3 Ways Salesforce Can Measure Outcomes of Nonprofit Programs

Using Salesforce to track and measure the outcomes of your programs ensures you can assess effectiveness, make data-driven decisions, and demonstrate impact. Here are three key ways to achieve this:

Custom Objects and Fields for Outcome Tracking

• Develop custom objects in Salesforce to represent specific programs and their associated outcomes. For example, if your organization runs educational programs, you might create objects to track student progress, attendance, and graduation rates.
• Add custom fields to capture specific metrics related to program outcomes. This could include fields for pre- and post-program assessments, milestones achieved, and other relevant data points.
• Link custom objects and fields to beneficiary records, funding sources, and volunteer activities. This relational data model provides a comprehensive view of how different aspects of your organization’s operations contribute to program outcomes.

Reports and Dashboards

• Create custom reports to analyze the data collected through your custom objects and fields. For example, you can build reports that compare pre- and post-program assessment scores, track attendance rates over time, or summarize the achievements of different cohorts.
• Build dashboards to visualize key metrics and outcomes. Dashboards can include charts, graphs, and tables that provide a real-time overview of program performance. Use these visualizations to easily communicate results to stakeholders and identify trends or areas for improvement.
• Use reports and dashboards to perform impact analysis, evaluating the effectiveness of your programs. Track metrics like the number of beneficiaries served, success rates, and overall community impact. This analysis helps you understand which programs are most effective and where resources should be allocated.

Surveys and Feedback

• Use Salesforce Surveys or integrate third-party survey tools to collect feedback from program participants, volunteers, and other stakeholders. Surveys can include questions about participants’ experiences, perceived benefits, and suggestions for improvement.
• Import survey responses into Salesforce and link them to relevant program records. Analyze the data to identify common themes, satisfaction levels, and areas needing attention.
• Combine survey data with other program metrics to get a holistic view of program outcomes. For example, correlate participant feedback with attendance rates and assessment scores to understand the overall impact and effectiveness of your programs.

Orchid Connect is a woman-owned Salesforce implementation firm with 30 years of experience serving associations, non-profits and small/medium businesses. We specialize in strategic and implementation services, go-to-market support, and ongoing support. To learn more, reach us at reachout@orchidconnect.com.