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Playing an Integral Part in The Recovery

Playing an Integral Part in The Recovery

August 31, 2020

Today the unemployment rate in this country is at nearly 11 percent. This translates to 16.3 million people being unemployed. And across the globe the unemployment rate is over 9 percent … exceeding all values since the Great Depression. We know families are struggling with access to child care and so many who have a choice are uncertain if they should send their children to school or keep them home to ensure their safety. Parents of children with disabilities are deeply concerned that their children will fall behind without their critical educational and developmental supports. People are struggling with their mental health in unprecedented numbers, with over 45 percent of people saying that they are experiencing anxiety and depression.

Jobs, education and health—the major components of long-term social and economic well-being are all in question for so many.

I lay this out because I strongly believe that the nonprofit community has an integral role to play in the recovery of our nation and our world. We know how to help people become job ready in new growth sectors, and we can leverage our relationships with business to help people find jobs. We provide child care and child development services to the most vulnerable. We provide educational services spanning the age spectrum. We assist individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders find their way forward.

The nonprofit community IS THE COMMUNITY most needed to fill gaps in our current opportunity landscape.

As the world struggles to regain its footing, even as COVID-19 seems unwilling to give up any ground, nonprofits are stepping up—and we need to continue to do so, even though the times seem perilous. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are more than 1.5 million nonprofits in the United States alone and according to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, many nonprofits are facing an unprecedented demand for services. We have the opportunity to make a significant and sustainable impact if we thoughtfully and planfully examine our environment and put a stake in the ground—deciding to provide the right service, in the right way, with the right intensity to individuals who need it the most. We might need to let go of some things we once did in order to provide what is needed now.

Yes, there have been disruptions in our funding streams—and this likely will continue. Yes, there has been some hesitancy in the philanthropic environment to fund new endeavors. And yes, staff and clients alike face uncertainty. But this is the time when character and smart leadership shows. When commitment to something bigger than ourselves seems all the more relevant and allows us to do things we never thought possible. This is the time for nonprofits to develop new and powerful partnerships with business, with media, with banking and with local community leaders. We are a critical and needed component of the recovery process and what we do matters.

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Metrics Provide Us With ACTIONABLE Information

Metrics Provide Us With ACTIONABLE Information

August 17, 2020

I am continuing the discussion of metrics today, moving into the issue of gender, race and pay. The national data is clear—there is a gender pay gap, and a further pay gap when you combine gender and race.

The gender wage gap refers to the difference in earnings between women and men. For years, experts have calculated this gap in a variety of ways, coming to the same conclusion: Women consistently earn less than men, and the gap is wider for most women of color. Analyzing the most recent Census Bureau data (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Women in the labor force: a Databook,” Washington: U.S. Department of Labor, 2018) women of all races earned, on average, just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men of all races. And for women of color, the gap is worse—Black women earn 62 cents and Hispanic women earn 54 cents for every dollar earned by men of all races.

These numbers are not insignificant—especially when studied over time. If you consider the work life for most individuals to be approximately 40 years—this means a difference in earnings of $557,000 for white women, $941,600 for Black women and $1,121,440 for Hispanic women.

As you can see, pay equity matters. Combating national trends can occur at the national and state level with pay equity legislation—and that is important. But it also takes time.

So, what do we as leaders do to change this reality in the environment that we control?

Just like tackling any complex issue, we need to know what we know and what we don’t know. We need to compile data, and then ask a lot of questions about those data. We need to understand what is happening within our organization. As part of The Fedcap Group’s Metrics That Matter initiative, we analyze employee demographic metrics on a quarterly basis. We look for patterns in hiring, salaries and promotions by race and gender, both across the organization as a whole and within our individual companies. Then we share the information.

Combating inequity in pay requires education and transparency within HR and among hiring managers.

  • It requires rigor—including standardization in job descriptions, job titles and pay scales.
  • It requires diverse recruitment activities.
  • It requires culturally sensitive interviewing.
  • It requires an analysis of hires and careful review of any deviations from equitable, established pay scales.
  • It requires a commitment to getting it right, each time.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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Using Metric Frameworks to Create a Learning Community

Using Metric Frameworks to Create a Learning Community

August 10, 2020

Over the past three weeks, I have been focusing on the use of metrics in building a sustainable, relevant organization that makes measurable impact in the lives of the people it serves. We have discussed creating a data-driven decision-making model, developing a culture of curiosity about data within staff, and presenting (analyzed) information in a way that tells the story of organizational impact in a meaningful, understandable, and compelling way.

This week, I would like to talk about using a metrics framework to create a community of learning within and across business units of an organization.

The Fedcap Group comprises companies spanning the US, Canada and the UK. The individual strategic plans of each company roll up to an organizational-wide plan that lays out four major Strategic Goals for 2020-2025.

