Evaluating Your Agency
by Dr. Ted Flickinger IAPD Executive Director

What role does the board member have in evaluating the agency? It's a duty of board members to ensure that the director and staff adhere to the agency's mission and purposes. Board members must make sure that the policies developed by the board are consistent with the mission statement and purposes.

How well are you doing in evaluating your agency? Can you respond affirmatively to the following questions.

1. Does the agency have an officially adopted mission statement?

2. Is the mission statement clear? Does it serve as a guide to recreation planning and decision making?

3. Is the mission statement prominently displayed on agency publications?

4. Within the past two or three years has the board reviewed the mission statement? Is the mission statement as relevant today as it was when it was established? Are the goals and objectives for services and planning remaining consistent with the mission statement and purposes of the agency?

5. Is the board given frequent reports on the evaluation of programs, services, areas and facilities? Is their input solicited?

6. Does the board have adequate opportunities to review recommendations to eliminate programs or add new services?

7. Are board members made part of the short-term and long-range planning process? Do these plans reflect the mission of the agency? Are there opportunities to have scheduled reviews and, if necessary, revisions in plans? Is sufficient time provided for discussions of long-term planning?

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8. Does the agency have a development plan for board review and involvement that considers funding from businesses, government grants, foundations, special fundraising events and other capital campaigns?

9. Is there an adequate commitment on the part of individual board members to influence people, organizations and businesses to make contributions to the agency?

10. Is the annual audit report thoroughly reviewed by the board with the auditor and director?

11. Within the last two years, has the board received and reviewed reports on open space plans and facility needs?

12. Before approving new requests for areas and facilities, does the board carefully evaluate present conditions? Are current facilities and areas effectively scheduled and utilized? Does future acquisition of areas and facilities concur with the long-range planning of the agency?

13. Do current facilities and areas comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act?

For further information on evaluating your agency, director and board, please attend the annual conference session "How To Become a Distinguished Agency" (#326) on Saturday, January 11, 1997, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

For a comprehensive understanding of standards and criteria for self evaluation of your agency, I strongly recommend ordering the Distinguished Park and Recre- ation Agency Standards Manual. (See related story on page 23.) This manual has a detailed explanation of steps to follow to complete the self-study. The manual contains an explanation of the 165 measurable standards and criteria which com- prise the basis of the evaluation process.

The Distinguished Agency Standards Manual is a great evaluation tool. Call IAPD today at 217/ 523-4554 to order a copy. 

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