G&A Approach




Since 1986 dozens of G&A researchers have tackled a vast number of grant-development, evaluation, research, planning and coaching projects. In each instance, G&A attempted to use the project as a means of improving client’s services and/or reforming the system within which services are delivered. To inform our approach we have devoted countless hours to researching system change, adult learning theory, and organizational culture. Out of this experience and research, G&A has developed an approach that defines how we approach most every project. The cycle below depicts the structure of a typical research, evaluation or planning project illustrating how one step builds upon the next. What it can’t depict is the way in which G&A operates throughout a process: conversing among our fellow associates; conducting dialogue with clients; questioning assumptions (ours and yours); testing ideas and brainstorming new approaches. With this form of continuing inquiry, a typical G&A process is described below.



Engage Stakeholders & Define Purpose and Scope of Work: As a first step in most any project, G&A wants to engage those who are most affected by the proposed work. We want to explain the purpose of the work and provide an opportunity for stakeholders to provide initial advice. Often we explain the purpose of an evaluation or planning process as a way of helping an organization and its members to reconnect with their highest aspirations. We often use group sharing exercises to help individuals share their personal hopes for the organization. This will frequently create a broader and deeper commitment to the process to follow. In this phase, we also share with stakeholders the various steps in the process, their role or potential role, and the time frame. Almost always, program/school leadership and G&A develop this scope of work together setting the tone for the participatory process that follows.

Conduct Field Research: Depending on the project, field research could include interviews with staff, student, client, parent and community stakeholders, focus groups, surveys, observation of program/classroom operations, and a review of various forms of quantitative data. G&A especially values observation of program operations and focus groups and interviews with those clients or students being served as a way to better understand program impact. Field research is asset focused and is designed to identify organizational strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats.

Share Findings: Generally in a large group meeting, share our initial findings. G&A believes that for organizations to improve, they must surface the conditions under which they work and that influence the implementation of program/instructional strategies. G&A findings reports rely heavily upon the ‘client’s voice,’ with staff and client/student comments being referenced liberally. For this reason, many clients have commented that G&A findings reports get at what is really going on in the organization or school. One school board member commented, “This report sounds like us and feels like it was developed by people who really understand us.”

Research Best Practices & Explore Partnerships: G&A believes that it is important for research and the success of exemplary practitioners to inform planning. As a result, G&A always conducts a literature review and frequently interviews and/or visits other exemplary practitioners. A related strategy is to explore partnerships with other organizations whose involvement with the organization/school could address an existing gap or need or build upon strengths. G&A is particularly adept at brokering relations between clients/schools and resources in the community.

Set Goals & Priorities: In one or sometimes a series of meetings with leadership, G&A will facilitate a variety of exercises designed to help organizations/schools establish goals and priorities. The goal of this phase of the process is to focus on high leverage opportunities to significantly advance the organization/school’s purpose. G&A believes that organizations with a dozen high priorities are really organizations with no priorities. It is vital to focus on only the most important goals and rigorously maintain that focus.

Develop/Revise Strategies, Performance Measures & Measurable Outcomes: Using best practice research and often involving external partners, G&A helps leadership develop a set of strategies that are strongly aligned with the organization’s purpose and newly formed goals & priorities or to revise existing approaches. G&A will help leadership identify these strategies, consider how best to involve partners, and then together establish clear performance measures and measurable outcomes. It is vital that the organization and its partners ‘own’ these measures as their way of assessing the extent to which they have achieved their purpose.

Coach Implementation: G&A has an expression: “Implementation is all.” Embarking on a new path or implementing new strategies most often requires changes in habits or approaches that have been long a part of the organization. Change is rarely achieved by attending a series of meetings, a workshop or reading a report. G&A feels strongly that coaching support to the implementation process is one of the most important components to successful change processes. As a result, G&A will often ask clients to build into the scope of work ongoing coaching or technical support to the implementation process. Coaching can help organizations maintain a rigorous focus on their goals and priorities.

Evaluate Results: As part of the strategy development process, G&A will have developed protocols and tools for ongoing data collection. These protocols will either be implemented by the client or by G&A in support of the process. But in either case, ongoing reflection on data is essential to gauging the impact of strategies and to using this reflection to make mid-course corrections in strategies.

Celebrate Success!: Our work is hard. Through each process and especially at key phases of the work, it is important to stop and celebrate what we have done. We will remind you to do this.