Every company of The Fedcap Group:

  • Consistently achieves a 12% margin, allowing us to continue to invest in state-of-the-art technology, top talent, agency-wide professional development, and critical facility upgrades.
  • Exceeds contractual and regulatory requirements.
  • Amplifies its impact by providing services that are not contractually required to families of individuals served (i.e. providing early intervention and child development services to the children of the adults involved in our programs).
  • Develops and implements solutions that impact the design and delivery of government services—resulting in an overall improvement in the outcomes.

The Fedcap Group holds weekly Zoom calls, where company Presidents/Executive Directors discuss a variety of topics germane to the overall corporate health of the organization. Increasingly, we are using data as the foundation for these discussions. Take, for example, the strategic goal of exceeding contractual and regulatory requirements. While we have assisted company executives by developing contract management tools that they can use if they choose, the most important aspect of contract management is building teams of people who are able to articulate contract goals, understand methods of measurement, participate in consistent data collection, have developed processes for review of metrics, and have the ability to rapidly course correct as indicated.

This is no small task. Especially given the fact that a good number of our companies have over 50 government contracts.

During our last several Zoom meetings, several company leaders have shared their framework for contract management. It was interesting to see how different and how similar the models were. While the intricacies of the models were different, every company that is successful in managing contracts each has the following:

  • a written protocol in place;
  • a framework that is well understood by the team;
  • frequent reporting timeframes;
  • established points in time to review outcomes; and
  • well documented steps to improve outcomes when required.

Most had some form of alert system (green, yellow and red) that highlighted to the team the urgency of the contract issue. 

Sharing these frameworks and encouraging discussion around implementation and strategies for course-correction helps develop a culture of cross-company learning and minimizes the need for each company to reinvent the wheel. 

As always, I welcome your thoughts.

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Easterseals Central Texas Families of Kids with Special Needs Fear COVID-19 Budget Cuts

Easterseals Central Texas Families of Kids with Special Needs Fear COVID-19 Budget Cuts

A news report on Spectrum News in San Antonio, Texas highlighted the critical importance of services for children with disabilities, which are threatened by state budget cuts.

The story and accompanying video highlighted the life-changing work of Easterseals Central Texas in serving children and families and told the story of Cadence Hedrick, a two-year-old girl whose ability to use her legs was in doubt when she was born. After early intervention services provided over time by ESCT, Cadence can move around safely and has growing confidence.

“We went from wondering whether she could walk at all to her being very functional,” Robert Hedrick, Cadence’s father told reporters. ”Being able to have someone there to keep us safe while we pushed her was really unbelievable. We call her our miracle baby.”

Tod Marvin President and CEO of ESCT, was quoted in the news story and video about the critical importance of early intervention services. “When you look at the public investment that is required for kids that don’t get these services during this critical window of developmental time, the cost to society is exponential.,”

The story illustrates not only the amazing work of Tod and his team but also the importance of working smarter, of innovation, vision and leadership, in the face of budget cuts and the growing economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Fedcap UK Receives Five Honors in Employment Related Services Association Awards

Fedcap UK Receives Five Honors in Employment Related Services Association Awards

Brian Bell, CEO of Fedcap UK

The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) Employability Awards honor the hard work and dedication of the employment support sector in the UK. They recognize best practices and the achievements of those working to support job seekers in their progression to work, as well as customers who, with courage and commitment, overcome challenges as they strive to reach their full potential.

A virtual ceremony recently recognized ERSA award winners across 12 categories, and Fedcap UK was honored to have five winners! Lorna Beaton, an engagement manager for Fedcap Scotland, was honored for leading a team that repeatedly hits employment targets and has engaged online with over 9,500 participants throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is really fantastic to be recognized in this way,” Lorna said. “The award is a reflection of lots of amazing people I work with and the passion they have to helping others.”

Also recognized was Business 2 Business, a Fedcap UK service partner with 33 years of experience in delivering employment and health-based programs that has supported over 450 Links to Work customers in gaining work readiness skills and finding employment.

Fedcap UK customers Jazmin and Julie received awards for overcoming some incredible barriers to start their journey back into work. Jazmin, who suffers from a genetic disorder, has put in the hard work to gain the skills and confidence she needs to enter the workforce. Julie, who had been unemployed for 17 years and faced significant barriers in returning to work, is now employed and was elated at being honored at the awards ceremony.

“It was an experience I will never forget. I’m so very grateful for Fedcap for all their support, and for nominating me for the award,” Julie said.

Finally, Brian Bell, Chief Executive of Fedcap UK, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to the Sector Achiever Award. Brian has been a leading innovator in the sector since the 1980s, designing and delivering cutting-edge services to help disadvantaged people in UK communities and consistently achieve huge social impact–under his watch, he and his teams have supported more than a million people to lead better lives.

