Program Improvement Opportunities

Program Improvement Opportunities

Hope L Pankey

When it comes to program improvement opportunities, we have to look at two different areas. Management and Funding.  When it comes to Management; they can create or find program improvement opportunities by ensuring that the staff is accountable for all program successes and failures. By doing this, they will want to also ensure that the program is running efficiently and is making as much progress as possible. Also, a manager could find possibilities by looking at past participants, and past evaluations and see where there may or may not have been “cracks” in the system that could create more problems or even forget about clients altogether.

The other area that we need to look at is with the funder. When someone donates funds to a program they want to ensure that their money is going to not only a good cause, but the best agency in the area for that cause. So when the funder is able to also evaluate the program, by looking at the program; they are also able to bring in a fresh look and perhaps suggest some things that others may not have thought of. It also, helps them know if their funds are going to a good program that is doing the work that they feel needs to be done for the cause.

I personally believe that someone from the outside would be more able to look at the program and give fresh ideas, and maybe even help them find additional support.  Someone that is not “linked” to the program or agency in any way is going to be more willing to point out what may be going wrong, and what may be going right. They may also be more able to really see what the community is needing when it comes to programs and the support they may provide.