Quality Assurance for NGOs

Non-governmental organizations working in Croatia's civil society sector have become increasingly aware of the need for a more organized approach to ensuring quality performance. A new USAID-funded system in Eastern Europe is doing exactly that. The Croatian Quality Assurance System for Nonprofit Organizations (SOKNO) provides NGOs with a framework for assessing current performance and creating action plans to improve the quality of professional services.

Twenty-one organizations piloted SOKNO before it was offered to the larger NGO community. One of the first to pilot the system was Hepatos, based in Split, situated on the southern coast of Croatia. Hepatos Director Tatjana Reic explained, "The necessity for SOKNO evolved naturally with our organization's growth. As our programs expanded, we realized that we had to do more to ensure the quality of our services. We needed an objective view of our strengths and weaknesses to help us plan for functional improvements."

SOKNO turned out to be the tool Reic was seeking. Its self-assessment structure fosters continual learning and improvement in 12 interconnected quality areas. "Working through the SOKNO process was not simply a matter of bringing our organization into compliance with the law and being transparent," said Reic. "As we worked together to address quality in each of our service areas, the contributions of our staff and volunteers were affirmed. Ultimately, everyone felt valued. We hadn't necessarily expected the 'SOKNO side effect' of higher morale and better performance resulting from the process."

SOKNO was developed by the Academy for Educational Development in cooperation with Charities Evaluation Services (CES) with a grant from USAID. It was specifically adapted for the Croatian civil society context through a rigorous, interactive process. The NGO Quality Assurance Working Group, comprised of representatives from several leading Croatian organizations, modeled the product after the CES method - one of the most successful quality assurance systems for nonprofits in the United Kingdom. More than 20 professionals have been trained and licensed as system mentors who are providing expert guidance to NGOs in the self-assessment process.

"It's great to be part of the group that is pioneering this system in Croatia," said SOKNO mentor Slađana Novota. "Because it is such a high-quality program and it is well-grounded in a thorough, systematic process, I think it has the potential to be a tremendous success in the country's civil society sector."

Story provided by: Academy for Educational Development

Download document (122 KB)

Back...