Organizational Capacity Courses

About this learning path...

All Merit learners begin with this learning path, in which we explore what "capacity" really is. You'll get a chance to see an overview of the six capacity areas presented on Merit (as well as their 28 subcapacities!) and start thinking of where your learning journey will take you.

As a concept, organizational capacity is a nonprofit's ability to assess its operational capacity and infrastructure in relation to making progress toward its mission. In many ways, organizational capacity supports (and limits) how we do what we do...and for that reason, it's the perfect place to start your professional development as a nonprofit staff member.

What You Will Learn

What organizational capacity is, and is not (and how it can take us from good to great).

Key indicators of effective organizational capacity as seen in our people, programs, and processes.

Four questions to ask to better understand how organizational capacity can be developed.

What a typical capacity assessment process looks like, and how we make sense of surprising data.

Action-planning starting points and further steps that build your nonprofit's capacity.

A revisit of the SMART goal structure in relation to building individual and team-level operational capacity.

Three additional goal frameworks to use in crafting capacity-building goals: OKRs, one-word goal-setting, and goal pyramids.

How to launch a team-level improvement initiative, and the value of involving everyone on your team in capacity-building.

Who is this learning path for?

Everyone! This learning path kicks off every Merit learner’s journey on this platform. Throughout the first three courses, you’ll not only get a handle on what nonprofit organizational capacity is (and isn’t), you’ll also get the hang of the ins and outs of all that our interactive platform has to offer.

This learning path explores the following Korn Ferry competencies: