The Measures Project: Balancing the Scales

Launched in 1996, the Measures Project is a major initiative of the IS Research Program. The long-term goal of the project is to measure the impact of the third sector on society. Building a body of knowledge about the roles and contributions of nonprofit institutions is a central component of the project.

The inaugural Measures Project event convened leading scholars and academics to discuss a range of topics on measurement and its ramifications, culminating in our forthcoming volume from Plenum Publishing Measuring the Impact of the Nonprofit Sector on Society. To prepare for this conference, IS commissioned Clyde V. Croswell, Jr. to create an annotated bibliography of work already undertaken on evaluation, measurement, and related topics such as quality-of-life indicators. More lessons learned in these areas can be found in the Occasional Papers research series, originally presented at the 1997 IS Spring Research Forum, a biennial gathering of scholars, practitioners, and funders.

Measures Project Publications

• Balancing the Scales: Measuring the Roles and Contributions of Nonprofit Organizations and Religious Congregations
  Press Release | Download the Executive Summary (PDF--1.55MB)

• America's Religious Congregations
  Press Release | Download the full report (PDF--1.32MB)

• Outcome Measurement in Nonprofit Organizations: Current Practices and Recommendations
  Press Release | Download the summary and order form (PDF--0.5MB)

In 1997-1998 we began to assemble a national panel of organizations through which we are tracking changes in the sector and evaluating various measurement techniques. The 1998 Measures Survey generated the first set of findings from panel members on the special roles of nonprofit organizations and religious congregations, engagement in civil society activities, and accountability and evaluation. Findings from the survey are available in the publication Balancing the Scales: Measuring the Roles and Contributions of Nonprofit Organizations and Religious Congregations.