The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain implemented widespread organizational changes by requiring all staff to begin collecting and using program and outcome data. A new culture of measurement now drives all strategies and actions. Staff use data to better serve youth by assessing program implementation, strategies to increase attendance, and targeting assistance to youth in need. These changes were catalyzed by hiring a new CEO and director of training and outcome measurement focused on data use.

1. DATA USE PROFILE: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain
EFFECTIVE DATA USE: A CATALYST FOR ORGANIZATIONAL
TRANSFORMATION
SUMMARY
New organization leaders implemented far-reaching change by requiring all
Club staff to begin collecting and using data. A culture of measurement now
drives all strategies and actions of the organization. Program and outcomes
data use enables staff members to better serve youth, by assessing how well
they implement the Formula for Impact, which strategies result in increased
average daily attendance (ADA), and which youth need targeted assistance.
Organization Snapshot
Location: Winterville, N.C.
Founded: 1969
Budget: $3.7 million
Facilities: 9
Annual Membership: 2,600
THE CHALLENGE
Prior to October 2012, when the organization’s board hired a new chief executive officer,
the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain had not prioritized outcome measurement or
data use. The organization did not measure youth outcomes and collected very little
member attendance information. Few data collection systems or practices existed to
support planning and program improvement.
THE SOLUTION
The board hired CEO Misty Marston in part for her understanding and appreciation of data
use. Marston hired Stephanie Reynolds to fill a new position of Director of Training and
Outcome Measurement, and charged her with implementing a comprehensive data
collection system.
The transformation entailed creating a new set of common indicators for an internal
quarterly data report, a standard data collection system for all sites, a data review process,
staff training, and communications with board and Club leaders. Reynolds quickly
recognized that she needed to introduce data collection systems and practices slowly to
staff. Over the next two years, staff members gradually came to value the systems used for
measurement, learned the skills needed to interpret data and began identifying
opportunities to improve programs based on what the data revealed.

2. As a first step, Reynolds created a monthly report for each unit. The uniform report
includes indicators such as total membership by gender and age group, and average daily
attendance. It also includes participation numbers for Academic Success, Good Character
and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles programs, and tracks volunteer service hours.
These reports enabled unit directors and organization leaders to discern attendance trends
and identify strategies to increase ADA.
In an effort to measure and deepen impact, the organization also created a Club
Assessment Scorecard for each unit. The Club Assessment Scorecard uses a common set of
indicators to measure how actual member outcomes compare each quarter to goals set by
the organization. Reynolds works with each unit director to set quarterly goals and create
action plans for enhancement. One of the most important data points on the scorecard
tracks the percentage of Club members who earned a C average or higher on their most
recent report cards. This data helps identify members who need to be connected with
additional resources to help them improve academically.
In addition to NYOI survey data and the Club Assessment Scorecard, staff use several other
data sources to assess member progress toward key outcomes. For instance, staff review
data from the Stride Academy, a web-based learning program aligned with Common Core
school standards that is used by Club members. Staff also assess members’ health three
times per year using Fitnessgram, a system that measures and tracks aerobic capacity,
upper body strength and flexibility. To measure community engagement, each site tracks
hours of Club and community service completed by youth.
IMPACT OF DATA USE
All of the organization’s strategic planning now begins with data review. For instance, NYOI
National Outcomes Survey data indicated significant room for improvement in the area of
safety. The board charged leadership to form teams of full- and part-time staff members
from each unit to create safety action plans. Each month, senior leaders review these plans
to monitor progress on safety. The organization also contracted Praesidium, an abuse
prevention and risk management firm, to assess facility safety, interview staff and review
policies and procedures.
Staff now create, alter and enhance programs based on what data reveals. For example, in
six of the Clubs, staff used the data provided in their monthly unit reports to make program
changes that have helped increase ADA by 24 percent since February of 2013. Using school
and Stride Academy data enables staff to work more intensively with members on specific
subjects and academic skills. These efforts by Club staff at the Jarvis site helped the
percentage of members earning a grade of C or higher jump from 69 to 81 percent over the
course a nine-month grading period.
A clearly defined measurement process and adequate training enable staff members to
determine the quality of program implementation and what changes they should make to
increase their programs’ impact on youth. As Club leaders continue to gain experience and

3. skill in collecting and interpreting data, youth in eastern North Carolina will continue to
reap the benefits.
PULL QUOTE: “We want to make sure we don’t get comfortable. We don’t want to become
complacent just because of our success.”
Stephanie Reynolds, Director of Training and Outcome Measurement