A supplement to The Family Planning ManagerVolume V, Number 4, Winter 1996/97

A supplcm nl to The Family Planning Manager "Planningfor Sustainability: Assessing the Management Capabilities

of Your Organizalion" Volume V, Number 4, Winter 1996/97

Pocket Guide to MDA Indicators

This pocket guide is designed to be used as a reference in developinga preliminary management map of your organization, which is the firststep in conducting a Management Development Assessment (MDA).There are four major steps in conducting an MDA, these are to:

Develop a preliminary management map to guide theassessment;

Dcvelop and administer the MDA questionnaire to collectinformation on the management capabilities of yourorganization;

Analyze the survey results and develop a post-surveymanagement map of your organization;

• Develop and implement an action plan for making managementimprovements.

he preliminary management map is one of the key tools of theMDA. When completed, it identifies the key management areas (andmanagement indicators within each area) that are important to yourorganization. For ach management indicator, it provides baseliner t rence critcria describing the desired level of organizationalcapability according to each of the three stages of development. Afterconducting the MDA survey (Step 2), the preliminary managemcnt mapis used as a guide to determine t e stage of development of yourorganization in each management indicator, and is used as a baseline forcomparing your progress and determining objectives for strengtheningyour organization's capabilities.

This Pocket Guide o(MDA Indicators provides sample managementindicators and reference criteria according to the three stages ofmanagement development used in the MDA. You can use theseindicators and criteria in developing your preliminary management mapor modify them to suit your organization's needs and priorities. For asample preliminary management map derived from this pocket guide,please refer to pages 6-10 of th accompanying supplement, The MDAStart-Up Kit.

iJocket Guide to MDA Indicators

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Mission and Plans

Organizational ission Written mission Written missionMission statement xists statement exists, statement exists,Statement but is known but is not well and is familiar

only by senior known among to all staff, boardstaff and donors. staff. of directors, and

community.

Project Project Project objectivesobjectives are objectives are arc consistentform ulated consistent with with both theindependently mission organization'sof mission statement. missionstatement. statement and

overall strategies.

Formulation of Objectives exist Objectives are Objectives areProgram but are unclear. clear. Between clear, realistic,Objectives Fewer than 25% 25% and 50% of and measurable.

of the objectives the objectives are More than 50%are achieved. achieved. are achieved.

Annual and Annual plan Long-term Long-termLong-Term exists for project plans organizationalPlanning project. are based on plan exists

a needs d rived fromassessment. a strategic

planning pI' ess.

2 Supplement to The Famil)' Planning Manager Winler1996/97

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Mission and Plans (continued)

Identification of Target groups Target groups Target groupsTarget Groups are defined by ar defined arc defined in

a donor or according to light of thegovernment needs of a organization'sorganization. pre-existing mission and

program. strategic plan.

Management Area: Leadership

Decision Decision making Board of Senior staffaking and is centralized, directors participate

Delegation usually in one participates in decisionperson. in decision making.

making.

Director Director and Organization'srepr sents the senior staff representati vesorganization in represent the are chosenall meetings. organization according

in external to technicalmeetings. comp tence.

Pocket Guide to MDA Indicators J

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Leadership (continued)

Decision Issues and Issues and r. sues andaking and problems are problems are problems are

Delegation shared only shared with shared with all(continued) with the board board and staff and

of dir ctors. senior sta ff. solutions aresought incommon.

Senior staff work Senior stafr and Senior stafr andindependently board interact board activelyand do not to identify new review programsinteract with project and discussboard members. opportunities. program

development.

Leaders follow Leaders review Leaders developexisting policies and modify policies and plansestablished by policies and in accordancedonors. plans to meet with organiza-

ne ds of multiple tion's missionprojects. and strategy.

Introduction Leaders accept Leaders accept Leadersof Change ideas suggested new ideas and introduce new

by donors but modify them to ideas to improvewithout critical suit the local effectivenessreview of situation. and effiei ney offeasibility. the organization

I or programperformance.

I

4 Supplement to The Family Plal/I/il/g Mal/ager Winlcrl996/97

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Leadership (continued)

Leaders' eaders have Leaders have at Lead rs haveExperience and fewer than 5 least 5 years of more than 5Competence years of experience and years of

experience and some formal experienceno formal executive and most haveexecutive training. received formaltraining. executive

training.

Problem Problems in Problems in Problems areSolving project projects are regularly

implementation regularly addressed andare identified, id ntified, and strategies arebut no systematic systematic developed toeffort is made to efforts are made solve orsolve them. to solve them. prevent them.

