Making Critical Decisions: A Practical Guide for Nonprofit Organizations

Acknowledgments.

The Authors.

Introduction.

PART ONE: ABOUT DECISION MAKING.

1. The Art and Science of Decision Making: Putting Theory into Practice.

What Works.

What Doesn't Work.

Reacting Versus Responding.

Responding Versus Reacting.

2. Borrowing from Business: Due Diligence in Decision Making.

What Investors Do.

Defining Due Diligence.

Staging Implementation to Reduce Risk.

A Consistent Approach to Critical Decisions.

3. Managing Critical Decisions: The Who, What, and How.

Who Decides.

What Choices.

How Do You Put It All Together.

4. Enter the Matrix: Introducing an Effective Tool.

The Matrix: Framing the Decision.

The Rows: Weighting the Due Diligence Criteria.

The Columns: Scoring the Due Diligence Criteria.

Using the Matrix for Binary Decisions.

Using the Matrix for Choices Among Similar Options.

Using the Matrix for Choices Among Dissimilar Options.

PART TWO: MAKING CRITICAL DECISIONS.

5. Stage One: Feasibility.

The Seductive Nature of New Ideas.

Common Feasibility Decisions.

The Feasibility Matrix.

6. Stage Two: Pilot.

Piloting the Feasible Decision.

Designing the Pilot Project.

The Pilot Matrix.

7. Stage Three: Implementation.

From Pilot to Implementation.

A Good Implementation Plan.

The Implementation Matrix.

8. Stage Four: Cutback.

Dimensions of Cutting Back.

The Cutback Matrix.

9. Putting the Matrix to Work.

Boards of Directors.

Executive Directors.

Managers.

Funders.

Consultants.

10. The Decision-Making Guide.

Assessing the Decision.

Working Through the Matrix.

Appendix: Staff Renewal Decisions.

Notes.

Further Reading.

Index.