Organizational Assessment
“Organizational Capacity Assessment is
the first step in building capacity”
Capacity Building begins with the assessment of the organizations’ current skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources needed to survive, adapt and thrive in a fast-changing world. The purpose of an assessment is to identify the gaps in capacity an organization is experiencing and to focus capacity-building efforts on the right things.
The main tool used by the IHS to assess organizational capacity is based upon the Capacity Assessment Grid created by McKinsey and Company, and modified by Ameen Consulting & Associates. This is a thorough and practical criterion-referenced measurement of 4 areas of capacity:
Leadership Capacity - the ability of organizational leaders to inspire, prioritize, make decisions, provide direction, and innovate.
Adaptive Capacity - the ability of a nonprofit organization to monitor, assess, and respond to internal and external changes.
Management Capacity - the ability of a nonprofit organization to ensure the effective and efficient use of organizational resources.
Operational Capacity - the ability of a nonprofit organization to implement key organizational and programmatic
The assessment is a formal process that includes multiple perspectives, including the Executive Director, Board and the management team, and is the basis for developing the capacity-building plan. The assessment is analyzed by IHS staff and the plan is written for each priority area, involving the staff, board and others that will be affected by the capacity-building activities in the development of the plan.
McKinsey-Ameen Capacity Assessment Sample Questions
Please contact Patrick Rogers for further information on the IHS Organizational Capacity Assessments