Relationship Projects and Projects and Projects andwith Donors plans arc plans are plans are

preparcd by prepared in prepared by staffdonors or c nsultation and submittedgovernmcnt with donor. and to donors andorganization. government governmcnt

organization. rganization.

J'ocket Guide to MDA Indicators 5

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth tage Mature Stage

Management Area: Organizational Structureand Lines of Communication

OrganizationalI

Organizational Organizational OrganizationalStructure structure is structu rc is structure is

guided by guided by regularlysupervisory program review drelationships strategi s. to assurerather than consistencyprogram with programstrategies. strategies.

Formalized Procedures are in tandard Standard pro-

Management place for specific procedures cedures manual

Practices systems in which manual exists, is updateddonors or policy but is only regularly andmakers ar followed to meet complied withinterested (e.g., donor for allfinance). rcq uirements. organizational

activities.

Reporting Information is Organization Standard reportsand MIS collected, but uses standard are prepared on

there is not a formats for all program-standard formal record keeping related activitiesfor record and reporting for for distributionkeeping, repor- donor-related to government,ting, or feedback projects. donors, and theon program community.activities.

6 SUIJplement to The Family Plal/I/il/g Mal/ager Winlerl996/97

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Organizational Structureand Lines of Communication (continued)

Reporting Information is Reports are Reports areand MIS shared with shared with staff shared with all(continued) donors, but not and board of staff and board

shared with staff directors, but are of directors andand board of not regularly used are used fordirectors. for planning. planning and

monitoringpurposes.

External I There is contact The organization The organizationCommunications with other has occasional has regular

programs, meetings with meetings withorganizations. or other programs, other programs,agencies to share organizations, or organizations, orinformation agencies to agencies toabout project discuss changing discuss changesactivities. needs, economic in thc cnviron-

issues, and ment andimpact on strategies forprogram more effectiveactivities. pr grams.

Organization Organization Organization

collaborates with collaborates with collaborates with

one or two other agencies to other agenci s to

agencies to send expand program increase quality

personnel for coverage. or impact of

training. programs.

J'ocket Guide to MDA Indicators 7

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Financial Management

Source of Funds Projects and Projects and Non-donor fundsindirect costs are indirect costs are are used to sharefinanced by a financed by financing ofsingle donor. several donors. project and

indirect costs.

Revenue- Revenue- Revenlle-generating generating generating

activities a tivities provide activities providerepresent a small lip to 10% of the at least 250/1 ofpercentage of the organization's thcorganization's finances and a organization' -financing. revenue genera- financcs.

tion plan exists.

Financial and Organization Organization OrganizationAccounting maintains a cash maintains cash maintains cashProcedures book, but book and book, ledger. ,

standard ledgers, but and standardaccounting standard chart ofcontrols are not accounting ac aunts, andconsi. t ntly controls are not standardpracticed. consistently accounting

practiced. controls arcconsistentlypracticed.

8 Supplement to The Family Plallning Mallager Winter 1996/97

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Financial Management (continued)

Financial and Audit problems Periodic audits Audits do notAccounting are identified, but report problem , id ntifyanyProcedures rarely addressed. but problems are major problems(continued) only partially and recommen-

resolved. dations arequicklyimplemented.

Financial record Financial records Completecover only are prepared for financial recordsdonor-related non-donor exist for allactivities. activities, such as organizational

fund raising and expenses andincome- income.generationactivities.

Only donor- Donor-related Organization-related financial reports wiele income andexpenditure on expenditures expcnditurereports are and budget are reports areproduced. produced. produced.

The organization The organization The organizationd es not have the periodically assesses the costcapability to do asses es the cost ancl priccs ofunit cost of services. services anclaccounting. incorporates

results toimprove costefficiency.

Pocket Guide to MDA Indicators 9

Management

Indicator

MDA Indicators

Reference Criteria

Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Financial anagement (continued)

Ability to Organ izat ion Organization Organ izationGenerate depends on one receive funding receives fundingResources major donor. from several from intcr-

donors. national,government, andcommunitysources.

Less than IOo/t- At least 10% At least 25%of the organiza- of incon e is of income istion's incomc is derived from derived fromderived from non- non-donor non-donordonor sources sources. sources.(fees, servicecharges, etc.).

Projects arc Revenue Revenuebudgeted but generation plans generation plansrevenue for spe ific for thegeneration plan projects are organiz:lliondoes not exist. prepared. are prepared.

FinancialStability

The organizationtracksexpenditures butdoes not predictthe rate ofexpenditure onproject activities.

The organizationis able toestimate the rateof expenditure.

The organizationis able toestimate the rateof xpenditureand the rate ofrevenuegeneration.

