Capacity Building
Why Assess Capacity?
What is "Capacity Building?
The concept of "Capacity Building" might seem complex, but in essence, it involves actions that enhance the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations. Effective nonprofits prioritize their mission, possess a clear vision, direction, innovation, and an ability to adapt to change.
Imagine a nonprofit as a tree: what's visible above ground represents its programs and services. However, what lies beneath the surface is where capacity needs assessment. This includes leadership, adaptability, management, and technology. Strong leadership and adaptability significantly influence an organization's success—the stronger the roots, the stronger the organization.
Regrettably, many nonprofits concentrate solely on visible activities and overlook investing in assessing or developing their underlying capacities. Similarly, funders often focus on supporting programs without investing in the critical infrastructure that strengthens organizations.
Core Capacity Assessment Tool (CCAT)
Capacity assessment allows your organization to use real data to prioritize and target areas where you would like to build strength in your organization. It also helps to answer the question: Where can we invest resources in our organization to see real change in how effectively we deliver programs?
The CCAT is a survey-based organizational assessment tool, which evaluates:
• Organizational effectiveness
• Nonprofit lifecycle stage
• Four Core Capacities, and their sub-capacities
○ Adaptive Capacity
○ Leadership Capacity
○ Management Capacity
○ Technical Capacity
• Organizational culture
What is the CCAT?
The CCAT contains 146 questions and takes approximately 30 - 40 minutes to complete. It uses the same scale for all questions, rating from 'Strongly Disagree to 'Strongly Agree."
Who should take it? The CCAT should be administered to senior leaders of an organization, including:
○ Executive Staff
○ Management Staff
○ Board Members
○ Senior Volunteers (if applicable)
All responses are completely anonymous. Respondents should be a mix of staff and Board members, with a higher number of staff. A ratio of 3 staff to 1 Board member is a good rule of thumb. There is no limit to how many can participate, but you will need at least 3 participants to generate valid results.