Phase 5 - Learn

5.3 Post-SIB organisational review

At the end of a SIB programme, you’ll most likely be facing some decisions about what’s next for the organisation.

As an input into your thinking, we’d recommend reviewing what you’ve learned during the SIB, and considering how to apply this learning to strengthen your organisation for whichever direction you choose to pursue.

You’ll have made some changes to your organisational structure and culture in order to deliver the SIB, and in an ideal scenario, you’ve been learning and adapting throughout its lifetime. Now is the time to decide, what should we take forward, and what should we leave behind?

The end of a SIB presents a valuable opportunity to more formally take stock. It is worth soliciting input from your partners, programme participants and evaluators as well as your full internal team. As you write up the learning for internal use, consider sharing any of it that may be useful to other organisations that are considering developing and delivering a SIB.

Below, we suggest some key areas to focus on as you review the learnings and turn towards what’s next.

  1. Processes, systems and capabilities

  • Does your theory of change need revising in the light of the outcomes delivered (or not) during the SIB?

  • Do you need to retool your performance management systems, including revising the indicators, or settng targets more accurately?

  • Do you need to make any changes to delivery?

  • Will your current IT systems support the collection of data beyond the SIB’s requirements, or do you need to upgrade them?

  1. Partnerships

  • Which new relationships have you cultivated?  Which doors have you opened?

  • What is your plan for continuing to engage with all your partners, and to continue to explore new partnership opportunities?

  • Is the end of the SIB leaving any of your partners in the lurch – for example, if you supplemented their service as part of performance troubleshooting?

  1. Financial sustainability

  • In which ways has the SIB made your organisation a stronger candidate for subsequent funding, e.g. by producing a body of outcomes data?

  • How could you secure follow-on funding for successful aspects of the programme? How likely is the commissioner to recommission them?

  • How could you redesign your fundraising strategy to capitalise on the learnings from the SIB?

Further resources