/0 Supplement to The Family Nallning Mallager Winterl996/97

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Human Resource Management

Job ot all stalf have All staff have job Detailed jobDescriptions job descriptions descriptions but descriptionsand or are familiar not all are exist, and areResponsibilities with tI em. up-to-date. up-ta-date for

all staff.

Job de.;criptions Detailed job All jobthat ex ist are descriptions ex ist descriptionsvery general only for donor- are regularlyconcerning job supported staff. updated to reflectresponsibilities real workand supervision. requirements and

responsibilities.

Staff Supervisory Established EstablishedSupervision roles are unclear. supervisory lines supervisory lines

of authority are of authority arenot consistently consistentlyfollowed. followed.

Supervision is Individual work Individu<ll workcarried out plans arc plans arewithout prepared for prepared for allrefer n e to donor-supported staff.individual work staff only.plans.

Pocket Guide to II1DA Jlldicator$ 11

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Human Resource Management (continued)

Staff upervisory Supervisory SupervisorySupervision re ords arc records are records, including(continued) maintained but maintained and discussions,

no feedback to feedback is visits, and in-staff is provided. provided to staff :ervice training

verbally. reo ults, are usedas a basis forfeedback.

Staff Training At least 50% of At least 750/< of 100% of staff areand staff are staff are appropriatelyDevelopment appropriatel y appropriatel y trained.

trained to carry trained.out their jobresponsibilities.

The organization On-the-job On-the-jobprovides limited training is training ison-the-job offered by the offered regularlytraining. organization to upgrade skills.

periodically.

12 Supplement to The Family Planning Manager Winter1996/97

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Gro\vth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Human Resource Management (continued)

Personnel The organization The organization Periodic needs

Policies provides conducts a needs assessments arccontinuing as essment in conducted toeducation for order to select develop a staffstaff without first candidates for training plan.assessing staff continuingtraining needs. education.

Va ation, ick Vacation, sick EmployeeIcave, and health Icave, and health benefits arebenefits exist but benefits policies reviewedpol icies are not are standardized annually to bestandardized. competitive with

tho e offered bysimilarorganizations.

Management Area: Community Participation

Community Community Community CommunityContributions contributes contributes provides fixed

through through in-kind assets (e.g.,membership donations and financing for a, ub. criptions. financial building) to

donations to support thespecific projects. organization.

Pocket Guj{le 10 MDA [JIl/icators 13

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Community Participation (continued)

Community The board of Community CommunityContributions directors are the memb rs provide members provide(continued) only volunteers. voluntary regular voluntary

services for services forspecific ongoingactivities. programs.

embership Membership (in Membership The m mb rshipthe case of includes a is diverse,NGOs) is limited variety of local composed ofto a few families people with pcople from allon the board of interest in the walks of life.directors. organization.

General General Generalmembership has membership has membership hasincreased less increased at least increased morethan 10% since 25% sin e the than 50% sincethe founding of founding of the founding of thethe organization. organization. organizat ion.

14 upplemenl to 11/C Family Plal/ning Mal/ager Winter1996/97

MDA Indicators

Management Reference Criteria

Indicator Launch Stage Growth Stage Mature Stage

Management Area: Community Participation (continued)

Membership Membership of Membership of Membership of(continued) the board of the board of the board of

directors is directors has dire<.:tors hasun hanged since changed once changedthe founding of since the regularly by athe organization. founding of thc vote of the

organ izat ion generalthrough a vote of membership.the generalmembership.

Community Fewer than 20% Twenty to 40% Over 400/, of

Support for of clients are of clients are clients are

Programs willing to pay willing to pay willing to payfor services for services for serviceprovided by the provided by the provided by theorganization. organization. organization.

There is sporadic There is There isattendance by consistent consistentcommunity attendance by attendance atmembers to the community regular meetingsdiscuss to discuss to discussprograms. programs program goals

activities. and strategies.

Pocket GI/ide to MDA Indicators /5

Notes:

16 Supplement to The Family Plal/ning Mllllager Wil1lerl996/97

FAMILY

PLANNING

MANAGEMENT

DEVELOPMENT

ISSN 1060-9172

'fire Family I'lallllil/K Mal/agel'F:llllily Planning Miillrlgcll1cnl Oc.vcloprncllt

Mallagemenl Sciences for Ilealih400 'enlre Ireel

eWlon, M"ss"chusCllS 02158, U.S.A.Phone Ilumber: (617) 527·9202Fa~ number: (617) 965-22088-m"il : fpmdpubs@msh.org

,Printed on v' ';'- recycled paper