What Metrics Matter Most in Nonprofit Medical Research?

[Loren Becker, Global Health Program Analyst, FasterCures]

The FasterCures Philanthropy Advisory Service wants your input on what
matters most when evaluating nonprofit disease research foundations
and their impact on the discovery and development of new cures!

Last year, we launched the PAS Web site as a resource for
philanthropists looking to better understand and evaluate the R&D
landscape, and strategically guide their investment dollars in high-
impact areas. In our first phase, we evaluated 23 organizations using
a set of metrics developed in consultation with experts in nonprofit
management, organizational effectiveness, and medical research. This
evaluation tool is designed to help measure the performance of
nonprofit research organizations, looking at everything from
accountability to collaboration to overall contributions to the field.
Many of the metrics are based on effective practices identified
through our work with TRAIN organizations like yours.

Now that our first year is complete, we’re taking another look at the
framework to learn how we can make it an even more effective tool—not
just for use by philanthropists looking to evaluate investment
opportunities, but also for organizations like yours that are seeking
ways enhance your effectiveness. From operational processes to
research effectiveness, tell us what measures you think matter most in
evaluating nonprofit disease research foundations and their impact on
the discovery and development of new cures.

Go to http://bit.ly/9piwin to review our metrics and tell us how we
can make them better and stronger. You can share your thoughts on this
thread, by email to philan...@fastercures.org, or in the comments
section on the Web link provided above. We appreciate your input and
believe that, together, we can inform and increase the flow of
philanthropic dollars to this critical field of research.