National Domestic Workers Alliance
GROW Organizational Assessment: Overview and Instructions
Completing the GROW Organizational Assessment is the first step to participate in NDWA’s
GROW Program in 2015-2016.
Please complete this assessment and return it to Lisa, lisa@domesticworkers.org, by
November 6th.
A description of GROW can be found at www.organizing.domesticworkers.org.
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Instructions for filling out the Organizational Assessment:
The Organizational Assessment will help NDWA staff determine which aspects of the
GROW program might be a good fit for your organization. Our hope is that the program will
contain a little something for every organization, helping us all move together toward the
goal of growing our membership bases.
Please dedicate some time with your lead staff members to fill out this assessment together.
Discussing these questions and arriving at your responses to this assessment together can
help surface different perspectives on the issues raised. You may wish to hand out the
Organizational Assessment to staff members and ask them to fill it out on their own, and
then come to a meeting prepared to discuss. If you do this, please assign one person to tally
your organization’s overall responses (either reached by consensus or by averaging
individuals’ responses) and submit only one completed form to NDWA.
There are ABSOLUTELY no right or wrong answers to these questions. Do not assume that
your organization needs to “score” high on these questions to be considered for support from
NDWA. The opposite is true: we are genuinely interested in learning about the challenges
you face in base-building and the areas of growth you choose to prioritize.
When you send in your Organizational Assessment to Lisa, lisa@domesticworkers.org,
please include both the following Organizational Background information, and the responses
to the Organizational Assessment itself.
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National Domestic Workers Alliance
GROW Organizational Assessment: Organizational Background
1) Organization name:
2) Name and email of person filling out this form (compiling the results of Assessments
done by multiple people in your organization):
3) Who was involved in completing the Organizational Assessment for your
organization? Please list their positions.
4) How many domestic worker members does your organization have?
5) How many of them are active (regularly engaged in your organization’s work)?
6) What percentage of your domestic worker members are A) housecleaners, B)
nannies, and C) caregivers?
7) Please describe your organization’s membership structure. What is your definition of
member? Does your organization have different categories of members?
8) Did your organization explicitly name growth of your membership as a goal in its last
organizational plan? If so, what is are your goals of how much you’ll grow?
9) Which of your staff are focused on domestic worker organizing? If so, what % of their
time is spent on domestic worker base-building?
10) What are some of the opportunities for domestic worker organizing in your locality?
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National Domestic Workers Alliance
GROW Organizational Assessment
For the statements in areas A through H, select the number 1 to 5 that you think best reflects
your organization’s current state. There is no right or wrong answer! Do not feel pressured to
“score” your organization high in any of these areas. NDWA is genuinely interested in
knowing what your organization’s base-building goals and challenges are, so please be
honest!
Key for ranking:
1 = No, this does not describe our organization at all. We need a lot of work in this area.
2 = This describes our organization a little bit
3 = This describes our organization somewhat. We could stand to improve.
4 = This is a fairly accurate description of our organization
5 = This is a very accurate. We’re strong in this area.
A. Theory of change: A document that articulates who your base is, what are the
problems your organization exists to address, your analysis of the root causes of
those problems, your vision of a better future, your strategies for getting there,
the activities that allow you to carry out your strategies, and the allies you relate
to along the way.
_______ Our organization has a clearly articulated theory of change.
_______ Everyone in the organization can easily explain our theory of change.
_______ We use our theory of change to inform decisions around our programs and
campaigns.
_______ We use our theory of change to orient new members and staff.
_______ Our theory of change includes an analysis that it is important to build a broad base
of domestic workers.
Comments:
B. Researching our base
_______ We’ve done research (surveys, field scan, regular outreach, etc.) that tells us about
the conditions and needs of domestic workers in our communities.
_______ We use the results of this research to inform decisions around our programs and
campaigns.
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_______ We are confident that our programming accurately reflects the needs of our base.
Comments:
C. Getting ready to grow
_______ Base-building was clearly identified as a priority for the organization in our last
(strategic) plan.
_______ We set annual goals for base-building.
_______ There is consensus among our Board that growing our base is a priority.
_______ There is consensus among staff that growing our base is a priority.
_______ We have resources (staffing and time and money) dedicated to bringing more
domestic workers into our organization.
_______ Our programs are structured in a way that will allow us to grow and incorporate
many new members into the organization.
Comments:
D. Membership structure
_______ We have a clear definition of membership.
_______ It’s easy for domestic workers to become members of the organization.
_______ Our membership structure includes opportunities for workers to take on greater
leadership roles, and a clear system for how they will be able to do so.
_______ Our members pay dues.
Comments:
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E. Maximizing staff and leaders
_______ There are clear roles for worker leaders to play in the organization.
_______ We have good systems in place for worker leaders to be trained to take on those
roles.
_______ Outreach and follow-up is mostly done by worker leaders, not paid staff.
_______ Peer support responsibilities are shared by worker leaders and paid organizers.
_______ We have good systems in place for supervision of staff and worker leaders.
Comments:
F. Outreach and follow-up
_______ We have annual, quarterly and monthly outreach goals.
_______ We treat outreach and follow-up as a system, and dedicate time in our work
schedules for both.
_______ We’ve done mapping in our community that tells where and how to find domestic
workers.
_______ We follow up with all new contacts within 48 hours of reaching them.
_______ We have a trained Outreach Team made up of worker leaders
_______ We have a strong and inspiring rap that we use to recruit new members.
_______ We have good systems for tracking data on our contacts and members, and the
right people in the organization are trained to use that system.
Comments:
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G. Program design
(For the purposes of this assessment, programs include member meetings, trainings,
workforce development, campaigns, services and/or any other ways that you engage your
members.)
_______ We feel confident that the programs we offer are the right mix of programs to
attract and retain members.
_______ Our programs include political education on the domestic worker movement.
_______ Our programs include political education on intersections between different
systems of oppression.
_______ Our programs help workers know their rights on the job and feel more confident
exercising them.
_______ Our programs--in combination with others available in our community--reflect the
needs and interests of our base.
_______ Our programs include leadership development trainings.
_______ Our programs include opportunities for domestic workers to connect with each
other, provide peer support, and form community.
_______ Our programs are transformative. Workers are able to see themselves, their
potential and their own leadership in a new way as a result of their participation in our
programs.
_______ Workers who are recipients of the services our organization offers usually become
members of the organization. (Write in N/A if your organization doesn’t provide direct
services.)
_______ The services our organization offers generate revenue that supports our
organizing. (Write in N/A if your organization doesn’t provide direct services.)
Comments:
H. Digital organizing
_______ We have recognized that we need to use technology to communicate with more
people than we are able to reach one-on-one.
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_______ We make use of social media to advertise our work and encourage workers to get
involved.
_______ We use technology to communicate with our leaders in a way that’s efficient and
effective.
_______ We use technology to communicate with our contacts and potential members in a
way that’s efficient and effective.
_______ We have a digital organizing plan.
_______ We have staff who are tasked with carrying out our digital organizing plan, and
have the training and skills that they need to be able to do so.
Comments:
I. Overall Assessment
1. Overall, which of the areas above (letters A through H) do you think are the largest
challenges for your organization?
2. In the areas that you’ve identified as your biggest challenges, what are the main barriers
your organization faces?
3. Which of the above areas (letters A through H) do you think should be the top priorities for
your organization to address?
4. Have you already planned to do anything else in the next year to advance your basebuilding?
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Thank you for completing this Organizational Assessment!
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