The OAT is a self-assessment tool that provides leaders with a comprehensive review of the major aspects of internal organizational development. The findings of the assessment become the basis for educational experiences that can increase organizational effectiveness.

The OAT focuses on five major areas of organizational development. Esperanza scores each completed OAT to identify the organization’s strengths and needs.

Esperanza provides a written assessment and a clear, understandable guide to training modules and technical assistance services that would best help the organization make progress and improve its capacity as expressed on a continuum of capacity. The continuum is a practical tool to help the organization understand its existing competency and proficiency. Additionally, it helps organization leadership develop realistic and achievable strategic, management, program, and resource development goals and objectives. There are four different levels:

 

Level One
Organizations in Level One are seeking to build a basic infrastructure for management and program implementation to begin or improve their outreach. Often their program outreach is “reactive,” providing short-term responses to an immediate community as needs are brought to their attention. They need a basic resource development strategy that funds current services and begins to consider private sources and partners.

Level Two
These organizations are seeking to build and expand their management capacity and create more effective programs that address long-term needs and provide a more sustainable impact in their community. They may be achieving some success in securing grants, but funding is sporadic and cash flow is a challenge.

Level Three
Level Three organizations are looking to further articulate and expand their mission and program goals, enhance their management infrastructure; they are also beginning to evaluate and strengthen program impact. Organizations in this level are beginning to explore the underlying causes of challenges and problems in their community and are trying to move forward to create a more sustainable impact in their community. For example, an organization might manage a large food program that operates a food bank, a soup kitchen, and a mobile meal outreach to the homeless. At this point, the organization might begin to explore the reasons why beneficiaries of their food program do not have access to an adequate food supply, and they may seek to design strategies and programs that address this issue.

Level Four
Organizations in Level Four have an appropriate organizational structure designed to carry it into the next generation of programs. Strategic plans are fully realized, and the organizations may be looking to expand their geographic service area and diversify their portfolio of programs. They have fully developed and successful resource development systems and are generally two years ahead of budget. They have the potential to become regional intermediaries and to serve local organizations as mentors, peer trainers, best practice models, and host training sites.