According to ERSA: “Driven by a strong social purpose coupled with commerciality, Brian has achieved results in the public, private and voluntary sectors. He is rightly recognized across the sector as an expert in creating innovative interventions that work for the people who need them most. He has consistently used his expertise and influence to achieve huge impact in the UK and beyond.”

Brian said: “I am extremely humbled to have been awarded this recognition from my peers in the sector. As always, these awards are a yearly reminder of the positive impact our sector has on people’s lives every day. As we move forward into uncertain economic times, it’s important that this work continues and that communities that have been left behind in the past are not left in the rear-view mirror once again.”

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Wildcat Service Corp. works with Queens Councilman to Clear District of Graffiti

Wildcat Service Corp. works with Queens Councilman to Clear District of Graffiti

Wildcat Service Corp., in partnership with New York City Councilman Robert Holden, cleaned buildings marked with graffiti in several Queens neighborhoods with its Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP), after an increase in spray paint and vandalism incidents. Read the Queens Courier article, and visit Wildcat’s website to learn more about their work and how our teams can assist New York City Council members and state legislators in keeping their districts clean, and more. 

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Metrics: What Do You Want Your Audience to Learn?

Metrics: What Do You Want Your Audience to Learn?

August 3, 2020

Over the last several weeks I have discussed the importance of metrics in terms of the sustainability, relevance and impact of an organization. I explored the importance of creating a culture where data is a driving force, building an employee base that is curious and uses data to ask more and better questions. Today I would like to focus on what I believe has been a major issue in leveraging data to make a case—a poor presentation of the metrics.

Data is just a set of numbers until we take the time to analyze it and decipher what it is actually telling us. And how we present the analyzed data matters almost as much as the data itself. How many of us have received decks of PowerPoint slides filled with grids with absolutely no analysis? Slides where we have to use a magnifying glass to be able read them? A mass of numbers in a chart is not information. It is just a set of numbers. And until we take the time to sit with them, contextualize them in terms of trends or projections, ask follow-up questions and turn the data into usable information, they are mostly meaningless.

A presentation of data needs to be organized to tell a specific story to the intended audience. It needs to be sequenced to ensure that it has, like every good story, a beginning, a middle and an end. It needs to have an arc—laying the foundation and highlighting what you want the audience to remember.

Presentations that start in the middle of the story, seem to be random in how the data is laid out, and fail to lead the audience through the process and learning are rarely successful. I have observed many people work for long hours on a presentation only to miss the mark because they did not think through the process of telling the story.

There are a few things that I look for when reviewing a metrics presentation:

  • LAY OUT THE PRESENTATION FLOW BEFORE YOU START TO BUILD THE PRESENTATION: Take time before building the presentation to lay out the key elements.
  • WHY: Remember, most of the time the audience does not have the background information that you have. When preparing the presentation ask yourself, what does the audience need to know first in order for this presentation to be meaningful? Consider the foundational slides that should be put in place, such as the rationale for the presentation, historical context, reason for digging deep into a certain subject, why the story they are about to tell matters to corporate or programmatic health.
  • WHAT: Next ask yourself, what are the salient points you want the audience to walk away having heard? Why do those points matter?
  • HOW: Next ask yourself what is the most effective way to present the information? Charts, graphs, short notes and narrative—a combination of the above? What kind of graph matters? A crowded graph that has way too much information on it loses even the most curious reader. If you are trying to show trends, then bar graphs are most likely the best choice. If you are trying to show % of the whole, then pie charts are a good choice.
  • WHEN: Is there a framework that you used to organize the data? If so, make that framework clear and sequence the slides accordingly--leading the audience through your thinking process, your framework.
  • THINK ABOUT THE SLIDE TITLE: Make sure that the title makes it clear what the data is about…“Year Over Year Trends in Company Growth” or “Second -Quarter Revenue and Year End Projections.” Think about what you want the reader to know as they start to review the data.
  • ADD UP THE NUMBERS: While this seems obvious, don’t make the reader add numbers. I cannot count the number of times I have reviewed data presentations only to have to add up numbers in columns. When this happens, I usually conclude that the individual presenting has not done the important analytics and is simply presenting numbers.
  • CONTEXTUALIZE THE DATA: Point in time data can certainly be important, but it is usually more impactful if it is contextualized by either trend data, comparison data or projections. For example, while it is important to know the number of women who work for a company, it is not helpful unless we know, for example, how that number compares to industry standards, or the company’s own history of employing women. And, in both cases, it’s important to know the proportion of women employed, compared to men.
  • HIGHLIGHT THE SALIENT POINTS: When reviewing a presentation, the reader should easily understand what is important. Notes, arrows, use of larger and different colored fonts all contribute to the telling of the story of what is important.

These are just a few of the important lessons I have learned along the way in presenting information. As always I welcome your thoughts!

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