, it probably wouldn't require a podcast episode.??

Why Measuring Learning is Complex in Some Nonprofits

?Measuring behavior change and impact is hard in most organizations, but add the complexities of federated organizations or membership associations, and it suddenly feels impossible.

In a federated nonprofit, I can’t just roll out a training and make everyone take it.?

Sure, I could create a new training and add it to the LMS but the staff who need that training may never hear about it or gain access to the LMS.

And if they do take the training and learn something valuable, they return to an environment where no one else is implementing that thing.

What about measurement?

?Once the training is over, you have very little access to the individual who took the training.??

How do we know if their behavior changed?

How do we know if our training made an impact?

That’s what I’m exploring on episode 117 of the podcast.?

How to Measure Behavior Change and Impact after Training

Again, how to measure behavior change and impact will vary a bit depending on the learning experience, the audience, and the organization.

But here are 4 ways I've recommended and used in the nonprofit sector:

?? Send surveys for self-reporting.

???Provide observation tools for supervisors.

?? Add site visits, if possible.

?? Leverage any existing reporting the local chapters do.

Want to learn more about how they work (+ the challenges and limitations of each)?

Tune into episode 117 of Learning For Good.

Upcoming Events for L&D Pros

The Business of Learning: How to Position Learning in Your Nonprofit

If you're a nonprofit employee creating training or leadership development solution, join us tomorrow, Jan 23 for a Learning Circle featuring nonprofit leader Shari Pobjecky!

Shari will be sharing how she has worked to position the learning function as a value center in her organization.

Shari leads a portfolio of training for aerospace engineers at SAE International, an industry association for mobility professionals (people in jobs who make things move).

This is a great opportunity to hear firsthand from another nonprofit L&D leader, learn what's working in their organization, and ask questions in real time.

?? Jan 23

?? 11-12 CT

?? Zoom

This event is open to all nonprofit employees in a training or leadership development role. Reach out to Heather Burright to see if it's a good fit for you.

Career Conversation with Nonprofit L&D Pro, Nadra Dennis

What types of L&D roles are available in nonprofits?

What types of nonprofits hire L&D roles?

I get questions about nonprofit L&D careers a lot, so in this series, we will be meeting nonprofit L&D pros and learning more about their organizations, who they create training for, how big or small their team is, and so much more!

Plus, we'll hear their career journey with all its twists and turns.

This is the perfect event for you if you are in nonprofit L&D or are considering pivoting into nonprofit.

?? LinkedIn Live

?? Jan 28

?? 1:15-2 CT

Join us Jan 28 for our first career conversation.

We'll hear from Nadra Dennis from the Center for Employment Opportunities.

This event is open to anyone. RSVP here.

Additional Resources Just for You

?? Follow or subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify so you don’t miss next week’s episode. I'll be exploring how to create connection and belonging among your teams with guest Abigail Finck.

?? Not in the nonprofit sector but looking for a new role? Join my email list and get a nonprofit L&D job direct to your inbox every Monday.

?? Working inside a nonprofit or association? Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective, a community of nonprofit and association L&D pros where you can connect with each other, learn from industry leaders and tech vendors, and find the support you need to make a real impact.

P.S. Here's how we can work together. I help nonprofit and association teams create behavior change by partnering with them on their instructional design and leadership development needs. If you have training needs coming up, schedule a call with me so we can explore what this would look like for you.