Milestone Three Guidelines and Rubric

OL 665 Milestone Three Guidelines and Rubric Overview: Because the money needed to operate a not-for-profit organization comes largely from private donations and public grants, spending the money wisely is a top priority. In addition, where there is money, there is the temptation to misuse it. Strong financial management and a commitment to ethics go hand-in-hand for a well-managed not-for-profit organization. Complete the SWOT Analysis Worksheet to assist you in evaluating the financial management practices and ethical considerations of your chosen not-for-profit organization. You will use this information to prepare your analysis. You will not submit the worksheet as part of the milestone assignment. Prompt: Analyze the financial management and ethical practices of the not-for-profit organization on which you will perform your strategic analysis. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: Write an introduction to your paper that includes a hook and a controlling idea (thesis). The introduction should generate interest and let the reader know what to expect in the paper.

II. Analysis: a. Finances:

i. Discuss the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities. ii. Discuss the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the

overall budget. iii. Determine potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on your analysis of its overall financial management.

b. Ethics: i. Discuss the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to its adherence to established codes,

principles, and ethics of the industry. ii. Discuss ethical considerations the organization faces related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation.

iii. Evaluate how the ethical operation of this organization has impacted its public image.

III. Conclusion: Write a conclusion to your paper that summarizes the organization’s leadership strategies and communication practices. Tie the conclusion back to your controlling idea (thesis).

Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Submit a 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document (not including the title page or references). It should be double spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and APA formatting.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Introduction Meets “Proficient” criteria and uses organizational information and anecdotes to create a hook, and a controlling idea (thesis) alerts the reader to what to expect from the discussion of finances and ethics

Introduces leadership and communication for the chosen organization by creating a hook and providing a controlling idea (thesis)

Introduces leadership and communication for the chosen organization but the hook and controlling idea (thesis) are weak

Does not generate interest or provide a controlling idea (thesis)

15

Finances: Budgetary Resources, Structure, and Responsibilities

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates nuanced understanding of budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities

Discusses the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities

Discusses the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities, but discussion is cursory or includes inaccuracies

Does not discuss the organization's current budgetary resources, structure, and responsibilities

10

Finances: Fundraising Campaigns, Grant Possibilities, and Planned Giving Opportunities

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the impact of fundraising on the organization’s budget

Discusses the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the overall budget

Discusses the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities and their impact on the overall budget, but discussion is cursory or includes inaccuracies

Does not discuss the organization’s current fundraising campaigns, grant possibilities, and planned giving opportunities or their impact on the overall budget

10

Finances: Financial Management

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and determination demonstrates a nuanced understanding of financial management and fiduciary responsibilities

Determines potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on the analysis of its overall financial management

Determines potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on the analysis of its overall financial management , but determinations are cursory or illogical

Does not determine potential challenges to the financial operation of the organization based on the analysis of its overall financial management

10

Ethics: Budget and Fundraising

Transparency

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of transparency and industry-wide ethical standards

Discusses the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to adherence to established codes, principles, and ethics of the industry

Discusses the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to adherence to established codes, principles, and ethics of the industry, but discussion is cursory or includes inaccuracies

Does not discuss the organization's handling of budget and fundraising transparency, specifically in regards to adherence to established codes, principles, and ethics of the industry

10

Ethics: Ethical Considerations

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and discussion demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of ethical considerations related to a not-for-profit organization

Discusses ethical considerations the organization faces related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation

Discusses ethical considerations the organization faces related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation, but discussion is cursory or overlooks key concerns

Does not discuss additional ethical considerations related to conflict of interest, privacy, and compensation

10

Ethics: Public Image Meets “Proficient” criteria, and evaluation demonstrates nuanced understanding of ethical considerations

Evaluates how the ethical operation of the organization has impacted its public image

Evaluates how the ethical operation of the organization has impacted its public image, but evaluation is cursory

Does not evaluate how the ethical operation of the organization has impacted its public image

10

Conclusion Meets “Proficient” criteria, and rationale demonstrates an insightful analysis of the organization’s leadership strategies and communication practices

Summarizes the organization’s leadership strategies and communication practices while demonstrating an understanding of their effectiveness

Summarizes the organization’s leadership strategies and communication practices, but summary is cursory and lacks reflection on the effectiveness of the strategies and practices used

Does not summarize the organization’s leadership strategies or communication practices

15

Articulation of Response

Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy to read format

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

10

Total 100%