Measure What Matters: An OKR Playbook for Non Profits Seeking Bigger Impact & Grants

“Ideas are easy. Execution is everything.” — John Doerr, Measure What Matters Goodreads

Why OKRs Beat the Status‑Quo

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) turn lofty missions into trackable metrics. When venture capitalist John Doerr introduced OKRs to Google in 1999, the framework “aligned and motivated the team, contributing significantly to the company’s explosive growth.” WIRED

Step 1: Craft a Resonant Objective (the Why)

Example for a Sacramento food‑security nonprofit: “End childhood hunger in Sacramento County by 2027.” Make objectives qualitative, inspirational, time-bound, and region‑specific.

Step 2: Define 3‑5 Key Results (the What)

Good KRs are specific, time‑bound, and binary.

1. Secure 15 new municipal and special‑district partnerships by Q4.

2. Distribute 250,000 healthy meals to low‑income families this fiscal year.

3. Achieve a 90 % volunteer‑retention rate across Stockton and East Bay hubs.

   
   

Step 3: Assign Owners & Cadence (the How)

Use a shared dashboard (Airtable or Google Sheets) with traffic‑light status. Conduct brief “10‑minute leadership huddles” every month—modeled after videos on our 10MinLeadership channel—to review methods for inspiring progress and tools to unblock obstacles.

Step 4: Tell Funders the Story in Real Time

Grantmakers want evidence. Embed progress bars on your website and export quarterly snapshots for proposals. Include SEO‑rich captions like “East Bay meal‑distribution progress Q2 2025.”

Step 5: Iterate Ruthlessly

If a Key Result stalls below 0.7 on the 0‑to‑1 scale Doerr recommends, reassess resources or pivot tactics; transparency boosts credibility with donors.

Common Pitfalls & Fixes

Pitfall	Quick Fix
Too many KRs	Cap at five; focus on high‑impact metrics.
Confusing tasks with results	Ask, “Would a funder care?” If not, rewrite.
Silent dashboards	Schedule auto‑reminders so owners update scores before each huddle.

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